...and here is another page from that thread (which is excellent reading):
Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted July 17, 2000 10:23 AM
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That seems right. Where they differ from many companies who own the original masters is that they don't do alternate takes. If a tune was recorded again at a later session then it's included; if it was one of several goes at a session it is not. For me this is ideal. I've no wish to plough through the alternates or programme them out.
Soundwise they sound fine to me - apart from the odd dodgy transfer. I'm sure there are better transfers on the labels owning the masters or on labels like Frog. But JCC provide a cost effective way of acquiring this music that should appeal to all but those who are especially interested in the audiophile side of things. If you are really into the music of this era you might be better with one of these other labels.
I only recently realised that 'The Best of Jazz' label was a subsiduary of Classics - as the name suggests they cherry-pick what they consider to be the best of an artists output - good for dipping a toe in the water.
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Mike P
Member
Member # 152
posted July 17, 2000 04:26 PM
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Some new releases that I'm looking forward to:
1110 Pete Johnson (1947-1949)
1111 Charlie Ventura
1112 Sidney Bechet (1947-1949)
1113 Lucky Thompson (1944-1947)
1114 Mildred Bailey (1937-1938)
1115 Buddy Johnson (1947-1949)
1125 Howard McGhee (1945-1946)
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Posts: 232 | From: Moraga, CA USA | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged
Birdistheword
Member
Member # 31
posted July 17, 2000 05:14 PM
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I like the Classics series a lot. I've been able to pick up great music that is otherwise unavailable. It's great for artists who recorded small sessions for many labels - here they are all together chronologically. The only problem in the US is that Classics CD's are usually expensive (16 to 19 dollars each), and they aren't always easy to find (especially the earlier ones).
http://jazzplace.homestead.com/index.html
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Posts: 1309 | From: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted July 18, 2000 03:34 PM
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I've ordered Classics discs from CD Now at very good prices. They have a comprehensive stock if their website is to be believed.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted July 19, 2000 03:44 PM
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To link to my post in March, here are the next thirty Classics releases:
1105 Cootie Williams 1946-1949
1106 Tadd Dameron 1947-1949
1107 Count Basie 1947-1949
1108 Fats Navarro 1947-1949
1109 Erroll Garner 1947-1949
1110 Pete Johnson 1947-1949
1111 Charlie Ventura 1946-1947
1112 Sidney Bechet 1947-1949
1113 Lucky Thompson 1944-1947
1114 Mildred Bailey 1937-1938
1115 Buddy Johnson 1947-1949
1116 James Moody 1948-1949
1117 Tommy Dorsey 1938
1118 Thelonious Monk 1947-1948
1119 Duke Ellington 1947-1949
1120 Earl Hines 1947-1949
1121 Bob Howard 1935-1936
1122 Valaida Snow 1937-1946
1123 Red Norvo 1936-1937
1124 Babs Gonzales 1947-1949
1125 Howard McGhee 1945-1946
1126 Stan Getz 1946-1949
1127 Artie Shaw 1940
1128 Woody Herman 1939
1129 New Orleans Rhythm Kings 1922-1923
1130 Blue Lu Barker 1946-1949
1131 Benny Goodman 1940
1132 Harry James 1941-1942
1133 Charlie Barnet 1933-1936
1134 Louis Jordan 1947-1949
A list that really whets the appetite, doesn’t it? I’m especially happy to see that Classics will start a series with Charlie Barnet, whose orchestra has been called the blackest white band, and which recorded a lot of fine music. It’s also nice to see that Classics, although by now really getting into the modern jazz era, hasn’t totally forgotten the early years, and will start a NORK series. I hope they in the future will release other names from the earliest years as well. The Lucky Thompson is probably a welcome release for many. With the McGhee all his 40’s recordings are now released on three CDs, and with the Basie, all the recordings by the First Testament band have now been released. Several Blue Note sessions in there too. And I noticed that the Dameron and the Navarro include a few obscure tracks, not among the general Savoy and Blue Note material. Valaida Snow was a female trumpeter, by the way. And the Cootie Williams has the hit recording ”Gator Tail”, which made tenorist Willis Jackson famous in the R&B days. Jackson later recorded a long string of soul jazz albums for Prestige, some of which have been reissued by Fantasy.
I’m embarrassed to see, now when I’m reading the thread again, that it was so long ago I promised to make a swing era post. Although I had written a part of it early on, for various reasons I didn’t find the time to continue it until now in the summer. I have finished it now, or rather a first instalment, and I’m only going to read it through once more, and make some minor adjustments, and then I’ll post it within a few days. I’m sorry for the delay!
