colinmce

Ah, screw it. I'm not a huge OP fan, but for this price I'll try it and re-sell for another Mosaic if I really don't like it.

In brief: very enjoyable, only minorly "academic" as you say (not me). The For Two Pianos and For Four Orchestras material is the only outwardly 'difficult' stuff on the set, and maybe the solo material and For Trio to those entirely disinclined toward the avant garde. Other than that, it's impossible to imagine not enjoying the rest: the scintillating quartets with Kenny Wheeler and George Lewis, the wonderful duets with Muhal Richard Abrahms and especially the Creative Orchesta material are all sure to please. If it's exploring you're after then I can't imagine a better set.

I have his recordings on Hat Art. They were a difficult listen at first (even for someone who loves Cecil Taylor), but the music reveals itself in time. Interesting stuff.

For those who don't know, a 2-disc set that couples the Royal Roost broadcasts of the BOTC band and the Paris 1949 set w/ Dameron. Not necessarily a legit release I don't think, but I've been needing both those sets for a while and the price is quite right (most copies are $2-3 on Amazon).

For some reason, I thought it was one of the 5-disc $85 sets and I gave it a thought due to the sidemen, but seeing it is a 7-disc $119er, it gets a pass from me.

Cool, I've been looking for a reissue like that!

I frankly haven't heard a Prestige Jam I didn't like. Some, like Olio are truly brilliant.

Yep, noticed that too, and once again co-founder Charlie Lourie wasn't mentioned... The narrator also said that Mosaic put out about 150 sets (the big ones), while the actual number is 248 up to today. But the Monk Blue Note was #101, so #248 is actually the 148th.

Here is an older thread on the subject: Somewhere once somebody posted some hi-res pictures of one of the Blue Note titles (Gil Melle 50s Sessions) and it looked very much like the actual CD and seemed well worth the cost. I myself purchased a couple Black Saint titles expecting about the same thing, but they were way, way worse; very poor inserts printed from a computer and no linear notes. I personally like the idea, but it sounds like the execution varies (as does the price, to be fair).

Right, see this I knew. But when I read the blurb from Mosaic, I thought "really??". Just didn't sound right.

Love that set! Where else, also, can you hear Johnny Mathis with Teo Macero and John LaPorta? er, wait, I'm thinking of the Basic Library of Great Jazz. The Thesaurus is good too, though. Too many of those Columbia sets floating around.

This is something I think about from time to time, but it's really been thrown into relief by some intense Ebay auctions of late. How do you, as a completely obsessive listener when it comes to this music, deal with that fact that some recordings may never be available to you? I'm thinking especially of real collector's item type things. To whit: I have been getting into Jimmy Lyons quite a bit and have been very intrigued by his recordings on Hat Hut from the late 70s/early 80s. One rare title, Riffs was up for auction a few days ago and ended at over $80. Now, I've a long ways to go in my life (God willing, of course) and who knows what sort of financial position I will be in many years down the road, but I get the feeling I'll never really be able to drop that kind of money on a single record. Furthermore, the chance that it will see reissue is slim to none. Ditto Hat albums by Joe McPhee, Braxton, Steve Lacy, et al, and ditto all manner of other small pressings, Mosaics, etc. Now, I think the simple answer here is that you never know and you should enjoy what you have and can get. Certainly true, but it's still painful! Any similar experiences?

This thread has given me an idea for a related one, which I'll start in Misc. Music.

A recent Ebay tear scored me these LPs for just under $45 shipped: 4xLP $3.99 6xLP $4.00 $2.00 both for $18

Speaking of Sonny's Prestige sessions, here's a box set of his individual albums as leader a la the Miles and Monk boxes. $27.72 http://www.amazon.com/Prestige-Albums-Sonny-Rollins/dp/B0039ZEM6Q/ref=pd_sim_m_4 And yes, like those other two sets, it is legit.

Bennie Green, Disc 1. 2 will be forthcoming.

For whatever reason, the Bennie Green Select can still be had for more than reasonable prices (several copies are under $40 on Amazon). I imagine there would be duplication with Soul Stirrin' on your part, but I couldn't possibly recommend the set more.

How about $162.50 for Braxton's Willisau (Quartet) 1991?. Granted, I've never even seen it on Ebay before, but there was a copy on Amazon for $130 earlier today, which I thought was too much. Still now there's one for $149. I threw my hat in the bidding and thought I had a chance at $85!

Earlier today: Lovely.

Any recommendations re: individual albums, preferably available on CD?

Stop while you can! Ha! My goal was 10,000 jazz titles by age 50 (23 years from now) but that now seems a highly unlikely figure. Maybe 5k will have to do.

Wow, nice! I got one for $8.95. I let this one slip by too many times before.

I dunno, I like this one. But it was some of the first Baker singing I heard, so that probably has something to do with it.

Send me a download!

Another day, another weird Impulse! title I've never heard of before.