GA Russell Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 I am thinking about picking up Never No Lament, which is a 3-CD box of the Blanton-Webster Band. The reviews at Amazon are quite striking. Some people say that the sound is horrible and that this set is a gyp, while others say that the sound is excellent and the set is essential. Does anybody here have Never No Lament, and if so what is your opinion of the sound? Should I get it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 (edited) They didn't go for much noise-reduction on the set, which makes the sound very vivid but also, at least on the first disc, causes some buzzing in the high frequencies. ("Jack the Bear" is the most egregious example.) I like the set just fine but someone who has a low threshold for surface noise would probably disagree. The music is essential, of course. Guy Edited March 2, 2005 by Guy Berger Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Harold_Z Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 I think I read somewhere that the noise on Jack the Bear is a result of deterioration of the original metal parts. I really don't find the noise so unbearable that it takes away from my enjoymnent of the music and overall I think that the sound on this set is excellent, and the music is essential. Yes, it would be nice if JackThe Bear was cleaner, but you'll still get the essence of the music. Anybody know if JRT Davies ever remastered any of this stuff ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 I love this set. In addition if you buy the CD/DVD set called Duke Ellington The Centennial Collection you will get a "cleaned up" version of Jack The Bear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ssjazz Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 I think I read somewhere that the noise on Jack the Bear is a result of deterioration of the original metal parts. I really don't find the noise so unbearable that it takes away from my enjoymnent of the music and overall I think that the sound on this set is excellent, and the music is essential. Yes, it would be nice if JackThe Bear was cleaner, but you'll still get the essence of the music. Anybody know if JRT Davies ever remastered any of this stuff ? There is a Robert Parker remaster of Jack the Bear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Williams Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 Anybody know if JRT Davies ever remastered any of this stuff ? I have a couple of early Ellington magazine partwork CDs where the remastering was done by JRT Davies - I think from good quality 78s. Excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hank Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 The sound is fine, and quite an improvement over the previous incarnation. Get it---the music is indispensable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted March 3, 2005 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 Thanks guys. Sounds like a good way to spend my BMG Music Points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 I think I read somewhere that the noise on Jack the Bear is a result of deterioration of the original metal parts. I really don't find the noise so unbearable that it takes away from my enjoymnent of the music and overall I think that the sound on this set is excellent, and the music is essential. Yes, it would be nice if JackThe Bear was cleaner, but you'll still get the essence of the music. Anybody know if JRT Davies ever remastered any of this stuff ? There is a Robert Parker remaster of Jack the Bear. The Dreyfus cd of this material is the best sounding I've heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeweil Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 The Dreyfus cd of this material is the best sounding I've heard. The Dreyfus remaster is one extreme - you have much less surface noise but lose most of the natural room ambience. I think the instruments sound more natural on the RCA Centennial box set - haven't heard the new remaster. The two Robert Parker CDs stop in 1938, AFAIR before Balenton joined the band - Jack the Bear is not on them. I found the Parker remasters startling when I first heard them, but now I prefer the Centennial box - I guess the Davies must be even a notch better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron S Posted March 3, 2005 Report Share Posted March 3, 2005 The "Never No Lament" CDs are the same remastering as in the Centennial box, according to what I've read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornelius Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 The sound is harsh, but I guess if you want the detail, you have to bear with the harshness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medjuck Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 The Dreyfus cd of this material is the best sounding I've heard. The Dreyfus remaster is one extreme - you have much less surface noise but lose most of the natural room ambience. I think the instruments sound more natural on the RCA Centennial box set - haven't heard the new remaster. The two Robert Parker CDs stop in 1938, AFAIR before Balenton joined the band - Jack the Bear is not on them. I found the Parker remasters startling when I first heard them, but now I prefer the Centennial box - I guess the Davies must be even a notch better. I've got a Vol. 3 of Parker's Ellington releases and it does contain Jack the Bear. It does sound good but I'm made nervous by its being in "surround sound". On the centential set Jack the Bear is unlistenable. The Dreyfus cds actually sound the least compressed to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GA Russell Posted June 30, 2005 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2005 I received an email from BMG a couple of weeks ago telling me that I would lose some Music Points if I didn't spend them by June 30. So I ordered Never No Lament on Thursday, and it arrived today. Shipping was $6.77, so that's a deal! Three CDs of classic Ellington for less than seven dollars. I have listened to Disc 1. I have an old stereo that is not very hi-fi, and the disc's sound is certainly good enough for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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