Goodman, Shaw and Ellington

[TheMusicalMarine]

I don't have much in the way of Benny, Artie, or Duke, but I've heard much by all of them. Is Chronological classics the best way to go about getting the bulk of their work? I'm not an audiophile, but is the sound so bad as to render the money spent wasted? Or perhaps there's another label out there, or a combination of several that would allow me to buy their output.

thanks

[jazzbo]

Chronogical (sic) Classics can indeed be a good way to go for the collection of the work of these artists. The sound is not bad. In general it's pretty good. There ARE better sounding sources for some, perhaps most of the work of these artists, BUT the Classics series allows one a quite comprehensive method to collect the work including commercial releases of all labels, in decent sound and well annotated. In addition there is a series on Neatwork that will provide the alternates that aren't included in the Classics series.

One good way to go, certainly.

Edited September 26, 2004 by jazzbo

[jazzbo]

Anybody else have an opinion to help the Marine?

[brownie]

Lon, your reply was right on target.

The Chronogical Classics series are not perfect but they're the most consistent, complete (as long as you stick to master takes) and reliable purveyors of jazz music from beyond 50 years ago.

Also they keep their full series available long after they came out.

Waiting to see what they will make out of the Sun Ra discography chaos

[couw]

there is of course that 40CD box of Ellington: amazon link

scarce on the liners, but the discographical info is there. Not much missing in terms of completeness, with decent to good sound, and with a price hard to beat.

Don't have this, can't vouch, all the usual blabla applies.

[couw]

I see the History/TIM label has put out a similar set of Goodman material.

18CD set and 6CD small group set (amazon.de links).

Again, I don't have these and cannot judge their completeness. But it IS a lot music for little money.