J.A.W.

Last time I was too impatient - do you take orders now and if so, how much for Early Combinations including shipping to the Netherlands?

I had that record back in my LP days, but I don't remember if it was any good.

The original poster asked specifically about a CD release and you posted an MP3 link. You could at least have made that clear. I believe I said "I have this one which was released in 1995". AFAIK, there were no MP3's in 1995, were there? Then why post a link to an MP3? Posting the cover would have sufficed, I would think. I wonder why I bother; you are always right, aren't you... I have better things to do than wasting my time on your posts. Goodbye.

The original poster asked specifically about a CD release and you posted an MP3 link. You could at least have made that clear.

That links the MP3 version. This is the CD link.

Yes, it was released on CD in Japan on Norma NOCD5639 in 1996. I have it, but I have no idea if it's still available.

Larry quoted forum rule 7 earlier: Jim has explicitly outlawed links to bootlegs. Lon, not to split hairs, but as I understand European law, nothing recorded before 1962 is a bootleg in Europe. All pre-1962 recordings are public domain. So items that were bootlegs ten years ago are no longer. Of course, the US has different copyright law, and US law controls this board. As I said in post #4: The release of an unauthorized recording is a bootleg everywhere, no matter when the recording was made. People don't seem to understand the difference between a bootleg (i.e. the release of an unauthorized recording) and the release of an authorized recording that is in the public domain in some parts of the world; they're two different animals. By the way, the 70-year copyright limit in the European Union applies only to recordings that weren't yet in the public domain when the limit was extended from 50 to 70 years, in other words pre-1962 recordings that weren't in the public domain yet when the rule was changed (for instance pre-1962 recordings that hadn't been published yet) fall under the new 70-year limit.

There's a difference between unauthorized recordings (wherever they are released) and authorized recordings that are in the public domain in some parts of the world. The forum rule is about links to releases (wherever they are issued) of unauthorized recordings, i.e. recordings the artists did not give permission for, a.k.a. bootlegs. Discussions about these releases are fine, as long as they aren't linked to. The rule does not say anything about links to releases of authorized recordings that are in the public domain in some parts of the world.

I thought Neanderthals were extinct.

Me too, although I fear that this will be the Zappa remixed version again. I really preferred the original although apparently Zappa didn't (hence the remix). With the greatest respect to Mr Z, if it ain't broke, [please, please] don't fix it. Apparently you didn't check the site Д.Д. linked to in post #5 - the remaster of Hot Rats has the original mix. You're correct - I didn't check it (apologies); however, I am still confused as to why Zappa's family would sanction the reissue of the original vinyl mix (which I loved) after Zappa went to the trouble of personally remixing it for the CD release (I think I am correct here) because he didn't like the original mix. In any event if this original vinyl mix really is being reissued on CD then I am delighted and will be buying it as soon as it's available. Edit: Just checked Amazon and this is what it says: "2012 reissue of 1969 album from original 1969 ANALOGUE MASTER. Features 'Peaches En Regalia','Willie The Pimp' & 'It Must Be A Camel'." so I guess that's it! No need to apologize. Although they agree on this point, I assure you that Luke Pacholsky's site is far more trustworthy and accurate than Amazon. His research is always very thorough.

Me too, although I fear that this will be the Zappa remixed version again. I really preferred the original although apparently Zappa didn't (hence the remix). With the greatest respect to Mr Z, if it ain't broke, [please, please] don't fix it. Apparently you didn't check the site Д.Д. linked to in post #5 - the remaster of Hot Rats has the original mix.

Checked the Bessie Smith set; unless I missed it, there's no mention of any remastering, so I guess they did indeed just repackage the old, bad sounding no-noised 2CD-sets from the early 1990s.

I must admit that I find this reissue series intriguing; on the other hand I never really warmed to any Zappa, so I think I'll pass

Thanks for the link. Luke Pacholsky's info is usually pretty reliable.

There are already 1,000+ posts about these on the Hoffman board with interesting and irrelevant facts and opinions, remastering details and what have you, here (thread 1) and here (thread 2).

I posted the same question on the Hoffman board and the Audio Speakeasy forum. Wait and see...

I was thinking of getting this one too, but I'm still hesitating: my experiences with recent Blue Note/Toshiba masterings haven't been good (too LOUD and harsh) and I'd like to know first how this CD sounds. Has anyone heard CDs from this series? Opinions?

PM with questions on the Handy.

Isabelle Faust's recording of BWV1001~1003 has just come out in the U.K., so they're now complete: Amazon U.K. The disc will be released in the United States on September 12: Amazon.

As I said elsewhere I'd gladly be wrong about the mastering of the upcoming Bessie Smith set. Maybe someone should ask Sony directly about it.

Apparently not, though source isn't directly named it's reported here by Hans that they're not remastered. That's what I was told by someone in the music business who doesn't want to be named. Sorry. Maybe someone should ask Sony directly about the mastering, I'd gladly be wrong. To my ears those old Columbia 2CD-sets from the early 1990s stink big time sonically. The older LPs Chris Albertson worked on are OK.

Yep, those LPs are good. Columbia messed up when they mastered the recordings for CD in the early 1990s.

I was told they're not, they're just repackaged.

Are you sure Scott is OK with your posting his e-mail here? I always ask him if it's OK to make things public and when a set is only in the negotiating stages he usually asks me not to.

That (no new masterings, just repackagings) is what I was told by someone in the music business. Anyway, to my ears Bessie Smith never sounded better on CD than on the Frog CDs (DGF40~47) that were mastered by the late John R.T. Davies.