felser

I've never actually heard either of them. Didn't bite back in the limited-income days because of how those in-the-know panned Denardo's drumming on them and because the cut on "Impulse Energy Essentials" had scared me away. I remember now that the liner notes in that album said that the producer (I assume Cuscuna) was going to represent Coleman with two previously unreleased cuts, but that Ornette requested "Trouble in the East" be there instead. BTW, that was a really important album set to me, I believe my initial exposure to Pharoah Sanders, Sonny Rollins, Oliver Nelson, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Cecil Taylor, Marion Brown, Alice Coltrane, Charlie Haden, Michael White, Archie Shepp. maybe even Freddie Hubbard.

What, you mean 'Tommy' didn't coalesce as a coherent story . See, there was this blind kid born sometime before 1921, and he had this bad uncle and this bad stepfather (and mom wasn't so great, either), and he liked pinball (unless he actually hated it), and ,,,, whatever all that other stuff was, and some parts sound sorta like Jesus or something. But "Pinball Wizard" and the other cuts SOUND great. And it's, like, an opera, a rock opera at that, see!

My parents have prepaid with them. They are both still alive, though (87 and 83). We'll see how it works for them eventually.

Standardization of business killed whatever was interesting for me as a collector prior to the internet. You didn't find cutout or used treasures in the Barnes and Noble music department the way you did in the funky little local place the university pulled the lease on to clear the way for Barnes and Noble (UPenn ca. mid-90's). And the internet has gone a long way toward standardizing prices. I sold several Mosaic vinyl sets way too cheap before I got on the internet and found out what they were worth. Still haven't missed a meal or a mortgage payment, so don't need to feel sorry for myself.

I'm in.

PM sent on: Various -- No Thanks! The '70s Punk Rebellion (Rhino) $10 Lou Donaldson -- The Scorpion: Live at the Cadillac Club (Blue Note Rare Groove) $5 Andrew Hill -- Lift Every Voice (Blue Note Japan SHM CD) $7 Bobbi Humphrey -- Blacks and Blues (Blue Note) $5 Bobby Hutcherson -- San Francisco (Blue Note Japan SHM CD) $7 Various -- Cobra Records: Singles Collection (Fuel, 2 discs) $3

Looks to be available for listening out on Youtube.

I've always felt that those recordings tended to be less than the sum of their parts (impressive personnel), and you have now explained well to me what it is I sensed but could not identify or articulate. Thanks.

Love that recording! What an interesting lineup.

Yeah, things like the Jayne Cortez and the Descendents of Mike and Phoebe and M'Boom and some other titles had great, honorable intent, even if content-wise they left me cold. (the Mtume also basically fits that category, though it has some musical redemption). And others, like the Harper and the Scott-Heron and Juju, had incredible intent along with incredible music.

I'm very thankful for the set even though in the past I owned most of these titles on vinyl, and a few on inferior CD's. No, not for everyone. But certainly for me. I find 'In The World' and 'Glass Bead Games' to both be fantastic albums, but for different reasons and different seasons. I have always liked the Pharoah title on this box also, and the Brackeen and Cecil Payne, too. Glad to have the others also. And I don't remember EVER seeing a Strata-East in a cut-out bin. The label was exceedingly quirky at times, especially in its later stages, but this box is a gem. As are the Tolliver Mosaic Selects, the John Hicks title, and 'Reasons in Tonality' (talk about just playing, that one is something). The Piano Choir Handscapes 1. Juju. The incredible Billy Harper 'Capra Black'. Charles Sullivan. Shirley Scott's greatest album. Harold Vick. Gil Scott-Heron's landmark 'Winter in America'. The label was a treasure, horrible misfires (Brother Ah, Muriel Winston, Handscapes 2, Billy C) and all.

Much lower prices at CDJapan ($8.83 vs. $13.99), so go that way if you are ordering multiple titles.

Same here. That being said, certainly that is a more than fair price.

Two batches is correct, the one already out and the one coming in the next two weeks.

It was a wonderful musical time.

You're right about this could have been on Strata-East. In fact, it sort of was, in that the 17 minute "Baba Hengates" is on the Mtume Strata-East album ('Land of the Blacks') in an inferior version, also 17 minutes long. The Mtume album should have been great, given the personnel, but is unbearably sloppy, clearly lacking any meaningful rehearsal. The version on this Terry album is pretty awesome.

I agree it sounds like Dex.

I really like that Jack Wilkins session! Have never heard the Jeffrey (or the Coleman).

I found that Galper's leader dates became painfully "safe" during his era with Woods. Some of the stuff he did with the Breckers in the late 70's breathed fire!

Gotcha. Never heard of the White Elephant Orchestra, but that's quite a lineup! I lived and breathed a lot of those Impulse releases in that period (was able to get a lot of cheap promos/cutouts of Impulse and Mainstream titles), and it stiil speaks to me. The John Klemmer Impulse titles (Don Ellis Connection) etc. Michael White. Norman Connors and Carlos Garnett on Cobblestone/Muse also. And some interesting contemporaneous things over in England and Germany during those years (Embryo with Charlie Mariano for instance). Stanley Clarke's great 'Children of Forever' album. The whole thing went south hard ca. 1975, Guess people saw money to be made by dumbing it down. Not familar with the music on those Charles Williams sides, need to check them out (I guess youtube is my friend) and have not heard the Shelley Manne (props to him for being willing to explore). Have had the others in one form or another at different points through the years. Frank Foster - The Loud Minority is another. Always find it all pretty thrilling, even if they aren't always masterpieces. Appreciate the Quest.

Agreed on Iapetus, and on the music/playing. I remember Dreams (and Compost, for that matter) well, and liked/like them and what they were trying (except for that bizarre second album by Dreams), but was not plugged in to know the fallout from them. Can you (or anyone) expound?

Great listen start to finish. #3 and #5 are right up one of my alleys, and #8 and #10 are right up another of my alleys. I imagine I have #'s 1,8, and 10 on my shelves, and I am sure I know #8, but my brain is in a pretty addled state right now. Looking forward to the reveals, and #8 (and maybe #10) will come to me when I am thinking more clearly. Not sure if #8 is a Bobby Watson comp originally done with the Jazz Messengers?

It was definitely the headphones. On a more serious note, I do agree wit your points - some very "off" sounding recording/mixing on a lot of those albums.

Me too.