Fred

What a nightmare! I cracked a disc, two years ago, and this time is even worse. I forced the plastic "pins" inward: now the discs are loose, but safe.

Over all, I wonder why Mosaic used 78s instead of metal parts (or similar first generation masters). Perhaps they doesn't survive in the Columbia vaults? Or there are other reasons for this choice? To me, too, the sound is a bit too harsh, in the first 3 discs, and the set not so satisfactory: perhaps my expectations were too high. Wonderful music, of course, and it's great to have all this material in one big, beautiful Mosaic box.

No, I'm not *that* Fred

137 big boxes plus 13 selects and 5 singles is now the grand total.

Mine just arrived! Wow! Today in Italy is The Ellington Day! Via UPS (1 day of delay for the weather, I presume), no. 860 - I ordered it the very first day.

Ordered, thanks!

I ordered all the sets they have back in stock last year, and all the new ones. I miss only two sets IP, and I'll order them in the next months. All for Mosaic, the last hope for jazz-CD-lovers!

I do the same! I preorder every set I'm interested in (at least at 60%), and so I did with the Ellingtons, the Basies, Goodman, Shaw, and quite all the recent sets. I wait the "last chanche" opportunity only for boxes I'm not interested in (the Dinah Washington, for example ) only for completeness... This time things went bad. But I think the way to help Mosaic is to PREORDER sets. I can't wait the promised Ellington '30s, and I still hope in a Victor Goodman big band (you know the awful remasters of "Birth Of Swing" set).

Yes, I apologize: frustration spoke to my place. I had a very kind answer from Cindy (who in many years helped me many times), and she explained what happened, a flood of orders before they were able to put off the sets from the web site. Mosaic is a graet company.

I'm very disappointed. I ordered the Dinah Washington set only minutes after the sad news from Mosaic, and received a regular receipt from them. This evening, I had this email from them: "We are in receipt of your order for which we thank you very much. Unfortunately, the Dinah Washington CD set is sold out. It is no longer available. We apologize for any inconveniences caused to you. Your order has now been cancelled. You were not charged for this order." This is the very first time Mosaic do a similiar bad business: I have about 100 box sets (and several selects and singles). Anyone had a similar misadventure?

Replacement disc arrived this morning (Italy!). Great service, as ever. Thank you, Mosaic!

Thanks. Just ordered it.

Where did you find it? I'd like to read it. Amazon?

Yes, and yes, it was fixed. BTW, if the Armstrong set will sell very well, Mosaic could fix the disc with the next printing, at no substantial expense...

I strongly agree. The set is perfect, just finished to listen to. The duplicated track (and the missing one) is a minor fault.

Mine is # 129 (preordered the first day). Great set. But have you read the review on the site? It seems disc # 1 has a great mistake...

I STRONGLY agree.

I suggested a Complete Columbia pre-war Ellington, and Scott Wenzel (who is a straordinary guy) told me recently it's planned for the next year. Also I suggested a Victor '30s Goodman big band - we all know how ugly are the transfers, at least for the 3 CD RCA set - and he said they received many similar suggestion, and... Maybe. As Shrdlu said, anyway they did (and are doing) a wonderful, passionate job, they are very friendly people (I almost love them ), and the future of the jazz CDs is in their hands. It's partially off topic, but the only thing I don't agree is the new vinyl politics... OK, these are the last days of CD, and perhaps this is a form of self-defense. But CDs are technically superior to vinyl, we all know. Collectors (not me) love vinyl as beautiful objects, like fetish: but the “old thing”, now, it’s not the vinyl, but just the CDs! In a few years, perhaps in months, CDs will become collector’s items, difficult to find also via internet, and mostly the beautiful packages, like, obviously, Mosaics. So, I'd prefere Mosaic people concentrate on with CD reissues, and increase the number of them: with no other box sets available, all the collectors will put their money on CD reissues with graeat boxes, booklet, fabulous remastering. Vinyl is an affair for very few, fewer than CD aficionados. And with them, we lose the comodity of CDs: just what young people find in Mp3! Excuse me for the long OT

There is a way to order this set, in Europe?

...and a great advertising piece of paper pasted on the back of the box (easily detachable). I picked up this and many of the other "european" Mosaics at ridicolous prices: the last, Tad Farlow from Amazon.co.uk at less than 40 pounds

For me, Louis IS mr. jazz in person, and if anyone don't listen to his work, looses an half of jazz beauty. But why don't you speak (you, who can: I can't, with my very poor english) about his MUSIC, and not his person? I think we can discuss a lot about his Decca period, the beautiful sessions, the bad ones, and so on. I have preordered the set, of course, and I began to re-read the Schuller's - severe - discussion about the period. Excuse again my english: very interesting discussions, I hate I can only read them...

Do the right thing. I received from Mosaic's staff any kind of help and availability. But I do the same with Amazon...

Oh, please, PLEASE, I need the Ellington Columbias! Have you any more info? Thanks

The worst I have is the Ella & Louis complete (Verve). When I bought it, I was not able to open...

The Tina Brooks quintets, all four LPs again