Mosaic's Black and White label box set

[tranemonk]

Okay, I caved. Don't know if I'll really like this set or if it will just be okay. Given the time and effort Mosaic has put into this and the fact that these recordings won't see the light of day after this set is gone... was enough for me. Worth a shot.

[JSngry]

I'm looking forward to the California version of so-called "Swing To Bop" music, to the extent that it's going to be in there. I think there will be a lot.

[kh1958]

Just placed my order before the sale expires.

[Rooster_Ties]

1 hour ago, tranemonk said:

Okay, I caved. Don't know if I'll really like this set or if it will just be okay. Given the time and effort Mosaic has put into this and the fact that these recordings won't see the light of day after this set is gone... was enough for me. Worth a shot.

That was my rationale for getting the Bee Hive box, and I’m glad I did — but the timeframe (decade) of the Bee Hive material lined up a lot more with my interests than this B&W set.

[tranemonk]

5 hours ago, kh1958 said:

Just placed my order before the sale expires.

Same rationale here.

[ghost of miles]

On 5/23/2022 at 0:45 PM, Jim Duckworth said:

Now there's one from which I definitely got my money's worth!  Jumpin' Like Mad also worked for me big time-and it does have a Lester Aladdin track.

https://www.discogs.com/release/9828776-Various-Jumpin-Like-Mad-Cool-Cats-Hip-Chicks-Non-Stop-Dancin

Man, thanks so much for mentioning this collection.  I ordered a copy after seeing your post and am nearly through disc 1, enjoying it a great deal.  I like Billy Vera's concept in the liner notes of listening to the set as a late 1940s/early 50s jukebox.

Edited 29 May by ghost of miles

[thirdtry]

Pushed back to the last two weeks of June.

[ghost of miles]

Can’t wait! Excited to hear this set.

[AllenLowe]

it sounds good on the samples, though I probably won't buy it. Wondering if it includes the Lena Horne session? Also, gotta tell Mosaic; in their blurb listing all the important pianists on the set they fail to include the great Arnold Ross. Also, the Jack McVea sample has a terrific trumpet solo by somebody name Joe Kelly, which they don't even mention in their online notes. Who was that guy?

This could be him: https://en.everybodywiki.com/Joe_Kelly_(musician)

Edited 31 May by AllenLowe

[jazzbo]

The Lena Horne session is not included, as is mentioned in the "Producer's Notes."

[AllenLowe]

5 hours ago, jazzbo said:

The Lena Horne session is not included, as is mentioned in the "Producer's Notes."

that's unfortunate; her singing in those relatively early days was much better, to my ears, than her later work, which was extremely mannered.

[jazzbo]

Here is what is written in the Producer's Notes:

"The vision of this set was to present jazz performances from the Black & White label. The challenge that confronted us was what to include since many sides fall in a grey area between pop vocals backed by jazz musicians (in a strictly accompaniment role) and those sessions in a rhythm and blues context. So, for example, one can argue that certain Lena Horne or Jack McVea titles should have been included here as well as sides by Bob Hayward, Maggie Hathaway, The Robinson Brothers and others. We hope you understand our dilemma and enjoy what has become a part of this set."

[JSngry]

We hope you understand our dilemma and enjoy what has become a part of this set. 

To the extent that this "dilemma" is not one entirely of your own perhaps myopic making, I do, and yes, I certainly will, I'm sure. 

[Niko]

14 hours ago, AllenLowe said:

it sounds good on the samples, though I probably won't buy it. Wondering if it includes the Lena Horne session? Also, gotta tell Mosaic; in their blurb listing all the important pianists on the set they fail to include the great Arnold Ross. Also, the Jack McVea sample has a terrific trumpet solo by somebody name Joe Kelly, which they don't even mention in their online notes. Who was that guy?

This could be him: https://en.everybodywiki.com/Joe_Kelly_(musician)

pretty sure that's another Joe Kelly (younger, white, Chicago-based...even though that album with Johnny Board on tenor has been on my radar for a while). This Joe Kelly aka Joe "Red" Kelly played with Gerald Wilson's band in the mid 40s. The latest credit I can find quickly is this Peppy Prince album from 1958 (Horace Tapscott's earliest credit iirc). Peter Vacher's Central Avenue book has some memories of Kelly from John "Streamline" Ewing: 

Red Kelly from Peru, Indiana, was another very good trumpet player in the [Gene Coy] band . He had a style but he never did record anything, but he was different from any trumpet player I ever heard. He could play lead and could also solo. [..] He finally would up in the Post Office. [...] I think he still gigs around town, sometimes with Spanish bands.[..] 

 

[gvopedz]

20 hours ago, jazzbo said:

The Lena Horne session is not included, as is mentioned in the "Producer's Notes."

I was hoping the Mosaic box set would have the Lena Horne songs.  It was on Black & White that she recorded the spirituals “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”.  Lena Horne recorded very few spirituals.

 

But then a Mosaic box set of only Lena Horne would be even better.

[jazzbo]

I don't envy the producer having to make these decisions. We're lucky we are getting an 11 cd set!

[JSngry]

I wonder if Lena Horne would have cost more money.

[AllenLowe]

1 hour ago, gvopedz said:

I was hoping the Mosaic box set would have the Lena Horne songs.  It was on Black & White that she recorded the spirituals “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen” and “Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child”.  Lena Horne recorded very few spirituals.

 

 

But then a Mosaic box set of only Lena Horne would be even better.

 

that is indeed a good performance; I think it's on my blues set.

[Brad]

Someone at Hoffman posted the following for those who pre-ordered the set:

“Dear Friends of Mosaic,

Thank you very much for your preorder of the Black & White set.

This is the first set we have released with our new website and software. With technology the way that it is, we have just found out that the website is hardwired so that credit cards expire after 30 days of the order date. Since it has been over 30 days since you ordered the set, the credit card has expired and due to security constraints, we cannot re-enter credit card data ourselves.

Therefore, you will need to reorder on the website. Here is the link:

Classic Black & White Jazz Sessions Limited Edition Box Set (#273 - 11 CDs); Regular price $179 - Order Now - Preorder sale price $159 thru June 15 - 

We sincerely apologize for this inconvenience.

Fred, Michael & Scott

Mosaic Records

203-327-7111

www.mosaicrecords.com”

[jazzbo]

I used PayPal--I should be okay.

[JSngry]

Ok, I just re-ordered....when does my previous order come off my dashboard?

[jlhoots]

42 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Ok, I just re-ordered....when does my previous order come off my dashboard?

You'll probably get charged twice. 

[JSngry]

not if the CC from the first one has timed out for 30+ days after submission, I hope?

This doesn't seem normal, does it? What's the purpose of preordering at the earliest-ish opportunity, with a card on file, and then have to re-place the order because you pre-ordered too soon?

[SwingItTrev]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:This doesn't seem normal, does it? What's the purpose of preordering at the earliest-ish opportunity, with a card on file, and then have to re-place the order because you pre-ordered too soon?

I’ve said this before, but I’d really really really prefer they just take my money when I order it. Then I have control over when they take money out of my account, and what the exchange rate is, AND they get the bonus of having the money up front to keep things moving. 

[jazzbo]

That's why I use PayPal.