Search - Larry Young :: Unity

Larry Young & associates create a masterpiece!!

Dennis W. Wong | 11/11/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're tired of the usual organ-sax-guitar combo, then the classic "Unity" by the Coltrane of the organ, Larry Young, fits the bill. Along with other progressive musicians such as Joe Henderson on tenor, Woody Shaw on trumpet and Elvin Jones on drums, "Unity" leaps out of the standard blues progressions into the modal vein with tunes such as Shaw's "Zoltan" and "The Moontrane" plus a smok'ng Henderson solo on "Softly as in a Morning Sunrise" to make this album a classic of its type. Young would go further into the avant garde with his later albums such as "Of Love and Peace", "Mother Ship" but this classic was the one that pointed the way. I've listened to this album as far as back as the '60s when it was issued, I believe in '66 and have never grown tired of it. One thing noted, if you can, avoid the RVG re-issue and try and get the original issue on CD or an import. Fortunately a friend laid a Japanese copy (24 bit) on me and it was far superior than the Van Gelder re-issue in terms of sound imagery and separation which is practically non-existent on the U.S. copy. The later RVG releases are far better sonically than "Unity" or "Out to Lunch" such as "Song for My Father", "Adam's Apple", "JuJu" ,"Inner Urge" and "Maiden Voyage"."

2008 Japanese Import CD has the identical 1998 RVG Remasteri

German Artist | California | 05/05/2010

(2 out of 5 stars)

"
The expensive "2008" release Japanese Import B001CRGTMS of Larry Young's "Unity" may be a new release, but has exactly the same 1998 RVG remastering as the US Blue Note Note release from 1999 that I tried to avoid, which is why I paid over $ 30 for it instead of the less than $ 10 that the US release costs . This information is printed on the back of the jewel case of the Japanese import. Amazon's product description makes it look like a 2008 release, and their photo leaves out the RVG logo on the cover.



This is a recording from 1965, I don't know how the original Blue Note release sounds. but the RVG remastering sounds very MONO, like in a box, in both the US and this particular 2008 Japanese import which is identical except for the Japanese liner notes, and cover.



UDATE 22 May 2010:

After an extensive search, I finally found the 24bit remastering from 2005 by Toshiba EMI TOCJ 6597, and purchased it from a Japanese amazon.co.uk marketplace seller. From the first moment, when I put in the CD, I knew this was right. The above mentioned 2008 Japanese release with the 1998 RVG remaster was my first encounter with this music, and I didn't like the music, because it was so boxy and narrow and cold. In the 2005 remastering I recommend, the music is full and warm, and expansive, which is how Hammond organ music sound. You will find it by typing this number in the amazon search window: B000AU1NTC. Otherwise, search elswhere for TOCJ 6597. I highly recommend it!



I'm not obsessed with modern recording quality sound. I have a lot of old recordings, Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, and think the vintage recording quality does not distract from the music at all, and actually enhances it. But the music of Larry Young's Unity really benefits from a warm and full sound quality."