An outstanding album. Does anyone know if the 2005 RVG Edition made in EU is copy guarded?

Recorded very early in the 1960’s, allow me to assure you that Heavy Soul is not music to relax to, nor is it designed for late night romantic situations. Had Ike designed this album to dwell in the lower registers, awash in drifting mid tempo movements, as he does on so many parts of nearly every track, this piece would be a hands down winner for me ... but he doesn’t. At times his sax comes on like the screeching breaks of a locomotive, ratting my teeth, and actually causing me to cup my hands over my ears. Even in his more laid back emotional moments, he will step in unexpectedly and nail the listener, as if to say, “No drifting, I’m in control here, this is bop.” Of course others will use phrases such as “pristine articulation,” “joyful swinging,” or “vigor” when it comes to these punctuations ... and of course my all time favorite, “within the spaces of harmony, Ike seeks to establish a separate vivid statement, never running out of ideas in his inexhaustible quest to dissect the textures of the piece.” I don’t know about you, but I seldom appreciate my smooth textures being dissected with sharp vivid vigorous joyful swinging pristine articulations. And it’s these effects that turn so many willing listeners off to jazz, feeling that all jazz is of this nature, and then avoiding it for all time.All of this is not to say that this is not a good album, what I am saying is that this is very much of a private daytime album, where one does not have to consider another listener’s preferences or musical dialog, because you’re either going to dig what’s happening here, or you’re not. Having said all of this, I think it’s best to consider the Heavy Soul grouping of songs not as a contrast or juxtaposition to his narcotic intake, but rather standing as a concept of his drug use, one where he’s able to sit dreaming, comfortably numb, and then awakened as if by the flicking of a switch, where he’s forced to confront his nature and habit, scoring, and peacefully drifting off again. In that world this album makes perfect sense, with a language of flawless articulation.Review by Jenell Kesler