Tone Poet Series

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series is our top-of-the-line vinyl series. Produced and curated by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley, the series presents all-analog, 180g audiophile quality vinyl reissues from the Blue Note Records catalog and our family of labels which also includes Pacific Jazz, United Artists, and Solid State. Tone Poet vinyl is mastered by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio directly from the original analog master tapes and manufactured at Record Technology Inc. (RTI) in Camarillo, California. The releases come packaged in deluxe gatefold Tip-On jackets which are adorned by stunning photography from the recording sessions by Francis Wolff, giving the listener a glimpse into the studio on the day the music was created. “I’ve been obsessed with jazz and sound for as long as I can remember,” says Harley. “I will never forget the first time we heard a real Rudy Van Gelder Blue Note master tape on Kevin’s system. Let me tell you, those master tapes sound big, dynamic and real, as if the players are right in front of you!” “Our sonic goal became clear,” he explains. “We started on a quest to capture the sound of those master tapes on vinyl and to allow listeners to know what it would sound like to actually be in Rudy’s living room in Hackensack or later in Rudy’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Short of having an actual time machine, this is as close as you can get to going back and being a fly on the wall for an original Blue Note recording session.” “We wanted these to be definitive in every way, from the mastering to the pressings, packaging, and authenticity of the artwork, including the actual labels. When it comes to Blue Note LP packaging, extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket cover graphics to the printing quality. Every aspect of these Blue Note releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.”