Nov. 8, 1989 “Blue Note LP Last Reissue Part 1”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

The time was 1989. We all thought we couldn’t buy brand-new analogue LP when it was time for the CD. However, many Japan record labels began releasing various LPs, saying “This Is The Last Time You Can Get in LP format!”, “It’s The Last LP Reissue This Time!”. Anyway, we were happy to buy such “last reissue” series. Basically all are limited edition by subscription only.

Please note that BN-4027(S) and BN-4045(S) (both Freddie Redd titles) were NOT released in this Nov. 8, 1989 issue. On the paper insert, there is a mention that the Freddie Redd titles couldn’t be included in the Nov. 8 issue, mainly due to a certain contract issue. BTW both titles were later issued in the Sep. 30, 1992 issue (as seen far below).

Jun. 22, 1990 “Blue Note LP Last Reissue Part 2”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Preceded by the success of “Last Reissue” in 1989, Toshiba decided to continue releasing other Blue Note LPs. This was Part 2, from BN 4000 series.

Sep. 19, 1990 “Blue Note LP Last Reissue Part 3”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

This time, the selection was from 4000 series and 4100 series.

Dec. 26, 1990 “Blue Note LP Last Reissue Part 4” (BLP 1500 Revival), Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 4 of the “Last Reissue” series focused on legendary BLP 1500 series. As there were many famous titles included in this series, any LPs in this series have been getting hard to find.

First 20 titles of Part 4 (all 30 titles) were released in December 1990, while other 10 titles in January 1991.

Jan. 25, 1991 “Blue Note LP Last Reissue Part 4” (BLP 1500 Revival, cont’d), Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

The rest 10 titles of the Part 4.

Mar. 27, 1991 “Blue Note The 4000 Series Collection Part 5”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 5 features many “rare” titles which seldom were previously reissued.

First 15 titles of Part 5 (all 30 titles) were released in March 1991, while other 15 titles in April 1991.

Mar. 27, 1991 “Blue Note Original 5000 Series Collection”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

This series is a reissue of 10-inch LP (BLP 5000 series) in 12-inch LP format. Some titles were packed together in one double-LP package. For example, BN-0001 and BN-0002 were packed together: they were not sold separately.

Apr. 26, 1991 “Blue Note The 4000 Series Collection Part 5” (cont’d), Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

The rest 15 titles of Part 5.

Oct. 05, 1991 “Gold Of G.D. 100, Part 4” by Swing Journal, Shinseido and Toshiba EMI

In 1991, Japan’s most famous Jazz magazine “Swing Journal” and Shinseido (music reseller) formed a project to release various “Gold Discs” in LP format, among various labels. The “Gold Disc” is an award by Swing Journal. The Swing Journal have written reviews of many albums every month, and they give the “Gold Disc” award to the album with most masterpiece musical quality. This “Gold Of G.D. 100” Series contains as much as 100 albums which won the “Gold Disc” award ever since. For there are more than 100 albums won the Gold Disc, this selection is entitled “The Gold Of Gold Disc”.

In April 5, 1991, 12 albums from Impulse, MCA and Decca were released. In the next month, May 25, as much as 26 Gold Disc titles were chosen from Prestige, Riverside, Contemporary, Fantasy, Pablo, Bethlehem and Mode. Next selection, released in July 25, contains 28 titles from Verve, Brunswick, Felsted, Fontana, EmArcy, Finesse, Vee Jay, Dawn, Atlantic and Warner Brothers.

The last series Part 4, released in October 05, 1991 contains Blue Note albums. The selection was from Blue Note, Roulette, Pacific Jazz, Capitol, RCA, Xanadu, Storyville and Jazz Time. I’m including below Blue Note titles only.

And please note that the cagalogue number (SGD prefix) can be seen only on a silver OBI strap and the bottom of the back cover (and a paper insert): the label don’t have SGD prefix number.

Sep. 30, 1992 “Blue Note 4000 Series Ultra Collection Part 6”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

In Part 6, well-known and famous titles came again from 4000 series. They are all acclaimed, masterpiece albums.

Oct. 28, 1992 “Blue Note 4000 Series Ultra Collection Part 7”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

4000 series continues. Donald Byrd titles are getting hard to find nowadays.

Nov. 25, 1992 “Blue Note 4000 Series Ultra Collection Part 8”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 8 of the entire “Last Reissue” series.

Dec. 24, 1992 “Blue Note 4000 Series Ultra Collection Part 9”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 9 of the entire “Last Reissue” series.

Feb. 24, 1993 “Blue Note 4000 Series Ultra Collection Part 10”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 10 of the entire “Last Reissue” series.

Mar. 24, 1993 “Blue Note 4000 Series Ultra Collection Part 11”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 11 of the entire “Last Reissue” series.

Sep. 29, 1993 “Straight No Chaser Presents: Gone Global: DJ’s Choice Vol II — Blue Note Rare Groove LP Collection, Part 1”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

This series was selected from different point of view – other than ordinary “Modern Jazz” sense – from U.K.-oriented “Rare Groove”‘s way. The selection was done by famous DJs Paul Bradshaw and Gilles Peterson. 20 titles were released in two parts, 10 titles each.

