The A&M CTi Records

I wasn't asked, but I'll jump in and say that I got over my initial disappointment that this wasn't a jazz album in the WALKING IN SPACE/GULA MATARI vein and found that I really liked his version of Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On", which got tons of airplay on KBCA-FM in L.A.
Apologies, Michael. I didn't mean to be "non-inclusive..." At the station Space, Matari and Smackwater were available. One night I played one of Smackwater's selections (I didn't front announce it) and I got a call from the program director who wanted to know what that was (which is code for both "Why are you playing that?" and "I'm gonna reclassify that record out of holdings and move it into the dungeon". Aww, the old days of top-down autocratic radio station management).
 
While working on another project, I'm surprised at how many of the CTI albums are in print and available at the moment. Even a couple I thought were forgotten, were available in some form or other.
 
While working on another project, I'm surprised at how many of the CTI albums are in print and available at the moment. Even a couple I thought were forgotten, were available in some form or other.
All that's missing are Artie Butler, Tamiko Jones, Richard Barbary and J&K's BETWIXT & BETWEEN. Everything else is available, I think.
 
It would be nice if links to these available albums were posted in this thread. How many are just downloads? How many are CDs? How many are LPs?
 
All that's missing are Artie Butler, Tamiko Jones, Richard Barbary and J&K's BETWIXT & BETWEEN. Everything else is available, I think.

I should have clarified. 😁

For the releases after the 3000s, most seem in print. There are still a few holdouts, like Johnny Hammond's The Prophet on Kudu. It's also a little confusing since some 6000-series CTIs were reissued in the 8000 series, every so often with a different name (like George Benson's Bad Benson, CTI 6045, reissued as Take Five, CTI 8014). And one of the Kudu LPs, Joe Beck's Beck (Kudu KU-21), was reissued as Beck & Sanborn CTI 8001.

I've been working to get the bulk of the CTI catalog in my library, either digital (CD, download, whatever) or vinyl, and luckily only a few are hard to track down. I lucked out in that the obscure Kathy McCord album was reissued in its entirety as part of a 2-CD compilation, which is currently available.
 
It would be nice if links to these available albums were posted in this thread. How many are just downloads? How many are CDs? How many are LPs?
It's such a haphazard mess that it's better to sort it out in each AOTW. Some of the popular titles are perpetually in print, but have seen so many variations that it's hard to keep track of the availability. The one good thing about downloads (and streaming) is that availability seems to hang on after the CD has gone out of print, and/or the CD was released in Japan or elsewhere but not in the US--I've seen that more than a few times, so it's a good, inexpensive way to get the music if the CD pricing is through the roof. And while just about all the streaming/download companies have the same items, there might be an occasional obscure album or two that appears on only one service...and given the contractual issues with those companies, items could appear, disappear, or reappear at any time.

The albums never released digitally are the easiest to tackle. 😁 LP-only, and here's a YouTube video!
 
I could stand to try that on a few of the more ratty covers I have. A couple, though, are not glossy. And I wouldn't touch the foil jacket of the Nat Adderley album not knowing how it would react.

I really do need to find a way to deal with mildew, though. The outside can be somewhat dealt with, but if it's inside the jacket...do I need to toss it? As it is, I keep the records separate from the jackets (which are in plastic sleeves) so nothing is further contaminated.
 
The Japanese loves re-issuing these old albums. I'm noticing these from Wes Montgomery:


ROAD SONG, currently in release as of March 22, 2023
UCCU-41021.jpg


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DOWN HERE ON THE GROUND, currently in release as of March 22, 2023
UCCU-41020.jpg


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A DAY IN THE LIFE, also currently in release as of March 22, 2023
UCCU-41019.jpg


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Each of those are "UHQCD" versions at 1800 yen. They also are listing each of those for a later release of October of 2023 in just SHM-CD format at 1500 yen.

I like the fact that they've restored the CTi artwork to the way it was originally on LP. The older A&M versions that I have moved the picture to cover most of the front and not have a white bar down the right side, so there's no room for the A&M and CTi logos.

I'm also seeing Milton Nascimento's COURAGE listed for April of 2023 and the BRASIL '65 CD also for April.
 
The Japanese loves re-issuing these old albums. I'm noticing these from Wes Montgomery:


ROAD SONG, currently in release as of March 22, 2023
UCCU-41021.jpg


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DOWN HERE ON THE GROUND, currently in release as of March 22, 2023
UCCU-41020.jpg


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A DAY IN THE LIFE, also currently in release as of March 22, 2023
UCCU-41019.jpg


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Each of those are "UHQCD" versions at 1800 yen. They also are listing each of those for a later release of October of 2023 in just SHM-CD format at 1500 yen.

I like the fact that they've restored the CTi artwork to the way it was originally on LP. The older A&M versions that I have moved the picture to cover most of the front and not have a white bar down the right side, so there's no room for the A&M and CTi logos.

I'm also seeing Milton Nascimento's COURAGE listed for April of 2023 and the BRASIL '65 CD also for April.
These 3 Montgomery albums are a Real trilogy in every sense of the word I'm glad someone in the world is keeping these in print I for one still enjoy listening to my CD copies I bought back in the mid 90s replacing the very much overplayed and worn vinyl versions
 
Japan was also one of the first to reissue many of the CTI titles after Taylor left A&M--some of the stragglers in my library that weren't released in high-res recently are from Japan CDs, or more recently, Japan SACDs. I apprecaite their attention to detail also--they tend to get things right, or at the very least, make a perfect replica of an original Japanese release.

Interesting that they're still hanging onto those UHQCD and SHM-CD buzzwords. They essentially mean nothing to anyone but someone who has to collect all the versions, and even the CD player doesn't care--it's the same digital data on the disc.

This is one of the SACDs from a few years back:

1681755277203.png
 
These 3 Montgomery albums are a Real trilogy in every sense of the word I'm glad someone in the world is keeping these in print I for one still enjoy listening to my CD copies I bought back in the mid 90s replacing the very much overplayed and worn vinyl versions
I believe they may have been the among the very first CTI titles on A&M that were released on CD. I remember buying a used Digipak version of Road Song way back in the day.
 
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