Craft Recordings has rolled out another great selection of new release and reissue LPs, including three more Original Jazz Classics (OJC) reboot titles, another reissue from the king of Corrido song, Chalino Sanchez, and the original soundtrack recording for the Academy Award-winning motion picture, The English Patient. All are rare, long out-of-print, and hard-to-find LPs, with two of the albums in this group seeing their first US release on the LP format. Among the OJC reissues are two classic Miles Davis albums, 1955's The Musings of Miles and 1957's Walkin', as well as a mostly solo outing from Thelonious Monk, 1957's Thelonious Himself. All of these recordings are being made available as high resolution digital files for download or streaming on most major services. All LPs can be ordered from Craft's web store and many online providers, and they'll also be available at brick and mortar locations like your favorite independent record store.
Craft's first half 2025 slate of OJC series reissues concludes with the trio of classic jazz LPs from Miles and Monk. Other than the first mid-1980's OJC represses of these albums, only a handful of limited edition LP reissues have been made available, and all have been mostly out of print domestically as LPs for decades. Minty originals are almost impossible to find from any source. All three OJC reissues were cut from the original analog tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, and the LPs were pressed on 180 gram vinyl at RTI. OJC reboot reissues arrive housed in near-perfect replicas of the original, heavy tip-on outer jackets, with crisp artwork sourced from the vaults of Pablo and Riverside Records. Each outer jacket has the classic, high-gloss coating that distinguished Prestige and Riverside label releases back in the day, and each LP also sports a custom OBI strip that provides a glimpse of the reissue's technical information while bolstering their already striking appearance. The LPs were inserted into Craft-branded rice paper inner sleeves, which keeps them free from scratching, static build-up, and paper dust accumulation. The packaging of the outstanding OJC reissues will definitely add to their desirability to collectors.
Miles Davis, The Musings of Miles. 180 gram Prestige Records LP, $39
The Musings of Miles was recorded on a single day, June 7, 1955; it was one of the few Prestige Records LPs that was released at almost the same time as the recordings were made, and the album was Miles Davis' first 12" long playing record. Miles' band here was essentially the precursor to his first great quintet that made their famous string of recordings for Prestige, including Miles, Cookin', Relaxin, Workin', and Steamin' for the label a few months later in November. The Musings of Miles session featured pianist Red Garland and drummer Philly Joe Jones (both would end up in his quintet); bassist Oscar Pettiford rounded out the quartet for this date. Rudy Van Gelder recorded the album at his Hackensack, New Jersey studio, and Bob Weinstock produced for Prestige Records. Upon its release, Downbeat gave the record five stars and its highest recommendation.
Miles was fine-tuning his conception for his next big endeavor, and the four popular standards and pair of originals included on The Musings of Miles covers a lot of ground conceptually. Miles' more sparse and less-frenetic approach alternates between uptempo tunes and those that feature the more lyrical tone of his muted trumpet. Just listen to his more relaxed, unhurried rendering of the album's lengthiest tune, Dizzy Gillespie's classic "A Night in Tunisia," which is almost languid in comparison to Art Blakey's frantic version he'd record a couple of years later. Miles again uses his mute on his original "Green Haze," where his almost unembellished playing and the less ornate approach of pianist Red Garland is eerily prescient of the sounds that would soon emerge from his first great quintet.
Craft's new reissue of The Musings of Miles completely smoked my 1980's original OJC, which sounded almost flat in comparison to the level of realism I heard from the new LP. Miles' horn tone had greater clarity and was more musical, Red Garland's piano had a greater degree of realism in the mono soundfield, and even Oscar Pettiford's bass was deeper on the reissue. This LP has been out of print for over four decades, and Craft's new version is definitely the one collectors and music lovers will want. You can order a copy from Craft's web store HERE.
