Daniel A

If the session master had only two channels (as per standard RvG practice), would it even be possible to mix down only the drums, unless they had a channel of their own? Maybe they rolled off the highs of the channel that contained drums.

Obviously, there's something bogus about the claim that these are Japanese reissues, whereas they are announced as imports in Japan. There's still a fifty year term for so called neighboring rights in Japan, so that recordings up to 1964 have entered the public domain. Not sure if you could get away with selling fake "Japanese" PD reissues in the EU.

I got that as a London pressing, too! Should dig it out (have had my vinyls stored away for some time and managed to bring home the last boxes - letters A to F - last Sunday).

Tonight, I've been mounting IKEA bookshelves whilst listening to 'Swedish Modern Jazz' by Arne Domnerus (RCA Camden). How Swedish can you be?

Thanks for your recommendations, Baker! I realized I actually have one album on Bethlehem (Nina Simone's first), but there should be room for a couple of more titles on my shelves. Daniel, I would not want to be without the two Ellington, the three Mingus, and others are well worth checking out including the two Williamsons, the Tormes (if you're at all into Mel) and the Leveys. ....especially the Levey's! Thanks again! I've checked "This time the drum's on me" on Spotify (where there are just a few releases from this reissue series) and it's indeed very good. I (unwisely?) passed up on an original vinyl copy of "Grand Stan" just yesterday.

Thanks for your recommendations, Baker! I realized I actually have one album on Bethlehem (Nina Simone's first), but there should be room for a couple of more titles on my shelves.

Pre-order price on US Amazon is around $19 for these. Not too bad. http://www.bluenote.com/vinylreissues.html

Actually, I believe it's even 2-3 dB. If the difference is less than that, it would not be possible to hear it.

I don't think I own any Bethlehem releases in any form. What would be the ones to get from a musical and "not available elsewhere/cheaper/likely to be reissued again" perspective?

