Dionne WordPress Banner

The Second Disc

Expanded and Remastered Music News

  • Home
  • News
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Features
    • Release Round-Up
    • The Weekend Stream
    • Giveaways!
    • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Classic Rock
    • Rock
    • Pop
    • Jazz
    • Popular Standards/Vocal
    • R&B/Soul
    • Country
    • Folk
    • Cast Recordings
    • Soundtracks
    • Everything Else
      • Classical/Opera
      • Disco/Dance
      • Funk
      • Gospel
      • Rap/Hip-Hop
  • Release Calendar
    • Coming Soon
    • Now Available
  • About
  • Second Disc Records
    • Full Catalog
  • Contact

/ News

Like Someone In Love: Craft Recordings Launches New "Small Batch" Audiophile Vinyl Series With John Coltrane's "Lush Life"

January 14, 2021 By Sam Stone 2 Comments

Craft Recordings Small Batch logoCraft Recordings has announced a new series of specially curated and high-quality vinyl reissues: the Small Batch collection.  It kicks off with a new pressing of John Coltrane's Lush Life, due February 19.  Each limited edition release in the Craft Recordings Small Batch series is a deluxe affair, combining audiophile-approved mastering techniques, a special vinyl lacquering process, and stunning design - adding up to what the label promises is the highest quality listening experience.

The albums in the series will undergo all-analog remastering, the results of which will be pressed onto special 180-gram vinyl in a one-step lacquering process (similar in concept to that of Mobile Fidelity).  By taking out two steps of the usual lacquering process, Craft promises higher "detail, clarity, and dynamics" in each title and reduced surface noise.  The Small Batch albums will be available exclusively though the Craft Recordings online storefront and will feature a numbered, foil-stamped, linen-wrapped slipcase with an acrylic inset of the album artwork.  The record within can be removed simply with "a unique frictionless ribbon pull tab" and is housed in a tip-on sleeve showcasing a restored reproduction of the artwork.  The disc itself is protected inside an anti-static, anti-scratching sleeve.  Meanwhile, Craft Recordings has called on music historians and journalists to pen new liner notes.

JohnColtrane LushLife CraftSmallBatch LP pks

PRE-ORDER FROM CRAFTRECORDINGS.COM

John Coltrane's legendary Lush Life will be the first in the Small Batch series, due for release on February 19, in time for its 60th anniversary.  Originally tracked by Rudy Van Gelder in his Hackensack, NJ studios, the album now receives a new remastered from original analog tapes by Bernie Grundman.  The renowned mastering engineer has gone all-analog for this issue, with a custom tube preamp, analog mixing console, and a Scully solid-state lathe.  Grundman's approach has been decidedly pure:  "When it comes to jazz, all you want to do is present the music in a good way," he says in a press release.  "No gimmicks. No extra compression. Just the pure instruments," His process utilizes vintage equipment to present the tapes properly.  "We're taking these old tapes and playing them off of equipment that's similar to what they were recorded on. We want to preserve the sound as much as we can. My goal is to do all of this by hand as it's playing. It takes a lot of preparation. It takes choreographing. It's all about trying to optimize the experience for the listener."  Grundman's lacquers are pressed and plated at RTI using that one-step process in which a convert disc is made from the lacquers to create a stamper. It's then pressed on 180-gram vinyl that boasts Neotech's VR900 compound.  Accompanying the disc is a new essay by John Coltrane historian, Ashley Kahn.

In all, Craft Recordings' Small Batch series seeks to create the ultimate presentation of some of the great gems in the label's vast catalogue.  Coltrane's Lush Life, featuring ballads, standards and originals recorded from 1957 and 1958, is no doubt worthy of such presentation.  The pressing is available to pre-order now and will be released in a strict limited edition of 1,000 copies on February 19.

