Posted by Larry Jordan on November 7, 2014, 3:53 pm Edited by board administrator November 7, 2014, 4:04 pm
Eimbert Van Den Oetelaar has for a long time run a website whose sole purpose seems to be to post lists/photos of as many re-re-re-re-re-re-releases of the same old Jim Reeves material as he can find. Nothing wrong with that, if that interests you.
But his spin on the VoiceMasters products is deliberately misleading.
For example, in regard to "Jim Reeves Rare & Unreleased" he reports "Tracks are NOT so rare and NOTHING previously UNRELEASED. Once again more hype than content from the PRODUCER! THIS IS A CDR NOT A CD."
These are outright lies.
The CD does indeed contain 5 demos that have never been commercially released. Where, for example, have you ever heard Bobby Dyson sing "Thanks For Calling" with Jim singing the intro and back-up? This is the first time Reeves has ever done that! Furthermore, it contains 21 NEW OVERDUBS that you could not hear until this product was issued. To say nothing of the vastly improved sound quality.
The knock on this being a CD-R is silly, as are the allegations I'm sitting around burning disks in my home computer. Even major record labels (partnering with Amazon for the CreateSpace program, for example, or CD-on-demand), avail themselves of state-of-the-art duplication technology rather than creating glass masters for replication. It's cost effective and as Amazon itself points out, there is no qualitative difference in sound quality. These are NOT on a par with the cheapo CD-Rs you buy at your local discount store. I guarantee that EVERYBODY who buys CDs owns duplicated disks as they are one of two widely used formats for sound reproduction.
Eimbert then tries to discourage sales of the newest release, "Jim Reeves And Friends Live From Nashville" by proclaiming "it carries a warning that the last 2 tracks might not play on certain CD players!"
Despite him getting his panties in a knot over that one, he knows very well that for DECADES, the INDUSTRY STANDARD MAXIMUM LENGTH FOR A CD IS 80 MINUTES. The new release runs 77 minutes -- well within the timeframe the vast majority of CD players can accommodate. However, there are a few people out there who have never bothered to replace their CD players for the past 30 years and SOME of those old machines can't play beyond 74 minutes. Surely record labels don't have to restrict the running time on their releases merely to satisfy people who haven't upgraded their equipment!
However, in the interest of being perfectly honest about our products, we merely added what is probably an unnecessary note pointing out the running time. And then people like Eimbert, who are always looking for an excuse to bash one of our releases, seizes upon this to try to make fans believe there is something defective about our product. There isn't.
As for "The Great Jim Reeves Anthology DVD" 2014 edition, which contains 30 live video performances by Jim plus bonus video features, Eimbert claims it contains "nothing that you cannot view on YOU TUBE for FREE."
Let me put it this way: If any fan out there finds that someone has posted the entirety of this DVD on YouTube, please email me at: lnjordan@mac.com and I guarantee you a copyright infringement claim will be brought against that user posthaste. If you doubt that Eimbert, ask your friend Bob in the UK.
Furthermore, our DVD is in DOLBY STEREO (while YouTube degrades audio and video quality), plus there are bonus features on the DVD that were custom-made for this product. I also wrote new 12-page liner notes for a booklet that accompanies it. Again, the aim is clear: He's trying to discourage sales by misleading fans.
As for "The Great Jim Reeves": 8 CD box set -- you know, the one with 176 tracks and from which I got Jim TWO Top Ten songs in Europe this summer, including a NUMBER ONE -- Eimbert says it "contains NO NEW SONGS."
This is a trick of semantics on his part to deceive fans into believing there's no new material. But there IS. Even if you purchased every prior release, you would still find 42 NEW OVERDUBS of Jim Reeves RCA masters that you'd never heard before.
There are 92 overdubs total, and EVERY song has been beautifully remastered such that fans are ecstatic about the clarity and richness of Reeves' voice. Even Psycho Peter has praised the remastering.
Furthermore, there IS new music in the sense that the accompaniment also includes contrapuntal melody lines that embellish and enrich the original arrangements.
If Eimbert's true goal was to inform fans as to new material on Jim Reeves that they could enjoy, he would have pointed out that there were over 30 world-class musicians, background singers, orchestrators and top-shelf engineers involved in this project, and that it also contains a 48-page full color booklet that describes each song.
