Head Man

Seconded, it's an amazing set with relatively excellent sound. It thrashes all other Hawkins collections. Hans, there was a boxset that came out on Affinity called "The Complete Recordings 1929/1941". Affinity Boxset Do you happen to know how it compares with the JSP set in completeness & sound?

I came to this label fairly recently when I bought the three Tommy Whittle CDs, all of which were released with his permission, so nothing shabby there.

contains all of the Harriott/Kinsey material Yes, and quite a bit of other material I can't recall having seen released on CD before. However, I'll need to check a Tony Kinsey discography to confirm that. Update: It looks like all the Joe Harriott tracks have been previously available on a 2xCD called "Killer Joe" and eleven of the tracks by Tony Kinsey on Discs 2 & 3 were released by Harkit on a CD called "Fascinating Rhythm" some years ago. All the other tracks seem to be out on CD for the first time.

This is due out in the near future. Further details here: Acrobat Music

My CD copy on Solar arrived yesterday and it's decent buy. Both "Dusty Blue" and "The Connection" sound OK although I'm pretty sure "The Connection" is a needle drop, It also comes with a reasonable booklet. On first listening I think I prefer this version of "The Connection" to the one by Freddie Redd on Blue Note.

I've just noticed that BGO Records are re-issuing the Michael Garrick albums "Black Marigolds" & "The Heart is a Lotus" as a double CD next week. Since both albums are still available on Vocalion, I wonder what the point of this is? Apart from being a cheaper option, of course

A man's best friend?......obviously not this time

Well, my copy of the Harold McNair came with the Joe Harriott so I guess it's in stock. Unless they only pressed one copy, of course.

Shipped to the UK, it's over $30. Seems a bit steep considering Chuck is shipping his latest releases for $18. Wait a month or so and I'm guessing it'll be priced on Amazon UK like Threadgill at 13.66 GBP eligible for free shipping. Based on today's exchange rate that would save you about $8. It's a two disc set isn't it? Which makes Amazon UK's current £14.94 (free shipping inc.) pretty attractive to me and I've pre-ordered and will snarl gently when the price drop Head Man anticipates occurs. In the past Amazon have had trouble sourcing the Pi releases to their advertised deadline but they do turn up fairly close to it I can never understand Pi's shipping costs, by far the most expensive i've encountered from US. I emailed them about it sometime ago but no reply Oh..... if it's two CDs then that probably explains the price. Right, perhaps I'll pre-order it after all.

Shipped to the UK, it's over $30. Seems a bit steep considering Chuck is shipping his latest releases for $18. Update: I've just seen that Amazon UK are offering it at a pre-release price of about $23. I think I'll wait to see what it goes for after release..it's usually less than the pre-release price.

No, I ordered mine directly from Vocalion (I always do). It's a bit dearer but you always get them much quicker than through other on-line retailers.

Thanks, guys. I've managed to track this down: Dusty Blue & The Connection It's released on the Solar label which I think is one of those Andorran companies. Has anyone heard it and can comment on what the sound is like?

Does anyone know whether this has ever had a CD release?

Just to say that my batch of new releases from Vocalion arrived this morning and that the Joe Harriott "two-fer" is terrific. I've always enjoyed "Movement" but listening to the new stereo remaster makes it seem like a completely new recording. If anyone has ever wondered what made Joe Harriot so special, then listening to this will answer that question. I'd not heard "High Spirits" before but again it's a wonderful recording with tunes from the musical of the same name, arranged by Joe's pianist, Pat Smythe. Again it's very well remastered using the original stereo masters. I wonder whether Vocalion has access to the masters of any other forgotten British treasures?

Is it in Bob Monkhouse's annex?

Oops...I've just checked and see that Amazon are stocking it as well! I'll try not to get too carried away again........

I see that Downtown Music Gallery in New York have CD & LP copies of this "rare-as-hen's-teeth" album. Here's the blurb they sent me: NOAH HOWARD With ARTHUR DOYLE/EARL CROSS/LESLIE WALDRON/NORRIS JONES [sIRONE]/MUHAMMAD ALI/JUM SANTOS - The Black Ark (Bo Weavil 24; UK) CD re-issued by the request of Noah Howard's family and estate. Noah sadly passed away suddenly on the 3rd of September, 2010. Born in New Orleans in 1943, Noah was a key player in the U.S. free jazz scene from the late '60s. He recorded albums for ESP and numerous other labels, including his own Altsax label. Many see 1969's The Black Ark as Noah's defining statement, so it is only fitting that it should be available once again. "It's no understatement that The Black Arc is one of the most sought-after underground free jazz releases of all time. The original Freedom vinyl LP and the brief Japanese CD reissue were criminally out-of-print and impossible to find. Both versions popped up on internet auction sites once in a blue moon but when they did they always fetched insanely astronomical prices This record simply is THE BOMB -- a perfect combination of Noah's soulful compositions and playing, infused with plenty of sweet/sour/in/out forms and shapes from the incredible line-up assembled for this release. Plus we get to experience Arthur Doyle's outrageous debut on a recording session, increasing the playing and feeling to an intense level throughout. And dig the spaced out afro-delay on Juma's percussion (yes, that Juma Santos from Hendrix's killer Woodstock show of the same year, and Coltrane's Olatunji concert disc). All of the players on this record- including Earl Cross trumpet, Leslie Waldron piano, Sirone bass, and Mohammed Ali drums - combine to make it a CLASSIC and its esteemed reputation IS well earned." --Oren Ambarchi CD $17 also available on LP for $24

A digression, I know, but his first album for Vanguard has just been remastered and re-issued by Ace Records...and very nice it is too! It was the first folk album I ever bought, way back in the early 60s.

Didn't Mole start up in the late 70s? (Kings Cross). Mid-70s it was a mail order operation from Ed D. and then a short stint at All Change/Baker Street. Perhaps it was later then. Anyway, it was in their first shop which was right opposite Kings X Station in Pentonville Road, not the one they moved to round the corner in Gray's Inn Road. Last time I was in the area the old shop was still there; empty and looking very forlorn.

Build a bigger room.........

Sounds like me when I tried to learn the alto sax many years ago. My "piece de resistance" was "Three Blind Mice"!

Saw Peter Brotzmann in the (late) Mole Jazz record store in London sometime in the late 60s. He was delivering a box of albums, presumably from his FMR label. After he'd gone I asked to hear "Machine Gun" and bought it. Probably the only time I ever played more than a minute of it.

I think these were probably the first folk albums I ever bought...way back when. Recently reissued by Vanguard.

Thanks, gents. Question answered.

Thanks everyone. So, it does seem that the Mosaic Select has been remastered. The reason I ask is that I have all the original CDs and I wondered whether the Mosaic set sounds better or not. Perhaps that's the question I should have asked. Anyone have any views?