Bennie Maupin – The Jewel In The Lotus

Reissue coming from ECM in 2024 apparently,
Source: https://ecmrecords.com/luminessence-audiophile-vinyl-reissue-series-in-2024/
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This is a gorgeous album. Perhaps not for everybody, certainly not for traditionalist jazz fans bc it’s anything but traditional jazz. But it is contemplative and spirtual in the best ways, and it’s impeccably composed. It’s almost hard to believe Maupin had the confidence to make this his debut. And kudos to ECM for supporting it. I’m sure it helped that Maupin was able to recruit a killer supporting cast. Herbie Hancock and Buster Williams are stunning here.

This pressing also sounds fantastic. Spacious, vibrant, with plenty of warmth and more than enough air and dynamics. Highly recommend.

The notes on this version say it’s distributed by Polydor, like the others, but the photos show the Warner Bros.–distributed version (per text at label bottoms; you can also see the WB logo on the back cover). Should this then be listed as a RE, since Warner Bros. started distributing in the late ‘70s and this is a 1974 album? I’m also curious if the runouts are different.

Superb music ! Unfortunately as vinyl too expensive for me. So I decided to buy the jewel as CD. I think this reissue sounds good. Especially as the CD only cost 11 euro new. Hello ECM ! Please reprint as vinyl !!!

Love it! Great pressing. Beautiful group interaction, goes beyond jazz.

Anyone have a version that looks like the German version (no ECM logo in the top right cover), but has a Polydor logo in the back left cover and greenish label? I guess it's the U.S. version but there's no ECM logo (above the ECM 1043 ST).

Interstingly, ECM recently released a comparable LP on CD: Julien Priester - Love Love, hopefully they'll release Jewel In The Lotus on CD as well as Wolgang Dauner's Output LP !

"Jewel in the lotus" is a "Fusion" classic (in the Bitches-Brew-sense of the word) on the level of records like John McLaughlin's "My Goal's Beyond" or Wayne Shorter's "Odyssey of Iska". Sadly neither Maupin nor this album gained the fame other personnel from Miles Davis early-70s received around that time.

The record hasn't seen a repress or CD release so far, maybe because it doesn't fit ECM's corporate identity sound pretty much. I hope it will see light of day soon again. It more than deserves it.