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The Prisoner vs 27th Man


scottb

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These are 2 RVGs I don't have and have never really been all that excited about getting. I've got a little CD money to burn and thought it was time to spring for one or the other. Which should it be?

Interesting thing I noticed while browsing the Blue Note site, if you click on BUY IT NOW it links to Amazon.com!! Not Blue Note merchandise or even True Blue but Amazon!

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I don't know what your tastes are, but......

27th Man has some nice tunes (like Gregory is Here and Summer in Central Park) and is a enjoyable recording overall, but I wouldn't consider it as essential as some other Silver (I'm still waiting for the Silver and... series). I would, however, recommend 27th Man over the recent Silver 2fer reissue The United States of Mind.

The Prisoner is essential, however. It ranks among Herbie's top Blue Notes, IMHO. It represents a high level of artistic vision (compositions and arrangements) whereas the Silver is a little more "routine" in terms of the head-solos-head format, but the latter does feature some tasty playing by the Breckers.

It's really not even fair to compare the two, they're really apples and oranges.

But if you need to pick, I'd say go with the Hancock. But don't totally write off the Silver.

Check out samples at AMG or wherever and decide for yourself.

Edited by Free For All
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Scott my man, you & I have very similar tastes in music. With that said, I strongly urge you to get the Silver first!!! The Hancock is good, make no mistake; however, it's probably his most avant-garde Blue Note, IMHO. And as a result, the least-played of his BNs around my house.

I mean, eventually get the Hancock. But if I know you, you're gonna enjoy the Silver much more than the Hancock.

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I think the Silver is definitely closer to my preferred style (hard bop, soul jazz, grease, funk) but I like to mix it up and check out different styles as well and I have all the other Silver RVGs so I think I'm going with THE PRISONER.

Depending on what I get for Christmas (Come on family, you can do it, just a couple Selects, PLEASE.) I may have enough CD money to get both!

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scottb - I think you made a good choice, keep us posted on your impressions if you get a chance.

PRISONER has one of the most unique sounds of any BN session, largely due to the combination of Hancock's use of less traditional reed instruments (alto flute) and Johnny Coles' soft flugelhorn in the ensembles, and his unique voicings. I get a lump in my throat every time I play "I Have a Dream." This is one of those later BN recordings that has quite a bit of reverb (apparently in the masters as they haven't really toned it down for the RVG) but it doesn't matter, and in fact this is one case where the slight murk just adds to the mystique.

FWIW, 27th MAN isn't the most funky of Silver sessions, at least to my ears - in fact it's refreshing in that it's got such a different, more "open" feel than most of his other BNs to me.

Edited by DrJ
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I've had a stroke of good luck and my CD slush fund got a big boost so I'm going to have several requests for recs.

(I will try to avoid clogging up the Recommendations Section so I'm going to ask them all here)

Question 2: Which Bobby Hutcherson to get? All I have with him as a leader is DIALOGUE. (one of my initial rules of jazz listening was NO FLUTE and NO VIBES but I've come around a bit) I caught some samples of SAN FRANCISCO and was kinda diggin' it but I never hear this one talked about on the board.

Edited by scottb
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Scottb, I am a big fan of Hutcherson's Blue Note recordings, but as most of them were released as Conn's, if at all, they are not easily available. My favourites are PATTERNS, SPIRAL/MEDINA AND HAPPENINGS. However, based on your preferred style, I would recommend STICK UP with Joe Henderson.

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THE 27TH MAN is not great, but not bad either. I've listened to it and enjoyed it. If I didn't already have a copy, I'd buy it.

I have the RVG of THE PRISONER but haven't listened to it recently. I can't remember what the music of THE PRISONER sounds like. I do remember something in the liner notes where Herbie, if I remember correctly, spoke of being a prisoner of music or expectations or something of the like.

I need to listen to THE PRISONER again.

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