J.A.W.

Which is why I don't think, as the thread asks, "any generalizations can be said". I agree. And welcome indeed, Stew.

It's also very system-dependent. Many compressed remasters and/or remasters with bumped-up higher frequencies may sound OK on mid-fi gear, but on high-end systems the sound's often crap.

Older people always have increasing high-frequency hearing loss. Some more than others, though.

This might help.

Anyway, what's that creature doing here??

The new TOCJ24 of Happenings (TOCJ-6430) sounds great. Highly recommended.

I know you were trying to help, and I appreciate it (), but I just don't see how picking up the Japanese reissues would be cheaper than buying the Select.

And that's an understatement in my opinion.

I don't know, but the Morello session has some tasty tenor playing by Art. Nice Red Norvo contribution too. Sound/remastering issues aside, I think everyone's going to like this set. While I don't know later Pepper very well, I like this (Jazz West, Intro, Omega) period of his playing even better than the Contemporary period that immediately followed it (late 50's). With me it's just the other way 'round - errr... I believe I've already said that... I'm repeating myself now, must be getting old...

The Select is $39, and the two Japanese CDs would cost about $24 each (2,500 yen), so I don't see how getting those two would be cheaper. Besides, I've only got two of the three Japanese Peppers, so I'd have to get three 2,500 yen CDs, which would make picking up the Select even more attractive, assuming the remasterings are the same. Who did remaster the Japanese Morello and Perkins reissues, by the way?

I keep wondering where all these cheap Mosaics without boxes and booklets that are being offered on eBay are coming from... The back of a truck, maybe?

I'm pretty sure it'd be bad form to ask Mosaic if they'd sell me a box and booklet to go with my eBay discs. So I'm just gonna have to take your word for it... I don't think they do this anymore for in-print sets... only for OOP. Correct.

You've got a point. Nevertheless, I'll be picking this one up because of the additional material (the Joe Morello and Bill Perkins albums).

You'd better make that two...

The Dance sounded OK to me, but I didn't like the other two tunes. I agree with Tony's assessment of Ron Carter and the drummer, and I'm not exactly a fan of the strings thing.

You're in an enviable position. I think this is some of the best Pepper on record. Make sure to brew up your favorite coffee (or pour your favorite red) when the package arrives ... you're in for a treat! This is early, excellent pre-Contemporary Art Pepper, but to be honest I prefer his subsequent Contemporary recordings, which in my opinion constitute his best work. The Pepper Select is a must, though. Highly recommended.

You're in an enviable position. I think this is some of the best Pepper on record. Make sure to brew up your favorite coffee (or pour your favorite red) when the package arrives ... you're in for a treat! This is early, excellent pre-Contemporary Art Pepper, but to be honest I prefer his subsequent Contemporary recordings, which in my opinion constitute his best work.

Exactly my point.

I have many of these recordings on two Japanese Toshiba "Super Bit Jazz Classics" mini-LP CDs, The Art of Pepper (TOCJ-9311) and Modern Art (TOCJ-9407), which were remastered by Ron McMaster. I'm guessing that, for economic reasons, Mosaic decided to use those remasters after all, rather than have Malcolm Addey remaster the recordings again. But would that be consistent with the following statement from the Mosaic web site? "For each of these exceptional sessions, we have returned to the original master tapes and remastered them in 24-bit with greatly improved results from all previous issues. " [bold added] The McMaster remasters I'm referring to are also in 24-bit, and were done in 2002. But you're right, my guess doesn't seem to be consistent with that statement...

I have many of these recordings on two Japanese Toshiba "Super Bit Jazz Classics" mini-LP CDs, The Art of Pepper (TOCJ-9311) and Modern Art (TOCJ-9407), which were remastered by Ron McMaster. I'm guessing that, for economic reasons, Mosaic decided to use those remasters after all, rather than have Malcolm Addey remaster the recordings again.

Seconded!

I'm a lurker most of the time

I prefer the Steve Hoffman DCC remasters of Miles' Steamin', Cookin', Workin', Relaxin' and Miles/The New Miles Davis Quintet albums to the Japanese K2 versions. The music comes much more to life than on any other CD reissues of those LPs.

RainyDay, I believe -- but she hasn't been around in quite some time. So maybe no longer single??? RainyDay hasn't posted here since November 4 last year, but she's posting quite a bit over on JazzCorner.