Stick-Up! - Bobby Hutcherson (1LP Vinyl) [Tone Poet Series]

Stick-Up! by Bobby Hutcherson.

There are records that reward the patient listener, and Bobby Hutcherson's "Stick-Up!" sits comfortably in that company. Captured on July 14, 1966, at the legendary Van Gelder Studios in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, this is a session that catches the vibraphonist at a moment of restless creativity, though it would not see the light of day until Blue Note released it in 1968. The gap between recording and release only adds to its intrigue, a document that waited a couple of years to find its audience.

The music unfolds across six pieces that reveal Hutcherson's range as a leader and composer. Side one opens with the loping charm of "Una Muy Bonita," then moves into the rhythmic puzzle of "8/4 Beat" before easing into "Summer Nights." Flip to side two and you get "Black Circle," "Verse," and the closing statement "Blues Mind Matter," a title that says plenty about the thoughtful, blues-rooted intelligence running through the whole affair. It is a program that balances warmth and adventure in equal measure.

This particular edition comes by way of Blue Note's celebrated Tone Poet Series, an initiative that treats classic sessions with the reverence they deserve. Every detail has been considered. The album was mastered from the original analog tapes, with the great Kevin Gray handling that work at Cohearent Audio, and the reissue supervised by Joe Harley, the producer whose name has become synonymous with the series' exacting standards.

The physical presentation matches the care taken with the sound. Pressed on 180 gram vinyl and manufactured at Record Technology Inc., known to collectors simply as RTI, this is a heavyweight edition built to last and built to be played. The runouts are etched, a small touch that speaks to the analog craftsmanship behind the release. Rudy Van Gelder's original engineering remains at the heart of it all, faithfully preserved rather than reinvented.

The lineage on the packaging tells its own story of Blue Note's long history. The label bears the marks of its Liberty Records era, a product of Liberty Records printed in the U.S.A., while the modern release carries the 2022 UMG Recordings copyright, distributed by Universal Music Enterprises. Blue Note remains a registered trademark of Capitol Records, LLC, a reminder of how many hands have kept this catalog alive across the decades.

For the collector who values fidelity to the source and the tactile pleasure of a properly made record, this "Stick-Up!" delivers on both counts. It is Hutcherson's vision, Van Gelder's sound, and the Tone Poet team's devotion, all pressed into one satisfying package.

Pressing Details:
[From front cover]
Blue Note A product of Liberty Records
© Liberty Records, Inc Printed in U.S.A.

[From back cover]
Recorded on July 14, 1966, at Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
A Blue Note Records release; Originally released in 1968 by Blue Note Records © 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc., 1750 N. Vine Street, Hollywood, CA 90028 - U.S.A.
Distributed by Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. [...] Blue Note® is a registered trademark of Capitol Records, LLC.

[From labels]
Blue Note Records · A division of Liberty Records, Inc.
A Blue Note Records release; Originally released in 1968 by Blue Note Records © 2022 UMG Recordings, Inc.

[From 'Blue Note Tone Poet Series' sticker]
Mastered from the original analog tapes
Recorded By Rudy Van Gelder
Reissue Supervised by Joe Harley
Mastered by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio
Manufactured at Record Technology Inc. (RTI) on 180 gram vinyl

Runouts are etched.

Track Listing:
A1. Una Muy Bonita
A2. 8/4 Beat
A3. Summer Nights
B1. Black Circle
B2. Verse
B3. Blues Mind Matter

Artist: Bobby Hutcherson

Format: 1LP

Genre: Jazz

Label: Blue Note

Catalog Number: B0033489-01

Series: Tone Poet Series

Release Year: 2022

Country: United States

Condition: Sealed (New)