A few weeks ago I had a very simple but somehow inspiring (to me) idea. I thought that I might train myself to phrase as many statements as I could in the positive.
It took me a day or two to realize this idea was basically the same thing my mother used to say, annoyingly, to my sister and me as children. “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all!” Of course, back then, we never bothered to listen.
I’m still feeling very rather bullish on this idea. Why must I constantly be a critic? I find it near impossible to have a meal at a restaurant these days without spending the hour that follows picking the recipes and preparations apart.
At the very least, it would be an interesting exercise. Can I find a way to say something positive about a movie or a meal that I didn’t really enjoy? How do you say something good about a dry lamb pita sandwich served on stale bread? Not at all easy but perhaps worth a shot if it elevates the mood and fosters goodwill.
And while I do plan to follow through on this idea, or at least try, I have had to put it on hold, temporarily, so I could make the accompanying video in which I review the 2019 IMPEX Double 45 RPM AAA reissue of Michel Legrand’s Legrand Jazz. Because as much as I am drawn to this idea of putting a positive spin on things, I have struggled mightily to find anything positive to say about this record.
Fortunately, you can avoid my negativity. Just skip the video and go straight to Michael Fremer’s review. Mr. Fremer must have had the same idea as I did, but way back in 2019. Although rather pithy, his review does offer several positive comments.
In fact, after reading Mr. Fremer’s review of IMPEX’s Legrand Jazz, I’m inspired to follow his lead here and make some positive comments of my own. Although, I must stop short of giving the record the “11” (on a scale of 1-10) Mr. Fremer did for its sound quality.
This record is an amazing opportunity for anyone interested in what makes a record sound great to understand that better. Much can go wrong when mastering an album, and you can hear nearly every example of what can go wrong on this IMPEX reissue.
An invaluable resource for any serious analog audiophile, IMPEX’s Legrand Jazz will help you hear and identify the mastering missteps also made on other records you might own. It will also, by way of comparison, give you a greater appreciation for the truly great, or even just the good sounding records in your collection.
Although the current price for a copy of IMPEX’s Legrand Jazz may be a little high at around $70 on Discogs, the educational opportunities it provides far outweigh the cost. I’d recommend this remarkable reissue to anyone seeking the edification required to delve ever deeper into the many wonders of analog audio.