Miles Davis All-Stars, Walkin'. 180 gram Prestige Records LP, $39
Though released in 1957, all the recordings that ended up on Walkin' were actually made on two different dates in April, 1954. That was Prestige Records' style; they recorded countless sessions, then compiled them into albums and released them at their leisure, and often years later. These were sessions that preceded the formation of his classic quintet with John Coltrane that was only eighteen months away from fruition. Walkin' was recorded by Rudy Van Gelder at his Hackensack studio, and Bob Weinstock produced for Prestige Records. The album splits quintet/sextet settings between sides, with a core that features Miles' trumpet, Horace Silver on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Side one's sextet is rounded out by Lucky Thompson on tenor sax and Jay Jay Johnson on trombone, and Davey Schildkraut rounds out side two's quintet with his tenor sax.
Miles was one of the principal architects of Bop music, and on Walkin', he reaffirms his mastery of the genre with a scintillating collection of blues and standards. Side one features the album's two lengthiest tunes; the 12 bar blues "Walkin'" has an extended groove that lopes along for thirteen-and-a-half minutes, and had become a showstopper in Miles' live shows. Lucky Thomson and Jay Jay Johnson solo liberally off Miles' superb framework, and the tune is the definition of ear candy. Dizzy Gillespie's "Blue ‘n' Boogie" is an uptempo blues that jumps out of the loudspeakers in total contrast to "Walkin'", with some extraordinary improvisations between the three horns. Miles' horn is muted throughout side two, which features his only original, "Solar," where his performance is often regarded as perhaps his finest recorded solo, on any record. "You Don't Know What Love Is" would get its definitive reading from Sonny Rollins a couple of years later, but Miles and Davey Schildkraut give a noteworthy performance here that definitely served as Sonny's inspiration. Walkin' amazed me predominantly for the brilliant underpinning provided by pianist Horace Silver; I've always loved his work as a session leader, but his superb performances on this excellent album have somehow eluded me. And they shine through in this new reissue like never before!
Walkin' is one of the very best reissues yet in the OJC reboot series, and it totally outclasses my 1980's OJC LP in every conceivable way. While I listen to tons of mono LPs, this one is undeniably a cut above the rest. Craft's reissue transports you back to Rudy Van Gelder's studio in 1954, with the kind of realism and that, despite being a mono recording, offers a portrait of Miles and his players that astounds me with every listen. Walkin' has been in constant rotation since arriving; I'm absolutely certain you'll love it as much as I do, and you can order a copy from Craft's web store HERE. Very highly recommended!
Thelonious Monk, Thelonious Himself. 180 gram Riverside Records LP, $39
Thelonious Monk had an unbelievably productive year in 1957, releasing his breakthrough record, Brilliant Corners, followed by the mostly solo session Thelonious Himself, which was bookended by the equally classic Monk's Music, and he closed out the year with Monk Meet Mulligan. Those first three albums from 1957 cemented his reputation as one of the giants of Bebop and Hard Bop jazz, and set the stage for his future successes live and in the studio. All of Monk's albums released in 1957 were recorded at Reeves Sound Studios in New York, with Jack Higgins at the controls; as always, Orrin Keepnews produced for Riverside Records. Downbeat gave Thelonious Himself five stars and its highest recommendation.
Thelonious Himself is a mixture of standards and originals that features mostly sparsely ornamented and measured piano solos that highlight Monk's eccentric playing style; he only really breaks loose on his original "Functional." The album's closer, the classic "Monk's Mood" features John Coltrane on sax and Wilbur Ware on bass, though don't expect a rollicking finale—the mood is almost valedictory. I love this album, but I'm such a fan of his group recordings that I tend to give short shrift to the solo piano records, and I'd virtually forgotten what a great album this is! Hearing this again on Craft's new OJC reissue was revelatory; I have an original 1980's OJC, but its' sound pales in comparison to that of Craft's new LP. The pressing is cleaner, crisper, clearer, and infinitely more musical than my original OJC, and the new reissue projects a perfect wide-mono image with exceptional realism. You can order a copy HERE from Craft's web store—Thelonious Himself comes very highly recommended!