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philip
Member
Member # 405
posted July 20, 2000 03:33 AM
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Valaida Snow was a vocalist as well as an Armstrong inspired trumpeter. Her vocal style is reminescent of Mildred Bailey, in her heavy use of vibrato. An unusual combination. Some of her records have dubious lyrics, and some of the accompaniments are disappointing, however.
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Posts: 1657 | From: Derbyshire, UK | Registered: Sep 1999 | IP: Logged
Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted July 20, 2000 09:32 AM
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Look forward to your 'Swing' post, Swede. I've used your earlier one quite a bit to guide me in early waters.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
rob
Member
Member # 343
posted July 20, 2000 08:53 PM
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Crazy Jazz, a British company, is having a sale on the Classics catalog - 7.95 pounds pre disc (roughly 11.88). 10 or more discs are 7.50 pounds. Here's the link: http://216.46.252.34/
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Posts: 1563 | From: Somerville, MA, USA | Registered: Sep 99 | IP: Logged
Mike P
Member
Member # 152
posted July 27, 2000 08:53 PM
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New Classic releases:
1135 Nat "king" Cole 1947 vol.3
1136 John Hardee 1946-1948
1137 Billy Taylor 1945-1949
1138 Erroll Garner 1949
1139 Wynonie Harris 1947-1949
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Posts: 232 | From: Moraga, CA USA | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted September 30, 2000 01:41 AM
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Thanks, Mike! I’m looking forward especially to the Hardee.
Here is the next batch:
1140 Sidney Bechet 1949
1141 The Three Keys - Bon Bon & His Buddies 1932-1942
1142 Billy Eckstine 1947
1143 Gene Krupa 1945
1144 Louis Armstrong 1947 Vol.2
I have to say that I’m not familiar at all with what 1141 is.
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Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted September 30, 2000 10:49 AM
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Have JCC started on Bud Powell yet? I recently got the first Monk disc which is an ideal way for me to acquire the tunes of this era as I'm not keen on a/ts.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted September 30, 2000 03:23 PM
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Yes, 1945-1947, Classics 1003. It has three sessions, the first of which is a previously obscure but great session from 1945 led by tenorist Frankie Socolow (who later would turn up on the Sal Salvador 10” BN LP, that was included on a Connoisseur a couple of years ago), with Powell on piano, and the legendary Freddy Webster on trumpet. Webster, who was a major influence on the young Miles Davis, didn’t record much, but here we get a rare opportunity to hear him taking several interesting and historically important solos. Webster died in 1947, I think.
The next session is from 1946 and features the Be Bop Boys, a group that also included Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham and Sonny Stitt. This session has been more readily available on Savoy CDs.
The last session was Powell’s first under his own name, a trio session made in 1947 for Roost, which previously was out on a Roulette CD. This excellent and well-recorded session yielded eight tracks, and has Curley Russell on bass, and Max Roach on drums.
No Blue Note session there yet, but the next volume should probably be ”1949-1950” (which could then come out next year), and include Blue Note and ”Verve” sessions.
By the way, I see your point about the Monk disc. I actually picked up Classics’ Charlie Parker CDs for the very same reason. Although Parker may very well be my favourite musician if I have to pick one, I found myself not reaching for his CDs often enough, both because they were stuck in boxsets, which made them more difficult to pull out, and because I had to programme away alternate takes and breakdowns. It was always easier to pick something else instead, and I figured it shouldn’t be that way. After all, Bird is Bird!
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Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted October 01, 2000 12:44 AM
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Thanks Swede. I know little Powell and the JCC series seem a nice way in.
I'm of the same mind to you on the last point. It's nice to have this material available both ways. That way both the dedicated enthusiast who wants to compare different takes and the listeners like me are accommodated for. We live in rich times, recording availability-wise.
Look out for the mass of material being put out by a company called Proper. They're promising some major issues before Xmas to follow on from their Birth of Bebop and Lester Young Story sets. I have the former and it's a joy.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Dale Turner
Member
Member # 1050
posted October 03, 2000 04:39 AM
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Could I ask a couple of questions about the JCC label?
1) Is it possible to get all of Lester Young's pre-Verve recordings on JCC? If so, how many CDs would that be? If not, is there a better way of getting them or a good way of plugging the gaps? I'm aware of the Proper box, but I really want to get the complete works rather than a compilation.
2) I'm interested in getting Mosaic's Django Reinhardt box, but I'm wondering if there's any overlap with JCC (I assume they do a Django series; correct me if I'm wrong). Ideally, I'd like to get the Mosaic, then acquire the balance of his discography with JCCs, both for sound quality reasons and a simple love of Mosaic product. As with the Young, how far have JCC got with Django and how many CDs would I have to buy?
