Strata-East: Preserving Audio & History

an interview with Kevin Gray about cutting the first four Strata-East Reissues

The legendary Strata-East label started by Charles Tolliver and the late Stanley Cowell recently signed a long-term licensing deal with Mack Avenue Music Group, now owned by Exceleration Music. (L-R in photo: Kevin Gray, former Mack Avenue CEO Denny Stilwell and Charles's son Ched Tolliver, who is also the company's CEO).

The label asked me to help co-ordinate the all-analog vinyl reissue process utilized for the first four titles, and to offer the label advice on how best to bring these records to the attention of the growing community of vinyl buying consumers, especially jazz fans. I agreed, and full disclosure: I've been paid for the work.

Part of the job was to visit Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio to watch him cut lacquers for the "Live at Slugs" double record set featuring label founder Tolliver's group Music Inc.—the first time the two records have been released in a double record set. This is not a review, but the set smokes. If you're interested in re-arranging molecular brain tissue, consider listening back-to-back to this set and then Forces of Nature Live at Slugs' (Blue Note 0060246597514). Chronological order would dictate first play the latter but either way is liberating and neither is an opening act!

This video, shows the lacquer cut for one side along with an interview with Kevin about the series. In addition to Kevin and I, Charles's son Ched is in the mix.

Because of my involvement I couldn't review the records. Therefore I had Morgan Enos review them here and of course I told him to please review without regard to my involvement in the project. The Pharaoh Sanders album from the series, released as a Record Store Day title back in April quickly sold out.

To purchase the available titles: Live at Slugs, Musa:Ancestral-Streams, Two Is One

Comments

2025-05-07 07:01:56 PM

Lemon Curry wrote:

I've long since ordered my "Kevin Gray is God" t-shirt. Almost everything that runs through his chain at Cohearent is extraordinary. I'm on board for this!
2025-05-08 10:55:57 AM

Nicholas Paredes wrote:

What are your thoughts on the differences between the older release of the Pharaoh record versus this new one? I've been reluctant to drop a bill on it, although I've been a fan of the artist and the style of jazz for a long time.
- 2025-05-08 11:24:39 AM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  The Pharaoh is a sold out Record Store Day title at this point. However, the tape was in great shape and Kevin's cut and the pressing are outstanding. I've to heard the original. I was lucky enough to see Leon yodel at Paul's Mall in Boston.
  - 2025-05-08 02:33:40 PM
    
    Nicholas Paredes wrote:
    
    Of course —> Ebay. So, I'd be dropping a hundred for it when I have the last release.
2025-05-08 04:41:16 PM

Come on wrote:

Will get the Tolliver, this music burns! Or is beautiful like the more quiet track 2. Always imaginative and creative with great interplay. I wish I was at this live gig!

And yes, the Blue Note Slugs fits in…those are two of the more interesting of the less familiar recordings in quite some time.
2025-05-08 06:43:35 PM

Come on wrote:

Michael, when you speak about KG‘s mastering chain differences, you usually cite the Burrell Midnight Blue example you also mentioned here in the video. I fully agree with that, the first 4 or 5 45RPM Blue Notes were clearly inferior to the later MM 33. Quickly after those, KG started to take over EQ‘ing alone for the next dozens of releases and if you compare those to the later MM 33, you probably also notice, that which of them is superior, is a topic with much more need of differentiation. Possibly the last of the 45‘s were even done with part of the mastering chain changes applied (not sure), if not, possibly the major problem of the very first ones was EQ‘ing. I just want to say, your correct findings for the differences between those very first 45‘s and the later 33‘s are in my opinion not exactly representative to this degree for the whole old 45 RPM series. When in the past I looked up which other, later reviews/ comparisons you made between those two series, I didn’t find any other than the Burrell or maybe also the Blue Train, which also was one of the very first 45‘s.
- 2025-05-08 10:13:06 PM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  I appreciate the feedback. I've got many of both so when I have a few minutes I'll compare later ones...
  - 2025-05-09 07:13:37 PM
    
    Come on wrote:
    
    Today I tried Adams Apple, but nope…here the 33 is better again, that wasn’t one where the 45 had a point.
  - 2025-05-09 07:30:34 PM
    
    Come on wrote:
    
    Try Hancock Speak like a Child if you have it double. I think in case of the BN80s and Classic 33 series a lot of the newer 45‘s were better while against the MM33‘s it was rather the other way around.
2025-05-08 10:26:30 PM

Tim wrote:

I'm interested to know about what KG mentioned about bass.

It seemed like he was suggesting he didn't bother combining channels at all anymore. I find that quite surprising to be honest.

Or perhaps he was he simply suggesting he uses a very low cut off point?

@Michael some additional digging on this would be very interesting.
- 2025-05-09 10:34:43 AM
  
  Michael Fremer wrote:
  
  He says that back "in the day" they'd combine at much higher frequency than he now does.
  - 2025-05-09 11:29:52 AM
    
    Come on wrote:
    
    I think that's the purpose of good cutting engineers. On the one hand, to make unproblematic compromises that optimize other more important criteria on the other.
    
    I'm just not sure if most sound engineers have a monitoring chain that is as resolving and optimized in terms of 3D soundstaging differences as it is in other respects, to fully judge all the implications.
    
    Aside of cutting…for example when I look at Chad‘s monitoring scenario, I wonder if he gets all the differences. But he will involve others, too I’m sure.