You can identify the LPs in this series in various ways – the most significant one is Blue-Orange OBI. The Jacket is fully coated both on the front/back sides.

Oct. 27, 1993 “Straight No Chaser Presents: Gone Global: DJ’s Choice Vol II:
Blue Note Rare Groove LP Collection, Part 2”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 2 of the “DJ’s Choice Vol II” series.

Sep. 28, 1994 “Blue Note LP 1500 Collection Part 1”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Toshiba EMI started comprehensive CD reissues from BN-4001 to BN-4100 in 1993 (each 10 titles in every month), then 4100 series followed. At that time we thought Toshiba would not re-issue Blue Note LPs any more. But suddenly in the summer of 1994, “Blue Note LP 1500 Collection” limited edition series was announced.

All titles in this series were released in monaural.

Oct. 26, 1994 “Blue Note LP 1500 Collection Part 2”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Again, all titles were released in monaural format.

Nov. 30, 1994 “Blue Note LP 1500 Collection Part 3”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Again, all titles were released in monaural format.

Dec. 21, 1994 “Blue Note LP 1500 Collection Part 4”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Again, all titles were released in monaural format.

Nov., 1995 “Blue Note LP Original 5000 Series Collection Again!”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

This series is a follow-up to the Mar. 27, 1991’s “Original 5000 Collection”. Again, this is a reissue of 10-inch LP (BLP 5000 series) in 12-inch LP format.

Feb. 24, 1999 “Original 10-inch LP Collection from BN5000 Part 1”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Even in 1999, Toshiba EMI provided us LP reissues. Great.

This time, Toshiba reissued as much as 50 titles, all from 10-inch BN-5000 series, in 10-inch LP format.

Mar. 31, 1999 “Original 10-inch LP Collection from BN5000 Part 2”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 2 also released in 10-inch LP format.

Apr. 28, 1999 “Original 10-inch LP Collection from BN5000 Part 3”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 3 also released in 10-inch LP format.

May 26, 1999 “Original 10-inch LP Collection from BN5000 Part 4”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 4 also released in 10-inch LP format.

Jun. 30, 1999 “Original 10-inch LP Collection from BN5000 Part 5”, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Part 5 also released in 10-inch LP format.

Mar. 24, 2004 “Blue Note 65th Anniversary” Series, Limited Edition, by Toshiba EMI

Our dream has come true – Toshiba EMI decided to release Blue Note reissues even in this year 2004! This series (20 titles) is to celebrate Blue Note’s 65th anniversary. And this series has several specialities…

This is the first Japanese LP reissues ever, from the tapes mastered by Rudy Van Gelder himself. And it must be noted that the cutting engineer of this series is the famous Toru Kotetsu, a superb cutting/pressing engineer in Japan.

However in my humble opinion, this series actually sounds like that they are pressed using the same remastered tape as “24bit by RVG” CD reissues: stereo mixing has been changed to near-monaural soundscape; I feel the atmosphere of hiss-noise and cymbals sounds rather digitally. But it’s not certain whether Toshiba used newly remastered analogue tape or digitally remastered tape.

And all titles of this series come with coated cardboard jackets, as well as 180g heavy-weight thick flat vinyls.

UPDATE (Aug. 15, 2004):

I found an interesting (and very important) article on a Japanese vacuum-tube quarterly magazine “Kankyu Oukoku” (The Tube Kingdom) Vol.33 (2004 Summer). On this magazine, there is a special article regarding this newest Toshiba LP reissues – auditioning these LPs, comparing the sounds with old Toshiba LPs, King LPs, Connoisseur LPs and original issues (such as 47 West 63rd), etc. Interestingly, the writer concludes that this newest Toshiba LP issue deliver the “atmosphere” of RVG’s sound. On the other hand, the writer had an interview with Tohru Kotetsu (cutting engineer) and he confirmed the entire LPs of this series were mastered and pressed from the 3/4-inch digital tapes remasetered by RVG.

UPDATE (Apr. 13, 2008):

According to the announcement on the EMI Music Japan website (in Japanese), These twenty titles will be reissued on June 11, 2008, under the series name of “Blue Note 100th Anniversary of Alfred Lion 1908-1987”.
Thanks Richard J. Nelson-san for letting me know.

Oct. 19, 2011 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Dec. 21, 2011 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Feb. 29, 2012 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Apr. 25, 2012 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Jun. 13, 2012 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Sep. 12, 2012 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Dec. 12, 2012 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Mar. 20, 2013 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Jun. 22, 2013 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Sep. 18, 2013 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Dec. 27, 2013 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

Mar. 26, 2013 “From The Original Master Tapes: Blue Note Premium Reissue” Series, Limited Edition, by EMI Music Japan & Disk Union

A collectable reissue series — 200g “flat edge” vinyl, deep groove on the label, cut directly from the original monaural master tapes.

2014 “100% Pure LP” Series, Limited Edition, by Universal Music Japan

Yet another LP reissue, from various labels and from various genres. The series include several Blue Note titles.

Clear vinyl pressing, using 100% Pure Virgin Vinyl Compound. Mastered and pressed from the DSD tapes transfered from original master tapes. (see also: Universal Music Japan’s webpage)