Okay, that's several questions disguised as two, but like a number of contributors to this fascinating thread, I too have been put off JCC for aesthetic and prejudicial reasons, and I've got some catching up to do! Thanks in advance for your help.
PS One more query: Do JCCs go oop or is it a case of once it's in print, it never goes away, as with OJCs? Are some harder to track down than others? (Okay, TWO more queries! Sorry!)
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John L
Member
Member # 123
posted October 03, 2000 05:20 AM
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Dale: On the question of Lester Young, Chronological Classics, I believe, is only packaging dates with Pres as the designated leader. For Pres, that really excludes a lot of the best.
Masters of Jazz is good way to go for a complete early Lester. One series is "Count Basie," which has a huge number of live broadcasts as well as studio recordings, most in very good sound. They are currently up to volume 11, right before "Lester Leaps In." Unfortunately, it may take a while for all of the 40-41 Basie with Lester material in this series to appear.
A second series is Billie Holiday. You can actually get all of Billie and Lester's recordings together (except for the Fine and Mellow track that came after 1950!) on a 3-disk package from Fremeaux et Fils.
That leaves the Masters of Jazz Lester Young series that releases virtually every other recording that Pres played on before the 1950s. There is a lot superb music here that is unavailable elsewhere.
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Birdistheword
Member
Member # 31
posted October 03, 2000 01:36 PM
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Also on JCC you won't get any alternate takes, and with Pres alternate takes are required listening. For example, he only made a few recordings for Keynote, but the alternates formerly available on a Mercury CD are as good or better than the released versions. Masters of Jazz is an excellent label and their comprehensiveness, sound, and liner notes are superior to JCC.
http://jazzplace.homestead.com
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Posts: 1309 | From: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Dale Turner
Member
Member # 1050
posted October 05, 2000 07:34 AM
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John and Birdistheword: Thanks for the excellent advice -- most helpful and I appreciate it. I've never heard of Masters of Jazz, so will have to investigate. Is it another European label? John, you say MOJ cover live broadcasts as well as studio recordings -- are they mixed together chronologically or confined to separate releases? I'd really rather get the studio recordings before I embark on the live stuff. I should mention that I have all of Pres's work with Billie on the nine Quintessential Billy Holiday CDs Columbia Jazz Masterworks released in the 80s, so I'm part of the way there. Also, Birdistheword, thanks for the tip on alternates of Pres. I'm often in two minds on this issue generally, but can readily imagine that Pres is an exception.
Can anyone help me with my Django query?
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Posts: 361 | From: London, England | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged
Jason Drake
Member
Member # 602
posted October 05, 2000 08:22 AM
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Dale, the Masters Of Jazz label is most easily available in France but you'll have seen them around in the UK. The covers all have white backgrounds with a small b/w photo of the artist in the centre. Amazon.Fr has them all, but they're expensive (150FF). Try Fnac.fr, their bricks and mortar store has them for around 90FF.
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Jason Drake
Member
Member # 602
posted October 05, 2000 08:23 AM
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Dale, the Masters Of Jazz label is most easily available in France but you'll have seen them around in the UK. The covers all have white backgrounds with a small b/w photo of the artist in the centre. Amazon.Fr has them all, but they're expensive (150FF). Try Fnac.fr, their bricks and mortar store has them for around 90FF.
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Lon Armstrong
Member
Member # 137
posted October 05, 2000 09:39 AM
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Dale, the Masters of Jazz series do present material chronologically, mixing live and studio appearances.
There is going to be overlap between the JCC and the Mosaic (and JSP) Django boxes. I would agree that the Mosaic will be a great sounding product. I think you can get this and then build around it with the JCC releases.
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Posts: 10027 | From: Austin, TX USA | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted October 06, 2000 05:00 PM
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quote:
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Originally posted by Dale Turner:
1) Is it possible to get all of Lester Young's pre-Verve recordings on JCC? If so, how many CDs would that be? If not, is there a better way of getting them or a good way of plugging the gaps? I'm aware of the Proper box, but I really want to get the complete works rather than a compilation.