There's a string of reissues from Sony Japan coming up. The price tag is 1000 Yen for single albums, 1500 for doubles. Many (all?) titles have been reissued before, but some may nevertheless be of interest. For instance, Herbie Hancock's Japan-only album 'Dedication', long unavailable except in the giant Columbia box, is reissued as a single album. This list may miss one or two releases; I tried to copy-paste best as I could. Availability is limited to one year following the release. http://www.sonymusicshop.jp/m/sear/groupShw.php?site=S&ima=3642&cd=M002035 Art Blakey - Drum Suite +Bonus SICP-4026 2014-03-12 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Au Club Saint Germain Vol.1 SICP-3966 2014-02-26 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Au Club Saint Germain Vol.2 SICP-3967 2014-02-26 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Au Club Saint Germain Vol.3 SICP-3968 2014-02-26 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Play Lerner And Loewe SICP-4027 2014-03-12 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Night In Tunisia +Bonus SICP-4025 2014-03-12 Art Farmer Quintet - Time And The Place SICP-3977 2014-02-26 Barney Wilen - Barney SICP-3978 2014-02-19 Barney Wilen - More From Barney At The Club Saint-Germain SICP-3979 2014-02-26 Billie Holiday - Lady Day SICP-4054 2014-03-12 Bob Brookmeyer - St & Friends +Bonus SICP-3990 2014-02-26 Bobby Hackett & His Orch. - Hackett Horn SICP-4060 2014-03-12 Bud Powell - Swingin' With Bud SICP-3981 2014-02-05 Bud Powell Trio - Strictly Powell SICP-4033 2014-03-12 Bunny Berigan & His Boys - Take It. Bunny! SICP-4012 2014-02-26 Charles Lloyd - Of Course. Of Course +Bonus SICP-4046 2014-03-12 Charles Lloyd Quartet - Nirvana SICP-4047 2014-03-12 Charles Mingus - Mingus Dynasty +Bonus SICP-4003 2014-02-26 Charles Mingus - Tijuana Moods +Bonus (2CDS) SICP-4001 2014-02-26 Charlie Parker - One Night In Birdland (2CDS) SICP-4031 2014-03-12 Charlie Rouse - We Paid Our Dues SICP-4004 2014-02-24 Charlie Rouse - Yeah! SICP-4038 2014-03-12 Chet Baker - Chet Is Back! SICP-3976 2014-02-05 Chet Baker - St & Strings +Bonus SICP-4030 2014-03-12 Chu Berry - Chu SICP-4013 2014-02-26 Count Basie - Lester Leaps In SICP-4061 2014-03-12 Curtis Fuller - Magnificent Trombone Of Curtis Fuller SICP-3975 2014-02-26 Curtis Fuller - South American Coockin' SICP-3974 2014-02-26 Dave Brubeck - Angel Eyes SICP-3970 2014-02-26 Dave Brubeck - Anything Goes! SICP-4021 2014-03-12 Dave Brubeck - Bossa Nova U.S.A. SICP-4022 2014-03-12 Dave Brubeck - My Favorite Things SICP-3969 2014-02-26 Dave Mckenna - Piano Scene Of Dave Mckenna +Bonus SICP-3989 2014-02-26 Doris Day & Andre Previn - Duet SICP-4063 2014-03-12 Duke Ellington - Ellington At Newport 1956 (Complete) +Bonus (2CDS) SICP-4007 2014-02-26 Duke Ellington - Masterpieces By Ellington SICP-4058 2014-03-12 Duke Ellington - Three Suites SICP-4009 2014-02-26 Duke's Men - Duke's Men SICP-4011 2014-02-26 Earl Hines - Fatha SICP-3983 2014-02-26 Earl Hines - Here Comes SICP-4041 2014-03-12 Erroll Garner - Paris Impressions (2CDS) SICP-3984 2014-02-19 Erroll Garner - Soliloquy SICP-4039 2014-03-12 Gerry Mulligan - Jeru SICP-4024 2014-03-12 Gigi Gryce & Don Byrd - Jazz Lab SICP-3988 2014-02-12 Gil Evans - St Orchestra Plays The Music Of Jimi Hendrix +Bonus SICP-4000 2014-02-26 Gil Evans - There Comes A Time +Bonus SICP-4045 2014-03-12 Herbie Hancock - Dedication SICP-4049 2014-03-12 Herbie Hancock - Direct Step SICP-4048 2014-03-12 Herbie Hancock - Feets Don't Fall Me Now SICP-3996 2014-02-19 Herbie Hancock - Mr.Hands SICP-3997 2014-02-26 Herbie Hancock - Sunlight SICP-3995 2014-02-26 Horace Silver - Silver's Blue SICP-4029 2014-03-12 J.J.Johnson - Blue Trombone SICP-3986 2014-02-26 J.J.Johnson - J.J. Inc. +Bonus SICP-3987 2014-02-26 John Lewis - Sensitive Scenery SICP-4051 2014-03-12 Johnny Hodges - Hodge Podge SICP-4059 2014-03-12 Lester Young - Memorial Album (2CDS) SICP-4056 2014-03-12 Louis Armstrong - At Town Hall (2CDS) SICP-4005 2014-02-26 Louis Armstrong - Best Of The Hot Five And Hot Seven Recordings SICP-4055 2014-03-12 Louis Van Dijk - Nightwings SICP-4068 2014-03-12 Louis Van Dijk Trio - When A Man Loves A Woman SICP-4069 2014-03-12 Michel Legrand - Jazzic In Classic [Japan LTD Blu-spec CD II] SICP-30466 2014-02-26 Miles Davis - At Carnegie Hall SICP-3961 2014-02-26 Miles Davis - In Person Friday Night At The Blackhawk San Francisco Vol.1 SICP-3963 2014-02-26 Miles Davis - In Person Saturday Night At The Blackhawk San Francisco Vol.2 SICP-3964 2014-02-26 Miles Davis - Miles In Tokyo SICP-4017 2014-03-12 Miles Davis - More Music From Carnegie Hall SICP-3962 2014-02-26 Miles Davis - Paris Festival International De Jazz +Bonus SICP-3965 2014-02-26 Miles Davis - Quiet Nights +Bonus SICP-4018 2014-03-12 Miles Davis - St In Europe +Bonus SICP-4016 2014-03-12 Miles Davis - We Want Miles +Bonus (2CDS) SICP-4019 2014-03-12 Mongo Santamaria - Mr. Watermelon Man SICP-4053 2014-03-12 Ornette Coleman - Skies Of America SICP-4042 2014-03-12 Ornette Coleman & Prime Time - Chappaqua Suite (2CDS) SICP-4043 2014-03-12 Paul Desmond - Desmond Blue SICP-3971 2014-02-26 Paul Desmond - Glad To Be Unhappy SICP-3972 2014-02-26 Paul Desmond & Gerry Mulligan - Two Of A Mind +Bonus SICP-4023 2014-03-12 Phil Woods - Live From The Showboat (2CDS) SICP-3992 2014-02-19 Phil Woods - St & The Japanese Rhythm Machine SICP-3994 2014-02-26 Phil Woods = Gene Quill - Phil And Quill SICP-4037 2014-03-12 Ray Bryant - Little Susie +Bonus SICP-4028 2014-03-12 Ray Bryant - St Trio SICP-3973 2014-02-19 Rita Reys & Trio Pim Jacobs - Our Favorite Songs SICP-4067 2014-03-12 Rosemary Clooney - Rosie Solves The Swingin' Riddle! SICP-4064 2014-03-12 Rosemary Clooney & Duke Ellington - Blue Rose SICP-4010 2014-02-26 Stan Getz - Captain Marvel +Bonus SICP-4052 2014-03-12 Stan Getz - Master SICP-3991 2014-02-19 Teddy Wilson - Mr. Wilson SICP-3982 2014-02-19 Teddy Wilson - St & His All-Stars Vol.1 SICP-4040 2014-03-12 Thelonious Monk - Criss-Cross +Bonus SICP-4035 2014-03-12 Thelonious Monk - It's Monk's Time +Bonus SICP-4036 2014-03-12 Thelonious Monk - Piano Solo+1 +Bonus SICP-3980 2014-02-26 Thelonious Monk - Underground +Bonus SICP-4034 2014-03-12 Tony Bennett - If I Ruled The World: Songs For The Jet Set +Bonus SICP-4015 2014-02-26 Tony Bennett - In Person! SICP-4062 2014-03-12 Tony Bennett - Tony Sings For You SICP-4014 2014-02-26 Tony Williams - Joy Of Flying SICP-3999 2014-02-26 Watanabe Sadao - Sadao Watanabe SICP-4066 2014-03-12 Watanabe Sadao - Swiss Air SICP-4065 2014-03-12