The line-up of musicians I used includes current members of the Grand Ole Opry band and guys with impressive pedigrees who have played for major artists like Aretha Franklin. Why doesn't Eimbert report this?
Furthermore, as to the matter of "new songs" -- and I know this concept is too sophisticated for simple minds to grasp -- "The Great Jim Reeves" 8 CD set is NOT a "niche product" like the Abbott retreads. It's not aimed at the diehard collectors who have a lot of Reeves recordings in their collections. I've made that clear from the outset.
Instead, the silver trimmed, unique and very elegant presentation case that is book-like in design makes it obvious this is a MASS MARKET PRODUCT. Therefore, the vast majority of fans have NOT heard most of these tracks. To them, MANY of them will be "new." All of our claims regarding this 8 CD set have been okayed by the Advertising Standards office in the EU and TV and radio ads are airing everywhere making these bonafide claims.
So I ask you: who is more trustworthy and credible? Eimbert or the officials who routinely scrutinize advertising claims to make sure they are valid?
I must conclude from the way in which these very unique VoiceMasters productions are denigrated by Eimbert amidst the tired old retreads from other labels which he strangely extols, that there is a deliberate effort on the part of this webmaster to deceive unsuspecting fans into believing that these products don't live up to the hype.
That's a really cruel thing to do to one's fellow fans, because potentially there are people who won't acquire one of these wonderful products on the mistaken belief it is not worthwhile.
I find all this paradoxical and hypocritical because if anything doesn't warrant further promotion, it is the crass exploitation of Jim's catalog by an endless parade of labels that re-release vastly inferior audio on him, thus besmirching his reputation and undermining his incredible vocal talent. To say nothing of using the same old time-worn photos of him, no matter how unflattering.
But that seems to be the aim behind Eimbert Van Den Oetelaar's website. That and defending the personal attacks against us by his friend Peter.
I couldn't care less what these guys think of my releases, but they at least should be honest when listing them. Is that too much for fans to expect? These characters presume to hold me to the highest possible standards of honesty and candor and yet they descend into the depths of deception and misdirection. Rich, isn't it?
Re: Lies and other deceits
Posted by Richard Payne on November 7, 2014, 4:38 pm, in reply to "Lies and other deceits"
Wow Larry, I am so sorry you have to deal with these people who are very mean and that is a nice word for them. They are Deceitful and really don’t give a dang about anyone else who are Jim Reeves fans. When I read of these very angry people I get so mad, they are so jealous of the things you do they must be ate up inside with hate. Again for anyone who worries about the material that has been release not to worry. It is of top quality sound and workmanship. Larry keep up your great work on this material. I will always purchase anything you do in future. To the fools who causes this trouble go look in the mirror and see what you have become Richard
These people surely have a deep seated jealousy over your success in ensuring that more of Jim's quality recordings find new ears, both young and old. I am among the many who love and cherish Jim's music. I have about every recording that's been made available since I first became a fan in 1974. I love them, but most especialy the ones from 1957 on. What i particularly take as a personal affront to Jim Reeves fans around the world, is that these idiots who continually attack you, your family, and the VM and H&H labels,assume we are a bunch of uneducated hicks who don't know what we're doing. How dare them try to prevent us from getting the gift of Jim's music in a new light by cheap tactics and misleadings!! As the father of a 31 year old son, and a 4 year old son, I am inordinately thrilled that I can share Jim's tremendous talents with 2 more generations of young people. I take great pleasure in playing the original recordings alongside the new and IMPROVED versions for them. I, for one, look forward with great anticipation to every new release Larry Jordan, his family, and wonderful support team provide...even the ones who are not Jim Reeves!! The Patsy Cline, and Bing Crosby/Rosemary Clooney CDs get very much airplay in my home. Anyone out there who might read this...PLEASE don't be swayed by the lies and deceptive offenses of those who would take away from these recordings!! YOU will be who loses out in the end. Be kind to yourself if you truly love, or just like, the music of Jim Reeves! Treat yourself to these beautiful recordings! I know I will as long as they are made available!!
My ego does not require me to defend myself against these fools but I hate to see fans deceived and thereby miss out on hearing some great music by Gentleman Jim. That's why I speak up.