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It depends on what you mean by pre-Verve. Young’s very first session as a leader was made in 1943 for Keynote, which is now owned by Verve. There was also another Verve-owned session in 1946, before his long tenure with what would later become Verve started in 1950. There are two Classics CDs so far: 1943-1946 and 1946-1947. The next one should probably be 1947-1950 and come out next year, and would then include the remaining Aladdin and Savoy material, and start to get into his long Verve period. I should also point out the Kansas City 5, 6 & 7 1938-1944 CD, which has Lester on three out of four sessions. They were made for Keynote and Commodore, which last year became another of the Verve-owned labels!
quote:
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2) I'm interested in getting Mosaic's Django Reinhardt box, but I'm wondering if there's any overlap with JCC (I assume they do a Django series; correct me if I'm wrong). Ideally, I'd like to get the Mosaic, then acquire the balance of his discography with JCCs, both for sound quality reasons and a simple love of Mosaic product. As with the Young, how far have JCC got with Django and how many CDs would I have to buy?
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Classics has released 15 Django CDs so far, covering the years 1934 to 1947. These include not only all of Django’s own sessions (and with The Quintet Of The Hot Club Of France), but also many sessions with Django as sideman, mainly led by other Frenchmen like Michel Warlop and André Ekyan, but also some by other Europeans or visiting Americans. They don’t include his sideman appearances, when the leader of the session has been given an entry of his own in the Classics catalogue. Thus more Django can be found on the CDs with Stéphane Grappelly and Alix Combelle for example. Especially Stéphane Grappelly 1935-1940 has to be singled out, since it has Django on almost all tracks. Since I don’t have the Mosaic set I don’t know exactly how many CDs you would have to buy to fill the gaps. Probably many!
quote:
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Okay, that's several questions disguised as two, but like a number of contributors to this fascinating thread, I too have been put off JCC for aesthetic and prejudicial reasons, and I've got some catching up to do! Thanks in advance for your help.
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I started to pick them up already when they first appeared in 1990. (I remember that Lunceford and Basie were among the first I bought, and also that I was excited about this new approach since at that time only compilations had been put out on the market.) But for someone who is only starting now, there is certainly some catching up to do with over 600 CDs in their catalogue!
quote:
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PS One more query: Do JCCs go oop or is it a case of once it's in print, it never goes away, as with OJCs? Are some harder to track down than others? (Okay, TWO more queries! Sorry!)
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They are all in print! Thus whether any titles are harder to find than others will depend on the habits of the stores you use.
quote:
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Originally posted by John Litwack:
Dale: On the question of Lester Young, Chronological Classics, I believe, is only packaging dates with Pres as the designated leader. For Pres, that really excludes a lot of the best.]
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Not really, since his sideman sessions appear under the respective leader’s name on Classics; Basie, Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson etc.
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Dale Turner
Member
Member # 1050
posted October 09, 2000 04:45 AM
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Swinging Swede, given your excellent contributions elsewhere in this thread, I had a feeling I might be hearing from you! I can't thank you enough for the information -- and thanks again to everyone else who chimed in with advice. This is clearly a subject worth investigating further...
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Posts: 361 | From: London, England | Registered: Aug 2000 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted October 28, 2000 10:00 AM
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New batch!:
1145 Russell Jacquet 1945-1949
1146 Louis Prima 1937-1939
1147 Charles Brown 1947-1948
1148 Erskine Hawkins 1947-1949
1149 Charlie Ventura 1947-1949
In case you didn’t know, Russell Jacquet was Illinois Jacquet’s trumpet-playing brother. This disc has sidemen like Dexter Gordon, Lucky Thompson, Teddy Edwards, Sonny Stitt, J.J. Johnson, Harry ”Sweets” Edison, Charlie Mingus and Chico Hamilton! Not too bad, huh?
By the way, brother Illinois already has two releases of his own on Classics, ”1945-1946” and ”1946-1947”.
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Leroy Wilson
Junior Member
Member # 1199
posted October 29, 2000 06:40 AM
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The duration of copyright in the US has become very confusing. Most people believe that the duration of a copyright exists for the life of the author plus 50 years. While this was once the case for works created on or after January 1st, 1978, it is no longer accurate.
Legislation passed in the last few years has increased the length to life plus 70.
For works created before January 1st, 1978, it gets much more confusing. The law before 1978 provided for a term of 28 years, and an additional renewable term of 28 years.
That sounds simple enough, right? Well, the law changed and those works still in their first 28 year term on or after January 1st 1978 were automatically extended an additional 47 year term. As a result, works between 1950 and 1978 dont expire until 75 years after their original publication.
And in 1998, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension and Fairness in Music Licensing Act tacked on another 20 years!
Therefore, Jazz Chronological Classics is going to run into about a 45 year-long brick wall for many recordings made starting in 1950. We wont legally see the early 50's Blue Note Bud Powell's and Thelonious Monk's on JCC until at least 2045.
At least that is how I understand it.
