Jazz 33 giri (Editor's Note: Jazz 33 rpm) is an initiative by DeAgostini, a well-known Italian publishing house, whose exclusive proposal at the newsstands is the first jazz instalment with included a 180 gram virgin vinyl record. In the specific, Kind of Blue by Miles Davis, one of the best-selling jazz records in the world. The key recording of what became modal jazz, it was considered by many to be one of the greatest albums of all time. With it Miles Davis passed into legend.
You’ve got it! It’s not a CD but a LP; the old black long- playing record realized in rare 180 gram virgin vinyl made in EU. A true audiophile initiative at a good price, only 14.99 EUR.
The instalment counts 40 publications, that is 40 LPs of the same format and quality with distinguished titles and artists like Lady in Satin by Billie Holiday, Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus, Somethin' Else by Cannonball Adderley, Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, Meets Oscar Peterson by Ben Webster and then Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, Stan Getz and João Gilberto and many others.
Is that all? No, it isn’t. DeAgostini offers at a price of €199, 00 the possibility of buying the new Rega P1 turntable inclusive of a pre-phono, a vinyl brush and a nice lacquered wood frame for the cover.
Even if the cheapest of the pricelist, the Rega P1 turntable has a series of characteristics that show the accuracy in its realization like the phenolic resin flywheel effect platter, the precision main bearing, the low vibration motor, the upgraded silicon drive belt and the new hand assembled RB101 tone arm.
It seems clear to me that DeAgostini wouldn’t commence any commercial initiative without being sure of a big increase in sales. It seems also clear that the marketing researches have highlighted the revival of the vinyl and the comeback of the old black long-playing record. And right when this standard seemed to perish under the hammer-blows of the various digital formats which, started from the CD, have followed during the last spans of time.
It’s not only about nostalgic forms of collection and trends, but it’s about the conviction, asserted by many audiophiles and music lovers, that the vinyl is the sole format able to fire that magic made of warmth, feeling and naturalness. Yes, indeed. It makes the music more “humanlike”, more touching than the perfect and cutting edge music produced by the digital silver disc.
A great initiative that ReMusic has really appreciated. For this reason we want to make some comparisons with our own original records or reissues and let you know everything about the quality of the DeAgostini’s reissues which are, when possible, taken out from the original masters.
It would be very interesting to know if elsewhere there are similar initiatives and, as ReMusic is being read worldwide, we would be very glad to receive any reports from our readers and divulge them to everybody.
In the meantime I would like to pride and support this beautiful and bold Italian initiative made by DeAgostini which testify how alive is the desire of savouring old tastes and pleasures which, in the end, are also the most beautiful and sincere.