I like this new practise of re-activating ten year old happy birthday threads! :-) Happened to me last year. Hope you're having a great birthday, Mike!

I got the Zeitlin an the Jazz Crusaders a month ago. Zeitlin is impressive, but emotionally a bit on the cold side. Like with Ahmad Jamal, I can appreciate Zeitlin from being a piano player myself, but I don't go to this material to get a spiritual experience. That said, I wouldn't want to be without this set. The Jazz Crusaders set, on the other hand, is all about getting into the groove and enjoy some straightforward and honest playing.

Happy birthday, Hans! Here's hoping it will be a good day (and year).

I find it interesting that Connoisseurs are sometimes criticized for unpleasant mastering/sound, as I find them OK (without having heard them all). One session I've always thought sounds good is the Connoisseur release of Freddie Hubbard's 'Ready for Freddie'. I can't compare with any other CD release, really, but to me it sounds better than many other BN sessions of that vintage.

Not sure if it's been mentioned earlier, but these February releases seem to contain bonus tracks, although it hasn't been announced what the tunes are: Ornette Coleman - Love Call (three additional tracks, previous CD only had two) Blue Mitchell - Heads Up (two tracks) From those released in January Reuben WIlson's 'Say It Loud' has one alternate take of 'Brother Soul'.

Do you mean the mastering of previous reissues or the recording? I know you like the music. i do, of course mean the mastering. i may well have a sub par transfer for all i know, but the one adjective that comes to mind for it is 'dull'. this session demands crisp clarity to enjoy each texture and nuance. Thanks! I got used to the original vinyl and it wasn't until several years later I got the US CD reissue. It may be nostalgia, because even the LP didn't sound fantastic, but I think I prefer the LP over all subsequent reissues (and I've heard all of them except maybe for the HD tracks). Here's hoping for a SHM-CD!

Do you mean the mastering of previous reissues or the recording? I know you like the music.

Maybe I'm not expressing myself correctly. I was addressing your claim that "two pieces of equipment should sound different". I read that as meaning that there would always be an audible difference between any two different CD players, transports, amplifiers etc. If that's not what you meant, I apologize. What I've tried to say all the way is that two pieces may sound differently, but that some differences claimed in non-blind tests are not possible to verify in blind tests. Hence my beliefe that many listeners are biased from knowing the manufacturer (and possibly the price) of the equipment in question.

Of course, that's not at all what I said.

Loudspeakers almost always are audibly different (and they are also the weakest link in the sound chain in many systems). Comparing speakers at home can be quite tricky though, since by necessity they can't be placed at the exact same spot at the same time, and placement has impact on the sound in most settings. But are you claiming that there's an audible difference between any piece of sound equipment compared to every other? A blind test will prove you there's not.

No: The reason would be to compare the sound from different pieces of equipment without the disctraction, prejudices and placebo following the knowledge of what you are listening to. Of course you may compare more than two sources in a blind test.

Impressions of different pieces of audio equipment (or interconnects) are nice to read, but ultimately do not offer much help to those looking for suggestions unless they are the result of a more serious - blind - test. The reason for this is that blind tests have revealed that some (please observe that I'm not saying all) perceived differences from non-blind tests could not be verified in blind tests. So while some components obviously do sound different than others, enough perceived differences can be attributed to placebo to render non-blind tests unreliable at best. I'm not questioning audio memory or that there are real differences - I'm just saying that non-blind test do produce different results from blind test often enough, and I don't see any reason to rely on non-blind tests on that basis.

That was initially released on the Barben label. Maybe our Korean friend means this one: http://www.discogs.com/viewimages?release=3692216 Edit: URL corrected

Jackie's worth it!

I think the title originally on Ad Lib was reissued in Japan as recently as last year. I got it for around 1000 yen. It sounds good, while that same session in the Fresh Sound box is reported to sound worse.