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Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted October 29, 2000 07:46 AM
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So how does that affect the right to sell in the States, say JCC, manufactured where the law is different? The US online stores stock this stuff even though it appears to be in breach of US copyright.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Leroy Wilson
Junior Member
Member # 1199
posted October 29, 2000 04:28 PM
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Unless JCC has issued any works recorded in 1950 and after, which I don't believe they have, I think they are legal.
I'll double check on the international implications, but, I believe that if the recording was made in the US and registered in the US, the US law still applies.
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Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted November 10, 2000 04:12 PM
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Next batch:
1150 New Orleans Rhythm Kings 1923-1935
1151 Jimmie Lunceford 1948-1949
1152 Bob Howard 1932-1935
1153 Ella Fitzgerald 1949
1154 Benny Goodman 1940-1941
Note that the Lunceford tracks were recorded after Lunceford’s death in 1947, when tenorist Joe Thomas and pianist Edwin Wilcox took over the leadership of the Lunceford band.
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted December 17, 2000 04:32 AM
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Next batch:
1155 Nat King Cole 1947-1949
1156 Tommy Dorsey 1938 Vol. 2
1157 Red Norvo 1937-1938
1158 Valaida Snow 1933-1936
1159 Charlie Barnet 1936-1937
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted December 17, 2000 01:35 PM
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Any comments on the Red Norvo sessions? I'm looking for the Gillespie/Parker sesions of the mid-40s but the only CD I've seen is riddled with alternatives (not my interest). Seems like it will be some time before JCC get there. What are these early Norvos like?
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted January 01, 2001 08:10 AM
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Yes, there will be some time before they reach that 1945 Comet session. Perhaps three or four more CDs, which I suspect they should accomplish within two years.
I haven’t been able to pick up Classics’ Norvo CDs yet, but I have a couple of older CDs covering the 30’s, so I have heard some of the music.
In the mid-30’s Norvo recorded several interesting small group sessions, with illustrious sidemen like Jimmy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Jack Jenney, Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet, Teddy Wilson, Chu Berry, Bunny Berigan and Gene Krupa! All of the names mentioned would a few years later become big band leaders, except Berry, who however would become the biggest star in a big band! Quite classic music. Dance Of The Octopus, with Benny Goodman on bass clarinet and Norvo on marimba, is an unusual piece of music, perhaps not even jazz, but highly fascinating.
In 1936 Norvo started a big band, which featured the vocals of Mildred Bailey and the arrangements of the highly gifted Eddie Sauter. This was a good band, but it never quite caught on, like the bands of several of his former session sidemen mentioned above.
If I should recommend one of the Classics CDs, it would - with the obvious reservation that I haven’t yet heard all of the music that’s on them - be the first one, 1933-1936, with its classic small group sessions.
It should be pointed out that during the years in question Norvo had not yet made the transition to vibraphone, but still was playing xylophone and occasionally marimba.
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Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted January 01, 2001 02:03 PM
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Thanks, Swede. One to investigate.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted January 20, 2001 02:18 PM
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Classics enters the 50’s!
1160 Mildred Bailey 1938
1161 Lionel Hampton 1949-1950
1162 Coleman Hawkins 1947-1950
1163 Woody Herman 1939-1940
1164 Rex Stewart 1948-1949
As we are into a new year, it follows that Classics’ scope extends one year further, and thus we now see the first releases with music recorded in the 50’s. Hampton’s big band during the time covered included Wes Montgomery, who subsequently went back to Indianapolis, and wouldn’t be heard from by the world until almost a decade later. The Hawkins CD has some sessions I’ve never seen available on CD before. It also includes the seminal solo saxophone performance Picasso. The Rex Stewart CD may include sides recorded in Australia, but I’m not 100% sure about that yet.
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted February 23, 2001 02:39 PM
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Next batch:
1165 Dodo Marmarosa 1945-1950
1166 Sarah Vaughan 1949-1950
1167 Artie Shaw 1940-1941
1168 Dizzy Gillespie 1949-1950
1169 James Moody 1949-1950
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted March 02, 2001 01:41 PM
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Classics is starting a new R&B series, with the same concept as their regular series. Here are the titles in the first batch:
5000 Ray Charles 1949-1950
5001 Marion Abernathy 1947-1949
5002 Dave Bartholomew 1947-1950
5003 Ruth Brown 1949-1950
5004 Professor Longhair 1949
This is an area I know very little about. What do more knowledgeable board members have to say about this music, these titles, and about the fact that Classics is starting a series devoted to this genre? Is it a welcome event, or is it all already available out there?
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Harold_Z
Member
Member # 1142
posted March 02, 2001 04:08 PM
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Swede, I think that's great news and a great idea. I'll definitely be checking out the releases. As for the ones you mentioned..
