felser

Thanks Thom and Matthew! Quick scan through the cuts reveals that this sounds like a bracing listening experience! Lots of flute.

I owned that at one point, upgraded to the Edsel sets which came out in 2014 (194 cuts on 9 CD's,they were a substantial improvement in every regard). The sound quality difference between the set you have and what Cherry Red will do in the remastering is likely to be astounding. But that doesn't matter much unless her music is important to you (it is to me).

Full details here: https://theseconddisc.com/2025/03/31/dont-walk-on-by-dionne-warwicks-make-it-easy-on-yourself-the-scepter-recordings-1962-1971-due-in-june-on-12-cds-from-soulmusic-second-disc/

Traditionally done the last day of the month!

Time for the reveal?

Agreed that there are some wonderful deep Bacharach/David cuts by Warwick. Decades ago, Rhino put out a CD called 'Hidden Gems' which highlighted some of them. My favorite Warwick record (and one of my favorite records, period), "Reach Out For Me", got lost in the early 1964 Beatlemania shuffle and only reached #20 on the Billboard Pop Charts. It is increasingly a very emotional listen for me as I age and experience life, and sometimes I play it several times in a row. As mentioned by Jim and TTK, I agree that a lot of great work by her was B-sides, album cuts, low-charting A-sides, almost all written by Bacharach/David. And she or Sceptor passed on releasing her versions of some great Bacharach/David songs as A-side singles, and they went on to be big hits for others. Foremost is "What The World Needs Now Is Love", which saved Jackie DeShannon's career (and Warwick's version doesn't approach DeShannon's emotion and urgency - Warwick did not like the song, said it was "Too country"). Others include "Make It Easy On Yourself" (Jerry Butler, Walker Brothers), "Wishin' and Hopin" (Dusty Springfield), "Close To You" (Carpenters), "The Look of Love" (Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66, Dusty Springfield), etc. Another of my favorite lost deep cuts is her version of "It's Love That Really Counts", though she could not match the vulnerability the Shirelles brought to that one. I own maybe half of the cuts on the upcoming box, but between the price and the expected top quality packaging and remastering, I'm all in and will sell off my current ownings of this material.

Coming May 27. 280 tracks, 14 hours. Amazing stuff, I can't wait. https://www.cherryred.co.uk/dionne-warwick-make-it-easy-on-yourself-the-scepter-recordings-1962-1971-12cd-slipcase

I'm also currently listening to that set, finishing up disc 2.

The Cherry Red labels do great mastering.

Similar with Richie Havens.

There's actually a large tourism theme throughout parts of the area. "Genuine Pennsylvania Dutch" whatever....

Loved his 1950's/early 1960's work, liked his mid 1960's through mid-1970's work. An all-time great. I own the big Columbia box, even though I rarely go for that sort of thing. I included his "Maria" on my 2023 BFT just out of musical awe, rather than trying to fool anyone.

Here's how you do the Youngbloods on CD, courtesy of BGO (Sundazed for the live one). On your own for JCY solo: The three original RCA albums, in greatly improved sound, are on this: https://www.bgo-records.com/product/bgocd741-the-youngbloods-earth-music-elephant-mountain/ The three best (only missing their last album, mainly old-timey covers) Warner-Raccoon albums are on this: https://www.bgo-records.com/product/bgocd1284-rock-festival-ride-the-wind-good-and-dusty/ This came out on Sundazed, a worthy vault release: https://www.discogs.com/master/721791-The-Youngbloods-Beautiful-Live-In-San-Francisco-1971/image/SW1hZ2U6MTM2NDgwNzY= If you just want a quick summary of the highlights from the first three (RCA) albums, or if you are a completist and need a (good) stray B-Side, you can just grab this: https://www.discogs.com/master/2059726-The-Youngbloods-Get-Together-The-Essential-Youngbloods

I still remember saving up my Conn proofs of purchase so that I could get the piece of junk BN watch, which has sat in a drawer somewhere for 25-30 years now. And 99% of my liquid consumption is black coffee or water.

To every book there is a season, a time to read, a time to refrain from reading.

There have been a lot of shoddy CD reissues on those labels, with discs that pull a few cuts from this album, a few cuts from that album, with no particular rhyme or reason, often duplicating cuts that had been on previous shoddy reissues from the labels. It becomes a chore to figure out if one of them is worth buying or if it is just a differently-collated repeat of what you already have. Agreed that some of the music is very good, and when presented respectfully, it's good to have. Lester had a production deal with Blue Note ca. 1970, which has caused even more reissue confusion.

Lovely, caught me off-guard, as I've slept on him for decades, picked this up on a whim for $2.88.

Yes, agreed on eventual issues (also on sound quality basic equivalence), but I doubt my descendants are going to much care about Mal Waldron albums (wish they would). I have several Euro reissue sets which are CD-R, and so far, so good,, plus the price was right.

Looks to be a CD-R (greenish tint), but sounds great (granted, I don't have pricey equipment, but I do my listening on Sennheiser headphones). Just glad to have it for what it is, and it was not expensive.

Received and listened to the Foster and the Waldron/Peacock. Surprisingly, both have liner notes, artwork, etc. Shockingly, the sound quality on the Waldron is spectacular, sounds like low-generation master tapes to me. Waldron sounds great, and Peacock is spectacular. Given that the Strata-East reissues coming on Mack Avenue have been out on CD before, this Waldron set is my early favorite for jazz reissue of the year. If you like Mal or Peacock (IMO, this is his finest moment), you'll love this. Quite a wonderful surprise. The Foster sounds like a (clean) needle drop to me, and the music is hit or miss (soulful female vocals on the first cut, but the time they get to the last cut, Foster, Mabern & Co. are burning. 31 minute runtime).

The sample on Bandcamp doesn't sound too bad, as far as this sort of thing goes. The SQ is no hindrance for me.

Do we know when this was recorded, and whether it wad live or studio?

Those are such great albums. Loved that group with Lloyd, Szabo, and Stinson.