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Strata-East, the rest?


felser

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I can't wait for the Tolliver Mosaic Select set. I cut my teeth on the Tolliver Live at Slugs material in the early 70's, and it remains a landmark for me. Very happy that the Tollivers and a few other choice Strata-East titles (Clifford Jordan - Glass Bead Games, Billy Harper - Capra Black, Pharoah Sanders - Izipho Zam) have made it onto CD, but have a few titles that I have never seen on CD that I am pining for: Clifford Jordan - In the World, Sonny Fortune - Long Before Our Mothers Cried, Charles Sullivan - Genesis, the 2LP set by Mtume, and the Ron Burton - The Waterbearers, Jazz Contemporaries - Reasons in Tonality (advanced blowing session with C. Jordan, G.Coleman, and J.Watkins as the horns!), Shirley Scott - One For Me (best album she ever did by a mile IMO), and Harold Vick - Don't Look Back come to mind right off. I know that Strata-East was run as a collective, as designed by Tolliver and Cowell. Unclear who owns the masters on these. Does anyone know anything about the prospects of these being reissued on CD? And what about the Charles Tolliver All-Stars session with Bartz, Hancock, Ron Carter, and Joe Chambers? Surprised that one hasn't seen the light of day on CD. Also, Tolliver's website for a long time has shown a CD called 'In the Trenches' which I don't think has ever been released. Any info or thoughts appreciated.

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Most (if not all) of the masters are owned by the leaders of the dates. Many of the issued cds are legally questionable. I know Mary Ellen Rouse (Charlie's widow) had to hire a lawyer to get her masters back and stop the marketing of the cd.

I believe the date with Bartz, Hancock, etc was a Black Lion recording currently owned by DA Music.

Clifford Jordan owned his masters and all the stuff in the "Dolphy Series" - Cecil Payne, Charles Brackeen, etc. I believe he sold the Sanders master to Arista (or someone). I know this 'cause he offered the lot to me.

This is a mess, never to be really resolved.

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As far as I know, all the masters have reverted back to the artists but for perhaps one or two exceptions. I thought the Dolphy series was one of those exceptions. As for the Tolliver date with Bartz, Hancock, Carter and Chambers, that was only licensed to Black Lion and is now owned by Tolliver. It has been prepared for re-issue, with two bonus tracks (two versions of "Repetition") and will probably come out within the next year......negotiations are in progress....

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As far as I know, all the masters have reverted back to the artists but for perhaps one or two exceptions. I thought the Dolphy series was one of those exceptions. As for the Tolliver date with Bartz, Hancock, Carter and Chambers, that was only licensed to Black Lion and is now owned by Tolliver. It has been prepared for re-issue, with two bonus tracks (two versions of "Repetition") and will probably come out within the next year......negotiations are in progress....

PLEASE tell what you know and from which sources.

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Mtume Umoja Ensemble - Alkebu-lan, Land of the Blacks

If I'd known then what I know noe, I'd have bought more than one $1.99 copy out of the Peaches cutout bins...

Here's one that will likely never see the light of day again - "A Fresh Viewpoint" and Muriel Winston. "A Fresh Viewpoint" seems to have been a Bill Lee assembly consisting of himself, Clifford Jordan (on flute all the way), Stanley Cowell, & Billy Higgins. Winston's a not particularly grand singer, and there's a children's chorus on a lot of it :blink: but the second side is all Tadd Dameron tunes, all but one of which seem to be flat-out pop (as in pre-rock) tunes written in collaboration with one Irving Reid, none of which I'm aware of being recorded elsewhere, although I'd not make book on that. A piece of ephemera, to be sure, but "Dameronia" nonetheless.

And two of the girls in the chidren's chorus have the last name Roche. Did Betty have babies?

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Mtume Umoja Ensemble - Alkebu-lan, Land of the Blacks

If I'd known then what I know noe, I'd have bought more than one $1.99 copy out of the Peaches cutout bins...

I have a few extras, but only because I wore the others out!

I have No Words to describe that album (a little "in" joke for those who have this LP).

Handscapes was released in the 90's on CD, but not sure if it's still available...

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As far as I know, all the masters have reverted back to the artists but for perhaps one or two exceptions. I thought the Dolphy series was one of those exceptions. As for the Tolliver date with Bartz, Hancock, Carter and Chambers, that was only licensed to Black Lion and is now owned by Tolliver. It has been prepared for re-issue, with two bonus tracks (two versions of "Repetition") and will probably come out within the next year......negotiations are in progress....

PLEASE tell what you know and from which sources.

It should be obvious who my sources are and I've told what I know....as things progress and I'll keep you guys posted.

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One I have and never hear of is John Gordon Step by Step (and didn't he do another?)

GREAT album. :tup:tup Oddly enough, Dusty often has this one in stock on CD (though they're out now).

I don't think Gordon lead any other dates -- or none that I'm aware of.

Here's the listing from you know where...

gordon_john_stepbyste_101b.jpg

John Gordon -- Step By Step . . . CD . . . $13.99

Strata-East (Germany), 1975 Condition: New Copy

Out Of Stock: Hit the 'Send Request' button to receive an email notice if the item comes back in.

One of the most obscure sessions on Strata East -- and an excellent groover that really keeps up the label's soul jazz spirit! Jon Gordon's a lesser-known trombonist from the 70s, but he's working here with an all-star group that includes Charles Tolliver on trumpet, Stanley Cowell on piano, Roland Alexander on reeds, and Andrew Cyrille on drums -- all coming together with a spirit that's quite similar to that of Tolliver's classic Music Inc recordings of the time! The titles are mostly all originals by Gordon, played in a loping, lyrical mode that often bursts out with a free-thinking approach to the solos. Titles include "P&G Incorporated", "No Tricks No Gimmicks", "Activity", "Step By Step", and "Dance Of the Ymas".

Edited by Rooster_Ties
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As far as I know, all the masters have reverted back to the artists but for perhaps one or two exceptions. I thought the Dolphy series was one of those exceptions. As for the Tolliver date with Bartz, Hancock, Carter and Chambers, that was only licensed to Black Lion and is now owned by Tolliver. It has been prepared for re-issue, with two bonus tracks (two versions of "Repetition") and will probably come out within the next year......negotiations are in progress....

PLEASE tell what you know and from which sources.

It should be obvious who my sources are and I've told what I know....as things progress and I'll keep you guys posted.

Is this the same date that's been listed on the Strata-East website for months?

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Is this the same date that's been listed on the Strata-East website for months?

Try years. At least 3 of them, and maybe more like 4 or even 5.

PS: Somebody who can run the "wayback" machine can probably prove me right.

OK, that was simpler than I expected. Try as far back as 1999 - so that's something a whole lot closer to SIX years. :blink:

Edited by Rooster_Ties
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Promising news - in the liner notes to the Tolliver Mosaic Select set (which is superb bu the way - great remastering by Malcom Addey. This music has never had nearly this good of sound quality in its previous LP and CD releases. And of course, the music itself is sublime.), Michael Cuscuna ends his essay with the sentence "Hopefully this is just the first in a line of co-ventures between Mosaic and Strata-East". Now there's something to make the imagination run wild!

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  • 11 months later...

Anyone have, or ever heard, this one?

http://www.discogs.com/release/488775

Looks interesting on paper at least ...

B000027FYI.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V57060652_.jpg

Reissued on CD in 1995 by Claves Jazz (it's a double CD that includes two other LPs by the Composers' Ensemble, "We've Been Around" (Strata-East, recorded in 1973) and "Cricket Song - Poem" (Miff Music Company, 1977-1982).

luca

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