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Promising Music in trouble


Chalupa

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I just got this news in an email. Not good. Really too bad since they have been doing an great job in getting the MPS catalog back in print. Carpe diem those titles while you can...

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Dear NAME,

Our worldwide distributor (responsible to get our CDs in the stores) is insolvent. Because of this we lost so much money that today we are unable to manufacture any new releases.

We have an idea, though.

What if our supporters (yes, we mean you!) would give us a funding in order to keep the promising music of the MPS catalogue alive?

Just imagine we find, say, 50 people lending us, say, 600 US-Dollars respectively 400 Euros for, say, a period of nine months. Then, together with the money we are able to raise on our own at present, pre-financing of three more CDs is made possible!

If you think this being considerable we want you to mail us and inform us about the amount you are willing and able to contribute. Of course: THIS IS ABSOLUTELY NON-BINDING!

We would appreciate to have your mail with us by October 24th, 2009. Then we will get back to you in the first week of November 2009 to inform you whether this works or not and will come up with more details. So even if you are thrilled to support us:

PLEASE, DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY BEFORE WE CAN SAY “GO!”

We know this is a matter of trust. In case you participate we can offer:

Besides our word that you will get your money back from us in time, it is obligatory that you will get one copy of each of the three new releases for free on top.

Also, if you wish, we can allocate it with other promising music CDs already available. Which we would send to you even before you paid your funding portion. As a matter of trust in return.

We’re looking forward to all the positive answers

Bodo Jacoby and your promising music team

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I just got this news in an email. Not good. Really too bad since they have been doing an great job in getting the MPS catalog back in print. Carpe diem those titles while you can...

This certainly doesn't look good...

By the way, what do you mean by "carpe diem those titles..."? The Latin phrase "carpe diem" literally means "seize the day".

Edited by J.A.W.
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I just got this news in an email. Not good. Really too bad since they have been doing an great job in getting the MPS catalog back in print. Carpe diem those titles while you can...

This certainly doesn't look good...

By the way, what do you mean by "carpe diem those titles..."? The Latin phrase "carpe diem" literally means "seize the day".

I meant that you should stop putzing around and scarf up those titles before they're all gone. Who knows when, or if, they'll be back in print.

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I don't want to be overly cynical, but what assurances do you have that this didn't originate in Nigeria? It sure has some of the earmarks.

Up over and out.

I got the email at home as I was on their mailing list. This is also missing some of the earmarks. For one thing, it says "don't send anything yet, we'll get back to you", which totally goes against the general grain of email scams.

Edited by felser
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I don't want to be overly cynical, but what assurances do you have that this didn't originate in Nigeria? It sure has some of the earmarks.

Up over and out.

Assurance: - given you trust me - I just talked to Bodo Jacoby. It's no SPAM. The email posted by J.H. Deeley was sent by Bodo.

Any idea who the distributor is that went bankrupt? Their website says it's SPV - a German Rock outlet ...

Yes, it's SPV, his distributor in Germany.

I don't want to disclose any further details on a public forum. So if you're interested/willing to offer help please contact Bobo.

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SPV was declared insolvent already in May:

http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/content_dis...d7d67dcda85032c

What is the current status of MPS? Some reissues seem to be released by Promising Music, and others by Universal Music Germany

http://www.promising-music.com/

http://www.jazzecho.de/label/mps/

That's been like this for a while (or this like that? anyway...)

Seems Universal let Promising Music release some of the titles they had no interest in, themselves.

Promising Music picked some weird stuff, in my opinion, but also some goodies (Wilen, Tchicai). I have the Wilen, the Dauner (classic German free), and just got a copy of the nice Dave Pike Set album (which is close to easy listening, but ey...)

The main fault of the label, to me, is that the discs are hopelessly overprized. They're well done though, fold-out cardboard, a bit larger than normal digipaks (higher) and with a thick booklet (which does contain little besides German/English versions of the original liners, though). Anyway, I shied away from buying these discs because of the hilarious price (20+ euro unless you buy from some of the large Amazon Marketplace sellers, which I did/do). Have ordered the Tchicai now, finally... and a couple of others (Mariano, Pork Pie).

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  • 3 months later...

Bump.

Got this bit of good news today in an email....

Dear NAME,

As you know already: after our worldwide distributor filed for insolvency, we were fighting not to become insolvent ourselves. And we had to set up a whole new distribution network (needless to say we were also struggling to get our CDs back and to deal with these modern time pirates called bankers).

But, the way it looks like, we succeeded. So we are looking forward to a prosperous 2010, and we hope you do, too.

How to start such a prosperous year well? By announcing three new CDs to see the light of day at the end of March!

These releases are:

DON ELLIS “Haiku”

The famous soundtrack composer Don Ellis (do you remember French Connection?) created a wonderful recording in 1973 with jazz band (incl. Larry Carlton and Ray Brown) and string orchestra, built around ten Japanese Haiku poems.

ZBIGNIEW SEIFERT “Man Of The Light”

This Polish virtuoso can be called the violin’s answer to McCoy Tyner. Those who are familiar with our Charlie Mariano release “Helen 12 Trees” know what we mean. This recording features Cecil McBee and Billy Hart as rhythm section, as well as two European high class pianists: Joachim Kühn and Jasper van’t Hof.

…Both Ellis and Seifert died much too young. And nearly at the same time: just in between two months, ending of the Seventies.

Finally there is “Jazz Meets India”.

This recording dates from 1967 and can be called one of the first world music albums ever. It’s a clash between the Western IRÈNE SCHWEIZER TRIO (with pre-Guru Guru Mani Neumeier and Uli Trepte) and the Indian DEWAN MOTIHAR TRIO, augmented by “The Jazz Horns”, being BARNEY WILEN and MANFRED SCHOOF.

Please expect from us the same adequate care for these CDs as you experienced in previous promising music releases, concerning old and new liner notes, subtle re-mastering, and the unique packaging.

Best wishes

Consul Bodo Jacoby

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Promising Music went for the real odd items in the MPS catalog - what Universal wouldn't risk to re-issue. 

Like the Don Ellis "Haiku" - I'm a big Don Ellis fan, but this is easily the most questionable item in his discography. Well ...

But the Jazz Meets Idia should be a real gem, like the whole series.

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