Ray Charles is probably the Swingtime material. It's been out in complete editions in good sound, but I don't think those editions are currently in print. These have been issued many times in bits and pieces on budget CDs and before that on vinyl, often in terrible sound.
I'm unaware of Marion Abernathy.
Dave Bartholomew is most likely Imperial material and it's solid New Orleans R&B, with many of the hallowed names of that genre involved.
Ruth Brown recorded in New York for Atlantic. I think her stuff is pretty easily found. BTW, on her first session she was backed by Eddie Condon's band.
Longhair is New Orleans again. He was the primary piano influence on New Orleans R&B and players like Fats Domino, Huey Smith, Allen Toussaint, Dr John, James Booker, etc.
Of the five discs you mentioned, the only one I wouldn't check out immediately would be the Ray Charles, and only because I have a complete Swingtime set already.
I really hope they do Amos Milburn. The Mosaic CD sets on Ebay are ridiculously high and I really wish I had got it when it was available.
Shirley And Lee wouldn't be too bad either!
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Posts: 1157 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted March 09, 2001 03:53 PM
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Many thanks for your reply, Harold! As I said, I know little about this genre, but the fact that it’s a label I’m very familiar with, makes me inclined to try some of these.
I actually saw four of them in a record store today, and listened briefly to two of them. The Bartholomew seemed more jazz-oriented than the Longhair, especially the first session which started with an instrumental version of Stardust, featuring Bartholomew’s trumpet. The only one I didn’t see was the Abernathy, but it has Hot Lips Page and several other well-known jazz names, so it should be pretty jazz-oriented. That CD apparently has all her recordings.
By the way, I really liked the new look of this series, both the cover and the CD itself. I think it is an improvement on their regular jazz series. It should be, as they have had plenty of years to think out an alternative look.
I also saw what the next two titles in the R&B series will be:
5005 Earl Bostic 1945-1948
5006 Tom Archia 1947-1948
Earl Bostic’s earliest recordings are clearly jazz. He was a brilliant alto saxophonist, although he became criticized in jazz circles for the path he chose. Tom Archia’s name turns up on some jazz sessions (including the Roy Eldridge session that was Ike Quebec’s recording debut), but I’m not familiar with his own work. Anyone?
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted March 09, 2001 03:54 PM
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And here are the titles in the next regular batch:
1170 Bud Powell 1949-1950
1171 Kenny Clarke 1946-1948
1172 Stan Getz 1950
1173 Lucky Millinder 1947-1950
1174 Sonny Stitt 1946-1950
The last two batches clearly focus on modernists. I saw the 1165-9 batch in the stores today. The Marmarosa has all the recordings by the troubled bop great before his brief comeback in the early 60’s. I didn’t know that Dizzy’s big band recorded two more sessions after the RCA Victor contract ended in 1949. But so he did, for Capitol, one in late 1949 and one in early 1950, before the band disbanded. The Musicraft and RCA sides have often been reissued, but I have never heard the Capitol sides before. I also didn’t know that Dizzy made a session for Prestige. The Moody has many sessions recorded in Sweden. I already have them on an LP, and they are excellent. To Bev: the Powell should be of interest to you, since it has master takes from Blue Note and Verve sessions.
With the looming LP era and its increase of recorded jazz, I wonder how many earlier jazz names Classics will go back and start a series for. We’ll see.
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted March 10, 2001 02:58 AM
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Thanks Swinging Swede. The Powell I have been waiting for.
I can't see how they are going to manage the LP era. The idea of 'chronological' goes to pieces in my mind then. Disrupting the original LP format would put me off.
I suspect their forte will be documenting the pre-LP era.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
greyhound
Member
Member # 1552
posted March 10, 2001 05:22 AM
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Swinging Swede, I think the Red Norvo Classics 1933-36 CD may be quite similar to the HEP cd Dance Of The Octopus remastered by J.R.T. Davies which should still be available.
At least I think that is why I returned the Classics.Potential buyers may want to compare these two.
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Posts: 11 | From: | Registered: Mar 2001 | IP: Logged
Mike P
Member
Member # 152
posted March 24, 2001 05:26 PM
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Marion Abernathy was a popular blues vocalist with Buddy Banks and Paul Bascomb Bands from 1945-1949. She also recorded for Specialty Records as The Blues Woman. She recorded for King Records for three years.
"Voo-It Voo-It" was a hit for her in 1945.
