Ron S

I think....think ...that I may have stumbled into a good deal over at Amazon Canada yesterday and snagged the Consecration box for a darned nice price -- CDN$ 12.72 ($11 US?? ). With an $8 shipping charge my guess is that it's the 8-disc box. Is this possible??? Have received a confirmation notice so we'll see what happens. I hate to be the one to burst your bubble, but that seller is Caiman, and I'm betting that listing is a screw-up. Caiman has a listing for the single Timeless disc called "Consecration Vol. 2" on the US Amazon site (and NO listing under the Milestone box set) here (which is also probably a screw-up, since that CD is now OOP). Hopefully, I'm wrong, but I wouldn't bet on it.

David, thanks for that link. Here is the link for the forum thread on that site in which the Guaraldi "specialists" discuss this new reissue.

I remember that gig--and especially the second set--as being pretty amazing. You guys just let it all hang out. That "defiance" thing gave your playing a special edge. Actually, each of the three gigs/venues in Philly had its own unique character, and each was excellent in its own unique way. It'll be interesting to see what the rarefied atmosphere of the Art Museum does to you.

Alan, don't forget about January 19th--you can take more photos of the guys at the Art Museum.

Man do I look evil in that shot! Do I usually look that scary when I play? You look scary, PERIOD.

There's what appears to be a good explanation of this by a reviewer on Amazon: Amazon page. There's also some interesting additional discussion between another person and this guy if you click on "Comments" after his review.

Excellent advice. If he didn't actually invent the form, Haydn sure came close to it, and his voluminous repertoire is a constant joy. Mozart's later string quartets (and quintets, for that matter) should also not be missed. (I guess I'm a bit stuck in the classical period. ) And another for Schubert's later quartets--I've got the dramatic opening to "Death and the Maiden" stuck in my head now, thanks to this thread.

Disc 2. Disc 3.

Mulligan CJB . . . . . . . (drum roll) . . . . . . . GONE.

Too late--I've already taken great personal offense. Actually, their box sets usually are the exact same ones sold in the stores, with NO BMG Direct bar code. I've ordered many box sets from BMG and yourmusic.com, and iirc, only one (Sonny Rollins Prestige) had a BMG Direct bar code, and other than that it's identical to those sold elsewhere.

yourmusic is a separate "club" run by the BMG Music Club. Essentially the same inventory. I think some confusion is caused by the term "club". With both books and records, "clubs" typically sold (still sell?) different editions than those available in stores--e.g., book club editions were typically printed on different/cheaper paper, were not part of the publisher's regular printing run, etc. With virtually all BMG Direct CDs, the CDs themselves are generally identical to the ones sold through regular retail outlets, and the packaging appears to be identical (and in many cases actually IS identical) to that sold through regular retail outlets, except for the different bar code noted above. In fact, BMG specifically avoids the term "club", instead using "BMG Music Service" or "BMG Direct", probably to characterize itself as a distribution service as opposed to a "club". And as one of the largest producers/distributors of CDs in the world, BMG is hardly some inferior alternative, as some might believe. It's just a cheaper alternative.

Some do and some don't. But even with the ones that do, it's generally only a difference in the bar code (where it also says "Mfd. for BMG Direct . . . under license"). Very subtle. Otherwise pretty much identical to the "regular" issue.

Disc 2.

You missed Jackie McLean's "Demon's Dance". Unless someone else picked it up earlier and I overlooked it. But in any case, YOU still missed it.

Moncur Select--disc 1

So Hans, "Todd" is your screen name on that other Board? Wish I had the resources to purchase and the time to listen to so many sets... Really! I wonder if "Todd" ever listens to anything else? As I know nothing about the Yves Nat set, I (quickly) read Todd's review and it's rather mixed. His review of the Stephen (Bishop) Kovacevich set, which I've never heard either, is mainly negative, especially regarding the later recordings in the set - and so is the review of Jan de Kruijff, one of the foremost Dutch classical music journalists. The earliest (i.e. early 1990s) recordings in Kovacevich's set seem to be the best by far. On the other hand, the latest Penguin Guide gives the complete Kovacevich set a rosette and says it's one of the best available, and an earlier edition gave his individual disc of 26 and 29 both a "key" AND a rosette and specifically said his Hammerklavier is one of the best ever recorded. So I guess it's just a matter of taste--or pride in a pianist now living in the UK.

So Hans, "Todd" is your screen name on that other Board? Wish I had the resources to purchase and the time to listen to so many sets... Really! I wonder if "Todd" ever listens to anything else?

So Hans, "Todd" is your screen name on that other Board?

FWIW, Jed Distler of Classics Today.com (and now Gramophone) rated both the Gulda set (here)--warts and all--and the Frank set (here) very highly. Of course, our own local "experts" ("oh my darlin', clementine . . ." ) may have differing views (e.g., Distler uses Arrau, Goode, and Kempff as his "reference" recordings for these reviews) (and yes, clem, I'm looking into both Nat and Brautigam and appreciate your perspective ).

Yep.

Based on the track listing, it looks like it's the recent Blue Note reissue.

And presumably much better sound.

Of course you are--I get the joke. Why would you possibly buy a Bolton comp when you already own every recording he's ever made?

It isn't that bad.

8283 ain't nothin' to sneeze at, either. EDIT: And since I started to post this, it's already up to 8284.