This crap has been on this guy's website for awhile now and I never commented on it until today but I thought: why not? If I published a list of the goofballs who keep attacking me publicly but privately keep buying my products through various sources -- thinking I won't find out -- you'd really have a good laugh over their duplicity!
I can only echo Tom's words! If you are a fan of Jim Reeves, then you must own all of the great releases produced by Larry. There are, hands down, the greatest Jim Reeves products available today! All of the negative comments about these releases have long passed the point of being rediculous! I think Jim's true fans are smart enough NOT to believe any of this, but it would be a real shame for anyone looking to discover Jim's music for the first time to pass up these great releases. If you want to hear anything of the highest quality on Jim Reeves, then make sure it was produced by Larry Jordan! The care that has been given to all his great releases far surpasses anything on the market today!
Re: Lies and other deceits
Posted by Larry Jordan on November 7, 2014, 5:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Lies and other deceits" Edited by board administrator November 7, 2014, 5:53 pm
I'm not looking for personal glory here. I just know how hard my team has worked. It truly is beyond anybody's comprehension how detail oriented and talented these people all are, and how they strive for perfection, giving 110% every time. We often re-do songs to correct even the smallest flaw. These releases sound great because of the combined efforts of wonderful musicians, singers, engineers, orchestrators -- and then to have them dissed by know-nothings is really offensive.
I think Jim's fans know that you are not looking for any personal glory. You're simply working hard in collaboration with many talented people to give the fans exactly what they want, and you have succeeded far beyond anything we could have hoped for. Yes, it is offensive and tiresome to constantly see these negative comments from people who have no idea what they're talking about. However,these great releases have all been a major success because of Jim's real fans who know quality when they hear it!
There is absolutely no doubt to the extent of the talent used. If you took away Jim's voice, and just listened to the instrumentation, it's FAR superior to a majority of the 'mainstream' stuff that is out there today. They have managed to update the sound to accomodate the younger crowd, but still maintain the classic 'classy' sound associated with Jim's later releases. Larry, as far as not looking for personal glory, you just have to accept it. It is YOU that has made this music your life's ambition, and those of us who truly do LOVE Jim Reeves and the music we were blessed to grow up with, feel such a wealth of gratitude for you and your efforts. I have never met you, but I still feel compelled to rise to the occasion when these creeps come out of the woodwork to attack not only you, but your family, in very personal ways. I am all for professional criticism, but these jerks are the epitome of NON professionals. As long as I, and I know there are scores of others, have breath, you will have us defending you.
Re: Lies and other deceits
Posted by Larry Jordan on November 7, 2014, 6:12 pm, in reply to "Re: Lies and other deceits" Edited by board administrator November 7, 2014, 6:15 pm
Are you SURE, Tom, I haven't BULLIED and INTIMIDATED you and BRIBED you with FREE STUFF in exchange for your kind words? That's what Psycho Peter claims I do...
This nonsense amuses me. A couple of years ago when a Nashville online columnist named Stacy wrote an article about me and quoted my PR rep, Lisa L. Brown, she received an email from Arie den Dulk informing her Lisa was my SISTER IN LAW, as if that would make any difference.
Now what would make him think that, unless he (or more likely his friend Frank), had invaded my privacy and dug into my personal background? They might be surprised how many times their emails to complete strangers are forwarded to me, so I can document their cyber stalking.
But the joke is on them. It's true I have a sister in law by the same first and last name as my PR rep. But my PR rep's MIDDLE NAME is different. They are two completely different women!
What business did Den Dulk have to stick his nose into my affairs anyway and contact the online columnist to talk about what he thought was one of my FAMILY MEMBERS? This is an example of the online cyber stalking Julie and I have been referencing. It has ZERO relevance to the work I do, and is an unwarranted intrusion into my personal life.
It's hard to ignore when people make stuff up about you and post it on the web. Or send private emails purporting to know all about your personal life when their speculation is unfounded...
My goodness. If you have been bullying, bribibg, and intimidating me all this time, we have a serious communication flaw, lol. I will saythat I am a pretty private person, and you are a much bigger man than me to go through the personal attacks and cyber bullying that you are subjected to. The Lisa Brown situation? Both the name 'Lisa' and the last name 'Brown' are very rare names...it's no wonder Mr. Den Dork was confused... Hang in there Larry, for what little it's worth, these guys don't mean squat to us....