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Miles - "Blackhawk"


BFrank

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This isn't really a "Reissue" because there is so much new and complete stuff. I hope it's OK to run this topic here. B)

Just ordered the 4-disk set yesterday from Amazon. I've been reading great things on the other boards, so I can't wait until it shows up. I've had the 2 LP set forever and always thought it was classic music, so hearing it remastered and solos re-inserted should be a revelation.

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Guest Mnytime

Got my copy today. Usually I listen to things in the order I pick them up or they arrive but moved this up to listen today.

In terms of the sound it really is a major improvement. The playing of course is excellent. I have never understood why these recordings didn't get more positive remarks. I think Mobley does an excellent job and Miles really sounds like he is having a great time.

I have only made it to through the second disc since I listend to each of them twice. Will get to the next two tomorrow.

You know I really find it amazing that Miles didn't make more live recordings with this band and the different bands with Trane.

Speaking of Live Miles, does anyone know if they recorded anything more than has been released with Sam Rivers?

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I picked this up the day it was released. I've been totally BLOW AWAY ever since. I never did dig the old Blackhawk Cds at all. But I LOVE this reissue. You really feel like you are there, 5 feet from the stage. You can hear every nuance.

Get this...you won't be sorry....

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There's another thread about this set on the board somewhere. . . .

I've had advance copies for some time, and just got my set last night and haven't compared them yet. This is a great reissue, I'm sure.

Mnytime: there is one other recording from Japan with Sam Rivers circulating the collector's network. . . or should I say at least one other.

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This set is way better than I expected. I have the single CD of the Friday set from the late 80s. That single disc really never caught my attention. This new release is in such good sound its pretty unbelievable. Kelly is a real star and sounds far more modern than his normally bluesy approach allows. Mobley is no slouch either burns like magnesium and plays a great solo on Neo (Teo?) .

If there is anything to regret it's that Cobb plays is pretty straight for most of the time. He drives the band well enough but without much flair.

At £18 a complete bargain- BN take note.

Edited by Clunky
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The only quibble I have with this set are the liner notes. I was hoping for some sort of mini book but all Sony has done is reproduced the original notes with some supplemental notes by Eddie Henderson. I would presume that when it comes out in Mosaic, the liner notes will be ample.

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Guest Mnytime

yeah, Eddie Henderson's notes weren't very insightful or interesting.  That was the only downer of the set.

Hey don't complain it could have been worse. Bob Blumenthal could have been the one that wrote the notes. He has got to be the worst right now that works for the majors. Though at one time he did write interesting notes. Now I think he's just cashing checks and working on liners while on the toliet.

The in terms of overall terrible notes HatHut has got to take the cake. Personally I think they are going out of their way to sound intelligent but comes off as faux intellectual masturbation.

I really have this image of these Swiss guys sitting around with an English Dictionary and Thesaurus. Going about picking the most convoluted combination of words they can put together.

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Hey don't complain it could have been worse.  Bob Blumenthal could have been the one that wrote the notes.  He has got to be the worst right now that works for the majors.  Though at one time he did write interesting notes.  Now I think he's just cashing checks and working on liners while on the toliet.

The in terms of overall terrible notes HatHut has got to take the cake.  Personally I think they are going out of their way to sound intelligent but comes off as faux intellectual masturbation.

I really have this image of these Swiss guys sitting around with an English Dictionary and Thesaurus.  Going about picking the most convoluted combination of words they can put together.

I guess that's what happens when you get a secure postion. But let's give Bob a bit of a break. I think for the most part he writes decent notes, though I agree, they don't seem quite as inspired now as in earlier years. It must be tough when your mandate is to write about every RVG as if it's in the top 10% of Blue Note recordings ever!

And you don't have to go overseas to find over-the-top intellectualizing and verbosity in liner notes. Has anyone ever been able to read liner notes by Dr. Herb Wong all the way through?

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Actually, on second thought, as verbose as Wong is, Stanley Crouch is far worse. I just don't know why writers feel the need to show off their intellect when they're writing for people who are not experts. It's a pet peeve of mine, and I'm sorry, but if you can't say it in terms that a person of average intelligence can understand, then you don't know what you're talking about. WAY OFF THE TOPIC OF THE THREAD, I know.

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Guest Mnytime

I'd have to disagree about Bob Blumenthal. I happen to like the notes he writes and look forward to reading them when I know he's done them. I think the notes he's done for Mosaic are all superb.

Brad:

Thats cool. Myself the second I see his name these days I don't even bother reading them. Especially if I am trying to stay awake. ;)

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Oh My God!!!

Just got mine yesterday, and WOWEE!!! I've really only listened to the unreleased stuff so far and it's incredible. TWO BASS HIT!!! Hank tears it up on this one; have I ever heard him get down like this? :excited:

Really enjoyed this version of Someday My Prince too. Schwingin'!!!

Ah, but alas, it is just as I thought...no horns on Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise. -_- (It's probably just as well; no one could ever touch that Coltrane version!)

I believe this release will really open me up to this set, as it's never really caught on with me. But this unreleased stuff sure is! :)

And this is such an awesome period for Miles. On this set and the one from Carnegie Hall recorded a couple weeks later, he burns so hard with those super-high screams. I believe he was being the wild-fire catalyst in this band, a role he used to leave to Coltrane. Now, it was up to him to light it up, so to speak. This has been suggested to me in things I've read, but when you listen to the audio "evidence", it's certainly true.

Thumbs way up on this one so far. Oh, and the packaging is perfect. The box just looks so classy... B)

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