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Posts: 232 | From: Moraga, CA USA | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted April 06, 2001 12:20 PM
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Mike,
Yes, I noticed that the CD does not in fact include her earliest sides. Since the CD only has 20 tracks, they clearly could have included more. Don’t know why they didn’t.
Bev,
I have seen contradictory information regarding Classics’ plans for the LP era. The liner notes often say that the CD is volume x of the artist’s complete recordings. In addition the liner notes often end with ”To be continued...”, and in some of those cases the next volume clearly must include LP era recordings. And it has actually already happened. Duke Ellington’s Liberian Suite was recorded for Columbia in 1947, and first released on an early 10” LP in 1949. It was included in Classics’ latest Ellington volume 1947-1948. By 1950 the transition to LPs already had begun, although 78s would continue to come out until 1953.
On the other hand I read an article about Classics and Gilles Petard (who runs the label), where it was said that Petard intended to go back and release more earlier names rather than getting into the LP era. I wouldn’t mind if new series were started for earlier names. There are for example still many white big bands left that I would like to see reissued. As for the LP era, there wouldn’t be any point in releasing, say, the complete Miles Davis or Sonny Rollins, since it all already has been reissued. On the other hand, there are lesser-known but excellent names from the LP era, that I gladly would like to see reissued. Just look at the Verve catalogue for example. Their many 50’s recordings with Buddy DeFranco is just one example of things I would like to get my hands on, if Verve doesn’t bother to release it themselves. Or take Sonny Stitt’s many Roost LPs, which Hardbop often brings up(and I don’t blame him), and which Tom has said will be among the last to be reissued by Blue Note, if ever. There clearly is a market for unreissued 50’s LPs too. And if not Classics, then other labels will do them, I’m sure. Not necessarily in chronological order of course.
Let me also add that many boxsets of LP era material, like for example Clifford Brown’s EmArcy recordings and Roland Kirk’s Mercury recordings to mention just two, are in strict chronological order. Possible Classics releases from the LP years could be seen as discs from a gigantic box set!
By the way, I read that Classics’ release schedule is planned two years in advance. I sure would like to see that list!
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted April 06, 2001 12:23 PM
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Next jazz batch:
1175 Jess Stacy 1944-1950
1176 J.J. Johnson 1946-1949
1177 Eddie Condon 1947-1950
1178 Harry James 1942
1179 Louis Armstrong 1949-1950
Next Blues & Rhythm titles:
5007 T-Bone Walker 1929-1946
5008 Muddy Waters 1941-1948
Any comments on the last two?
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Bev Stapleton
Member
Member # 27
posted April 06, 2001 03:13 PM
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Thanks once again for your insights, Swede.
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Posts: 3103 | From: Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Birdistheword
Member
Member # 31
posted April 06, 2001 05:59 PM
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That Muddy Waters release seems totally useless - the '41 tracks are Library of Congress field recordings that MCA/Chess already has released fully with excellent sound and notes. He made a few sides for Columbia in '46 which I guess will be here and have been hard to find recently, but they are a compromised style and don't add anything to the Muddy legacy. The rest are classic early Chess recordings which Chess has reissued endlessly, including just last year in pristine sound in a 2 CD set of Muddy's complete early Chess recordings. These '47-48 Chess recordings are mostly great (although not too varied) with Muddy on guitar and vocals and Big Crawford on bass and some with piano and drums. Chess CDs are usually low priced and easily available, so this Classics issue (which I'm sure won't have the sound of the Chess) seems redundant. I'm sure anyone interested in this already has it in a better form.
http://jazzplace.homestead.com
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Posts: 1309 | From: Boca Raton, FL | Registered: Mar 99 | IP: Logged
Harold_Z
Member
Member # 1142
posted April 06, 2001 08:57 PM
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The Condon release is comprised of 3 10" lps entitled respectively:
"We Called It Music"
"At The Jazz Band Ball Vol 1"
"At The Jazz Band Ball Vol 2"
They may possibly have appeared as 78 albums prior or concurrently with their 10" release. It's good stuff..The usual cast delivering the usual great product. Jack Teagarden is VERY present and the 4 tunes with Wild Bill and Peewee are winners. The rarest things on this are "Jazz Me Blues" and "At The Jazz Band Ball". As far as I know they have not appeared anywhere since the 10" lps. All of the rest later appeared a few times on Decca and MCA vinyl. I think the reason why those 2 tracks never resurfaced is a vocalist that sounds dated. To be kind. Too bad it wasn't Red Mckenzie or even Johnny Mercer, who did the lyrics (The same lyrics to Jazz Band Ball appear on the Capitol Mosaic set, delivered by Mercer with Wingy Manone's band). The vocalist is very questionable but the band is HOT!