Chalino Sanchez, Alma Enamorada. 140 gram Musart Super LP, $26
My first experiences with the music of Rosalino "Chalino" Sánchez Félix (Chalino Sanchez as he was professionally known)—the King of the Corrido singers—came during my review of Craft Recordings' reissue last year of his 1991 album, Nieves de Enero. You can read that review HERE to get some background on Sanchez and his Corrido songs, and how the music made an emotional connection with me. Alma Enamorada is an extension of that goodness, and apparently sprung from the tapes of his music he delivered to Mexican record label Discos Musart Super just prior to his untimely death in 1992. Alma Enamorada was only ever released on LP in Mexico in 1992, was never available in the US other than as an import, and has been out of print now for over three decades. No original copies currently show on Discogs as being available for purchase.
As with Nieves de Enero, I definitely didn't expect Alma Enamorada to have any kind of audiophile cred, but again, I was astonished by this LP's great sonics. Clint Holley and Dave Polster of Well Made Music remastered the album and cut new lacquers from the original AAA tapes; the LPs were pressed at Memphis Record Pressing. The recordings highlight Chalino Sanchez' collaboration with Norteño band Los Amables del Norte, and the songs are a mixture of love ballads and Corridos. With ballads like the title track, "Maria de la luz," and "Prenda del alma," along with stirring Corridos like "Armando Aguirre," "Anastasio Pacheco," and "Felipe Castro" along with "Coquio Castro." His songs, whether his own compositions or those from other writers, often mirrored his own personal experiences with the drug trade and those connected to it, and despite the sometimes less than savory subject matter, are nonetheless supremely lyrical and entertaining.
You can order a copy of Alma Enamorada HERE. Craft's new reissue comes very highly recommended, and this is a great opportunity to hear these songs in what is very likely the best sound quality they'll ever have, and at a bargain price to boot!
The English Patient, Original Soundtrack Recording, (2) 140 gram Sahara Sun Orange LPs, $40
The English Patient won nine Academy Awards following its release in 1996, including Best Picture, Best Director for Anthony Minghella, Best Supporting Actress for Juiette Binoche, and Best Original Dramatic Score for composer Gabriel Yared. It went on to become the highest grossing movie in the history of production company Mixamax, grossing $232 million in box office receipts worldwide. The album produced following the movie's release won four major soundtrack awards, including an Oscar, a Grammy, the BAFTA award, and the Golden Globe, which is a pretty phenomenal achievement considering how unlikely that level of consistency is among the various contenders during most award seasons. Rotten Tomatoes described Anthony Minghella's adaptation of author Michael Ondaatje's novel as "Complex, powerful, and moving."
I became a fan of The English Patient shortly following its release, despite the misgivings of my mostly male co-workers, who uniformly dismissed the film, proclaiming it to be a "chick flick." I found Minghella's engrossing storytelling to be completely captivating, and both the original score and selection of classic jazz tunes from Benny Goodman and vocals from the likes of Fred Astaire and Ella Fitzgerald to be the icing on a most delectable cake. Hungarian vocalist Márta Sebestyén's otherworldly vocals in "Szerelem, Szerelem" that are interspersed at various points in the album are breathtakingly beautiful! Gabriel Yared's original compositions were both majestic and sweeping, and melded with the on-screen action perfectly. I've seen this movie countless times, and grabbed a CD copy of the soundtrack as soon as it became available. This new 2-LP set from Craft imprint Varèse Sarabande represents the first time The English Patient has ever been available in the LP format—and its even pressed on really cool orange colored vinyl, with a choice of "Sahara Sun" orange online and at independent record stores, and "Sands of Love" colored vinyl exclusively available at Barnes and Noble locations. You can order a copy of The English Patient from Varèse Sarabande's web store HERE.
My Sahara Sun orange vinyl review copy of The English Patient was pressed at Memphis Record Pressing, and the 140 gram LP was perfectly flat, with glossy surfaces that showed no imperfections. The sound quality of the vinyl was superb, with virtually no surface or groove noise, making for an entertaining and often very cerebral listen. It's been in constant rotation since arriving, and I can't recommend this 2-LP set highly enough!
More to come
This has been a great season of new releases from Craft Recordings, with more great LPs just around the corner, including a continuation of their centennial celebration of singer Celia Cruz and the next batch of OJC reissues. Thanks again to Jacob Kossak for his consideration and assistance—all these albums come very highly recommended!
Craft Recordings
All images courtesy of Craft Recordings.
