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Thanks for the thread...I'll have to pick this one up!

I must have missed this thread but I picked it up last week at Barnes & Noble so it should be available pretty widely.

I'm a big fan of both The Sonny Clark Trio & Money Jungle. A great title no one has mentioned is Friendship which was recorded with Clark Terry. It is on the Columbia 88s label. The CD is outstanding and the SACD is even better but this really needs to be experienced on LP. The opening track is a duet between Max & Clark and is simply the best recording of jazz drums I've heard. This is out of print but the CD pops up on eBay. The SACD & LP don't pop up much but if you come across them and have the playback capability they are must haves.

All of the 88s CDs sound wonderful and you can pick them up on eBay pretty cheaply. The LPs and SACDs are starting to get pricey. I think I paid $6 with shipping for Someday My Prince Will Come. Autumn Leaves is my favorite.

No analog at the moment but that will change soon! Marantz SA-11S1 CD/SACD Player w/ Cardas Golden Reference PC Modwright SWLP 9.0 SE Pre-amp w/ tube rectified power supply & JPS Analog PC McCormack DNA-125 amp with JPS AC+ PC Paradigm Signature 4 speakers on Solid Steel stands Cardas Neutral Reference Interconnects Zu Wax shotgun bi-wire speaker cables

I haven't heard these on CD but the LPs are quite good. This is a good one and is very well recorded. 1957 is my favorite title from his work as a leader.

I think it is fascinating to track the development of musicians and identify their influences. When I was just getting into jazz I would read all of the liner notes, find out who the influences were and work my way backwards. I discovered lots of great music that way.

I buy a lot of music online but I also miss the excitement of going to Tower and looking through the jazz and planning what I would buy next. There was an emotional element that is missing. When I go to any used store some of the excitement is there but I tend to spend too much money because you don't know if something will be there on your next visit.

I've done a couple of comparison of test pressings versus the audiophile reissue with titles from APO and Speakers Corner. The test pressings are as close to the mother as you can get and play like it. I don't have my Aries 3/Shelter set up any more but the difference was very noticeable on it. At least with Speakers Corner you get the liner notes & track listing. APO doesn't give you anything. For most music lovers I'd say test pressings are a nice novelty if you've got some extra money. Generally they should sound better since they are so close to the mother although with smaller labels your mileage may vary. I quite trying to collect years ago...listening is so much more fun for me.

I got it for $14.68...still a great deal. Thanks for the thread.

Reading this makes me wonder just who is left? Get well soon Clark!

I did manage to pick up the Ron McMaster CD for under $5 on eBay including shipping. It sounds more musical to me but hey all of our ears & stereos are different. This one will do me until I get a turntable again this spring.

I'm not sure which browser you use but I have had a few problems checking out with Firefox that were eliminated by completing my order with Safari.

Either piano trios or solo piano - jazz or classical.

Blu-Spec means that the disc is coded with a blue laser rather than a red laser...this is supposed to reduce error and jitter. It is probably an existing mastering. One of my friends just got a few Blu-spec discs and thought they sounded a little better than existing CDs he had. He's got 2 absolutely killer systems that are very transparent and revealing. Any differences are probably going to be somewhat system dependent...some folks with more modest systems have heard differences and some haven't.