Along the same lines I'm waiting for Chrono to get to a Gene Krupa release from (I think) 1948 that will include 8 tracks done for RCA with a Condon group (sans Eddie) that includes Wild Bill, Cutty Cutshall, Edmund Hall/Peanuts Hucko, Ernie Caceres, etc. Again there is a bizarre vocalist on 4 of the tracks, but there is also some of the best Wild Bill on record and the 4 instrumental only tracks are totally wonderful.
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Posts: 1157 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted May 23, 2001 04:39 PM
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New titles:
1180 Joe Turner 1949-1950
1181 Gene Sedric 1938-1947
1182 Erroll Garner 1949 Vol. II
1183 Kid Ory 1945-1950
1184 Lennie Tristano 1946-1947
Blues & Rhythm series:
5009 Big Jay McNeely 1948-1950
5010 Walter Brown 1945-1947
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
PD
Member
Member # 1816
posted June 01, 2001 07:33 PM
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Swingin' Swede.. I had a question I thought you might be of some help with..I threaded it in Reissues because it took me awhile to wend my way back here.Its under Masters of jazz....can you help?
Thanks
PD
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Posts: 2641 | From: Woodinville WA 98052 USA | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged
alankin
Member
Member # 220
posted June 09, 2001 07:27 AM
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I just noticed listing for this series of alternate takes for the Jazz Chronological Classics series. Has anyone heard any of these? How's the sound?
Sidney Bechet Alternate Takes, Vol. 1 - 1925-41 (Neatwork) June 26
Sidney Bechet Alternate Takes, Vol. 2 - 1941-47 (Neatwork) June 26
Coleman Hawkins Alternate Takes, Vol. 1 - 1935-43 (Neatwork) June 26
Fletcher Henderson Alternate Takes, Vol. 1 - 1923-25 (Neatwork) June 26
Fats Waller Alternate Takes, Vol. 1 - 1923-29 (Neatwork) June 26
Fats Waller Alternate Takes, Vol. 2 - 1929-38 (Neatwork) June 26
Fats Waller Alternate Takes, Vol. 3 - 1938-43 (Neatwork) June 26
Alan
jazzmatazz.home.att.net
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Posts: 1325 | From: Philadelphia, PA | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted June 19, 2001 11:05 PM
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Alan, Do you know of any formal relationship between this label, Neatwork, and Classics, or is it just that releasing the alternate takes naturally complements Classics’ releases of master takes?
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
Swinging Swede
Member
Member # 197
posted June 19, 2001 11:06 PM
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New titles:
1185 Stan Kenton 1950
1186 Sidney Bechet 1949 Vol. 2
1187 Mildred Bailey 1939
1188 Frankie Trumbauer 1927-1928
1189 Johnny Hodges 1945-1950
1190 Sy Oliver 1945-1949
1191 Duke Ellington 1949-1950
1192 Red Norvo 1938-1939
1193 Lionel Hampton 1950
1194 Charlie Barnet 1937-1939
Blues & Rhythm series:
5013 Sunnyland Slim 1947-1948
5014 Lightnin’ Hopkins 1946-1948
Once again I know the Blues & Rhythm artists by name only. Any comments on them?
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Posts: 1484 | From: Sweden | Registered: Aug 99 | IP: Logged
alankin
Member
Member # 220
posted June 20, 2001 03:08 AM
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Swinging Swede - I don't know of any relationship between Classics and Neatwork. The only thing I've found out about Neatwork is that they're in Austria.
Alan
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Posts: 1325 | From: Philadelphia, PA | Registered: May 99 | IP: Logged
Harold_Z
Member
Member # 1142
posted June 20, 2001 04:15 AM
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Sunnyland Slim was a blues pianist/singer from Mississippi but came to prominence in Chicago with some Bluebird sides and on early Muddy Waters recordings.
Lightnin' Hopkins was a Texas blues guitarist/singer who recorded a lot both as a soloist and with a small group of accompianists. He played both acoustic or electric guitar depending on the gig and he was pretty influential on blues and rock guitar players. He was nororious for adding or subtracting bars from the traditional 12 bar blues chorus, but he always made it work and sound natural.
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Posts: 1157 | From: New Jersey | Registered: Oct 2000 | IP: Logged
jhalbro
Member
Member # 674
posted June 20, 2001 01:59 PM
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Anyone care to comment on the Classics Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, or Benny Carter series? How are the transfers? How do they compare with other reissues? Are there better places to look for this stuff?
I have the Hawkins Body and Soul compilation, but that's just not enough Bean!
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Posts: 134 | From: New Orleans, LA, USA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged