Eric Dolphy – Evenings At The Village Gate

Mastered by Kevin Reeves - says it all. Probably best to avoid.

Recording is messy as hell. If you enjoy albums like "Live at Birdland" or "The Village Vanguard" recordings and expect and great live album here, forget all about it. It sounds like a bootleg. I would have expected a much better release from Impluse and just bought it without having a listen. I am a big Coltrane fan, but still expect a good recording. Avoid this, this is simply not worth it. It might be historical and still the sound and recording should be quality.This is just a rip off.

For a single ribbon microphone suspended over their heads, this recording is fantastic. It rocks it swings it pushes you in a way very few of the live recordings do. An absolute must for Coltrane and Dolphy lovers, what a historical document!

BTW, even though the pressing destined for US market would have been easier accessible for me I decided to source the one made by Optimal in for the international markets. My vinyl is dead flat, no warps etc. Came dirty and needed a good clean, paper sleeves replaced by QRP poly/rice liners.
Please note for those who care (I don't much) about '180g audiophile pressings' - this one is far from that, my LPs weigh 141 and 143 grams, respectively. This is clearly a mass produced pressing, likely in high thousands of pieces.

The jacket is gate fold but leaves a lot to be desired - made from the same cheap matte thin card board material, akin to Blue Note Classic packaging Optimal also uses.

Again - If you could avoid "US pressing" of this album, do so. Those are made by a UMe contractor pressing plant in Mexico (likely Vinyl Solutions which is known as hit-and-miss), most have reportedly shipped with warped first LP, likely from the tight gate fold packaging.

All in all, you don't buy this album for its quality production, but to own something special in music and historical .

Low quality édition.
Sound level is very low. Have to turn 3/4 volume knob. Usually 1/3...
Poor jacket design.
Music is fire...
(My copy is from netherlands, made in Europe /BIEM). Paid 38€

I have ordered 8 copies, all 8 have been WARPED, jacket is a joke.

I previously vowed I'd never buy another Impulse reissue or archival release made by Universal because of consistent manufacturing defects and overall poor quality control, but I really wanted to own this music and I don't like how the CD edition is packaged (although I have no objection to CD as a format).

So I bought the vinyl and hoped for the best. Both discs were extensively scuffed, packaged in cheapest-of-the-cheap paper sleeves, with audible crackle throughout, and a warp at the outer edge of disc 1 that causes skipping for the first several minutes. Plus, as others have noted here, disc 1 feels noticeably lighter than disc 2.

I returned it and won't be taking my chances with another copy.

No warps or clicks here (UK). It is what it is recording wise but it's a fascinating record and I'm glad they released it. Fire for the fans.

I also have the warp on the pressed record one but my system just about handles it thankfully. The music is of course, on fire!

J’ai échangé deux fois la version « made in  » le disque 1 est ondulé et il saute. Disque 2 l’est également mais ne saute pas

The music is very worthwhile - the band is just on fire here - and the SQ isn't bad enough to take away from the experience, unlike the Love Supreme Live In Seattle. You WILL likely need a record doctor's kit, however - most likely a vinyl flat, disc washer and new inner sleeves. If