John Coltrane, Lush Life (originally released as Prestige ‎LP PRLP 7188, 1961 -- reissued in "Small Batch" edition by Craft Recordings, 2021) (Craft Recordings Online Shop)

Side 1:

  1. Like Someone In Love
  2. I Love You
  3. Trane's Slow Blues

Side 2:

  1. Lush Life
  2. I Hear A Rhapsody

Categories: News Formats: Box Sets, Vinyl Genre: Jazz Tags: John Coltrane

Avatar photo

Sam Stone

Sam Stone has been obsessed with catalog music ever since his folks gave him a Contours best-of collection for his fourth birthday. He quickly began to learn all he could about rock and roll history and beyond, a passion that continues to this day. Sam followed his love for music to the classroom, earning a B.A. from Towson University in Electronic Media and Film, concentrating on radio and audio production, as well as an M.A. in Audio Arts from Syracuse University. He has put his knowledge and skills to work at prominent reissue labels and is excited to bring his perspectives on catalog music to a broader audience. When he’s not writing for The Second Disc, Sam can be found researching about music, talking about Joni Mitchell’s career, and adding another box set to his Amazon wish list.

Connect With Sam: Twitter

You Might Also Like

  • Verve Record ClubOut of This World: Verve Record Club Promises Heavyweight Vinyl Pressings and Rarities
  • MarshallCrenshaw FieldDay COVERRelease Round-Up: Week of July 14
  • Carole King Home Again CDRelease Round-Up: Week of May 26
  • cars cars 04Just What I Needed: Rhino Launches Hi-Fi Audiophile Series with The Cars, John Coltrane

Comments

  1. David B says

    January 14, 2021 at 2:21 pm

    Interesting to see that it's all ready sold out - even with a £75.99 price tag .. i've not heard this one- i've only got "Blue train" and "Giant steps" .. may see if it's still available on cd to see what all the fuss is about.

    Reply
  2. Peter Brennan says

    January 15, 2021 at 12:30 pm

    On ebay already.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Upcoming Releases

  • Version 1.0.0
    Natural Gas: Original Master Edition
    Natural Gas
    May 30, 2025
    US UK
  • Grateful Dead The Music Never Stopped
    The Music Never Stopped
    Grateful Dead
    May 30, 2025
    US UK
  • TMBG Spine Surfs Alone CD
    The Spine Surfs Alone: Rarities 1998-2005
    They Might Be Giants
    May 30, 2025
    US UK
See Full Calendar

Connect

  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 4,673 other subscribers

Popular Posts

  • Most Commented
  • Most Viewed
  • Dionne Warwick Make It Easy on Yourself(Don't) Walk On By: Dionne Warwick's "Make It Easy on Yourself: The Scepter Recordings 1962-1971" Due in June on 12...
  • Tracks II CD packshot no disc artShut Out the Light: Bruce Springsteen Offers Seven Unheard Albums on 'Tracks II'
  • Rod Stewart Ultimate Hits Amazon exclusiveHe Wears It Well: Rod Stewart's 'Ultimate Hits' Due in June
  • RSD 2025 best of restRecord Store Day 2025: The Best of the Rest
  • record store day logoThe Second Disc's Guide to Record Store Day 2025: Our Favorite Picks
  • John Williams Anthology 1Mondo Maestro: New John Williams Box Set Series Announced, Plus 'Star Wars' Re-Recordings on Vinyl

Music Resources

  • Addicted to Vinyl
  • Crap from the Past
  • Discogs
  • Film Score Monthly
  • IMWAN Forum – From the Vaults
  • MusicTAP
  • Musoscribe
  • Pause & Play
  • Popdose
  • Slicing Up Eyeballs
  • Steve Hoffman Music Forums
  • Ultimate Classic Rock
  • Vintage Vinyl News
  • Wolfgang's Vault

Labels of Note

  • Ace Records
  • Analog Spark
  • Bear Family
  • BGO Records
  • Big Break Records
  • Blixa Sounds
  • Cherry Red Label Group
  • Craft Recordings
  • Demon Music Group
  • Friday Music
  • Funky Town Grooves
  • Iconoclassic Records
  • Intervention Records
  • Intrada
  • Kritzerland
  • La La Land Records
  • Legacy Recordings
  • Light in the Attic
  • Masterworks Broadway
  • Now Sounds
  • Omnivore Recordings
  • Real Gone Music
  • Rhino Entertainment
  • Rock Candy Records
  • SoulMusic Records
  • Sunset Blvd. Records
  • Supermegabot
  • Varese Sarabande
  • Vinyl Me, Please
  • Wounded Bird
Copyright © 2025 The Second Disc. All rights reserved. · Site by Metaglyphics

The Second Disc is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.ca and amazon.co.uk.

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy