J.A.W.

Yeah, the Hat group seems to currently have whatever inside track there is to be had on the Revelation catalog, having also reissued Warne's NE PLUS ULTRA. I know Ne Plus Ultra was supposed to be reissued on Hat, but did it actually happen yet? Not as far as I know. Hat's owner Werner X. Uehlinger told me last year his reissue program for 2005 includes Warne Marsh's Ne Plus Ultra. (edited to correct an error)

Any news, Jim?

That's funny, usually it's the other way around: I find the sound of CDs a bit tart and crisp and you don't To my ears and on my system the sound is OK, taking the age of the tapes and the fact that they or at least some of them were lost for a long time (who knows how they were stored...) into account. I think Malcolm Addey did a fine transferring/remixing/remastering job. I fully agree with Lon's assessment of the music, and the booklet is great. Edit: I've listened to parts of the set again tonight, and Lon's right, Sonny's saxophone does sound a bit tart here and there.

Clifford Brown with Strings Clifford Brown All Stars Clifford Brown & Max Roach Brown and Roach Incorporated A Study in Brown More Study in Brown Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street plus Helen Merrill, Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington albums with Clifford Brown and extra material.

I just got this e-mail from CNN: Johnnie Johnson, a rock 'n' roll pioneer who teamed with Chuck Berry for hits like "Roll Over Beethoven" and "No Particular Place to Go," died Wednesday. He was 80.

According to CD Japan it is OOP, though it was released in February 2005. Sometimes things move very fast in Japan...

According to CD Japan this particular reissue is already out of print. HMV Japan doesn't even list it anymore.

The Amazon description clearly states "24-bit remastered". When you scroll down on the page I linked to it says: "Album Details Japanese only pressing, 24-bit remastered reissue of the jazz/fusion guitarist's 1969 album. Sony 2005." I agree, the Sony quote is weird. Edit: The Amazon description doesn't guarantee anything, of course. They've been wrong before, but I wouldn't be surprised if this reissue is indeed 24-bit remastered.

That's a fair price. They're €15 or about $19 in Europe.

Here's the Free Elephant site (in English)

The McLaughlin is 24-bit remastered. Check this Amazon Japan page out - scroll down and you'll see the English description. I'm pretty sure Hiroshi Tanno will be able to get it; no guarantees, though.

Still no news? Over on JC the only (ominous) news is, that shrugs is no longer a registered eBay member.

They usually are. There are hardly any recent Japanese Universal series that are not 24-bit.

Has anyone heard this Kowald CD? Opinions?

Nothing. I don't find anything "wrong" with his playing. That being said, he is definitely not to everyone's taste. You're absolutely right about that. I don't care for Mateen's playing; I have Sunny Murray's We Are Not at the Opera with Mateen (Eremite MTE014) and don't like it, and it seems I'm not alone: I've been trying to sell that one for ages and no one seems to be interested...

Same here.

Grab it while you can!

What don't you like about it?

According to my Black Lion reissue Tonite's Music Today of this Storyville material these tunes were recorded in NYC in February 1956. Discographer/board member Michael Fitzgerald might have the exact/correct info.

Not seeing anything with your link, Mr. K. You wouldn't be lying to us, would you? The auctions all ended early with "Buy it now." Yep!

Stop it, please! I'm running from one CD to another, and back again...

So?

Thanks! Those are great albums and I hope we've inspired a purchase or two.

The 1960s were an amazing decade for rock, first the British explosion - also known as the "British Invasion", which more or less started in 1962 (a couple of years later for our American friends), followed by all those garage/acid/folk-rock bands from across the pond... Fortrunately their albums were pretty easy to get in the Netherlands in those years. Had a great time.