All-Analog 180g Vinyl LP of Duke Pearson’s The Phantom Mastered from the Original Master Tapes by Kevin Gray & Pressed at RTI: Reference-Caliber Blue Note Reissue Helmed by Music Matters’ Joe Harley

The simmering groove of the 10-minute opening title track of Duke Pearson’s magnificent 1968 album The Phantom sets the stage for one of the most under-recognized gems of the Blue Note catalog. The pianist, composer, arranger, and Blue Note stalwart assembled a superb cast of musicians including vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, flutist Jerry Dodgion, guitarists Sam Brown and Al Gafa, bassist Bob Cranshaw and the magnificent percussion team of Mickey Roker, Victor Pantojo and “Potato” Valdes on drums and congas. Other highlights include the crisp bossa beat of “Los Ojos Alegres (The Happy Eyes)” and the tender “Say You’re Mine,” which first appeared on Donald Byrd’s album The Cat Walk.

Blue Note Records has announced the continuation of the acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series in 2020. Launched in 2019 in honor of the label’s 80th Anniversary, the Tone Poet series is produced by Joe Harley (from Music Matters) and features all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio. Tone Poet vinyl is manufactured at RTI in Camarillo, CA, and packaged in deluxe Stoughton Printing “Old Style” gatefold Tip-On jackets. The titles were once again handpicked by Harley and cover the crème de la crème of the Blue Note catalog along with underrated classics, modern era standouts, and albums from other labels under the Blue Note umbrella including Pacific Jazz and United Artists Records. Every aspect of these Blue Note/Tone Poet releases is done to the highest-possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version.

“The LPs are mastered directly from the original analog master tapes by Kevin at his incredible facility called Cohearent Mastering. We go about it in the exact same way that we did for so many years for the Music Matters Blue Note reissues. We do not roll off the low end, boost the top or do any limiting of any kind. We allow the full glory of the original Blue Note masters to come though unimpeded! 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.”
– Joe Harley

Musicians:
Duke Pearson, piano
Bobby Hutcherson, vibraphone
Jerry Dodgion, flute
Sam Brown / Al Gafa, guitar
Bob Cranshaw, bass
Mickey Roker / Victor Pantojo / “Potato” Valdes, percussion

Features:
• Blue Note Tone Poet Series
• Curated by Music Matters co-founder Joe Harley
• Audiophile-quality 180g vinyl LP
• All-analog mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray
• Manufactured at Record Technology Incorporated
• Deluxe gatefold jacket packaging