Gerald Wilson - Moment of Truth LP

Born in Mississippi, Gerald Wilson spent formative years in Detroit before launching a celebrated career as a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After moving to Los Angeles, Wilson signed with Pacific Jazz and in 1961 began a decade-long run of spectacular recordings including 1962's Moment of Truth. The action-packed 9-song set (including 7 originals) is a showcase for Wilson's many strengths as he uses the vibrant colors his dynamic big band to paint a variety of musical scenes including the swaggering blues of the title track, the irrepressible Latin groove of "Viva Tirado," a fleet-footed version of "Milestones" by Miles Davis, and the evocative textures of "Teri" featuring Joe Pass on guitar. Other notable members of the ensemble include trumpeter Carmell Jones, trombonist Lou Blackburn, alto saxophonist Bud Shank, tenor saxophonist Harold Land, pianist Jack Wilson, and drummer Mel Lewis.

Blue Note Records' acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series continues in 2022. Launched in 2019 in honor of the label's 80th Anniversary, the Tone Poet series is produced by Joe Harley (from Music Matters) and features all-analog, 180g audiophile vinyl reissues that are mastered from the original master tapes by Kevin Gray of Cohearent Audio. Tone Poet vinyl is manufactured at RTI in Camarillo, CA, and packaged in deluxe Stoughton Printing "Old Style" gatefold Tip-On jackets. The titles were once again handpicked by Harley and cover the crème de la crème of the Blue Note catalog along with underrated classics, modern era standouts, and albums from other labels under the Blue Note umbrella including Pacific Jazz and United Artists Records. Every aspect of these Blue Note/Tone Poet releases is done to the highest-possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version.

"The LPs are mastered directly from the original analog master tapes by Kevin at his incredible facility called Cohearent Mastering. We go about it in the exact same way that we did for so many years for the Music Matters Blue Note reissues. We do not roll off the low end, boost the top or do any limiting of any kind. We allow the full glory of the original Blue Note masters to come though unimpeded! Short of having an actual time machine, this is as close as you can get to going back and being a fly on the wall for an original Blue Note recording session."
- Joe Harley