Bobby Hutcherson - Total Eclipse - 180g [Tone Poet Series]

Vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson was a defining feature of the sound of Blue Note Records throughout the 1960s, equally at home in hard bop, soul jazz, and avant-garde settings. His 1968 album Total Eclipse was the vibraphonist’s first recording to feature tenor saxophonist and flutist Harold Land who would go on to become a key collaborator in the years to follow. Hutcherson and Land had been co-leading a band on the West Coast and came to New York City for engagements at Slugs’ Saloon and the Village Vanguard before heading into Plaza Sound Studio to record the album. Rounding out the band were pianist Chick Corea, bassist Reggie Johnson & Hutcherson’s go-to drummer Joe Chambers on this impassioned and probing set of post-bop. With the exception of Corea’s exceptional piece “Matrix,” the rest of the program consists of Hutcherson compositions including the assured and briskly swinging opener “Herzog” and the epic closer “Pompeian” which moves between a gentle, lilting waltz and more turbulent explorations.

Blue Note Tone Poet Series

The Blue Note Tone Poet Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley (from Music Matters), a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180 gm audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. 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. This is IT.

Blue Note Records’ Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series is produced by Joe Harley and features all-analog, mastered-from-the-original-master-tape 180g audiophile vinyl reissues in deluxe gatefold packaging. Mastering is by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) and vinyl is manufactured at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI).

      Tracklist:
Herzog 
Total Eclipse 
Matrix 
Same Shame 
Pompeian