mmilovan

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/ptech/05/06/d...t.ap/index.html (AP) -- Dan Koster was unpacking some of his more than 2,000 CDs after a move when he noticed something strange. Some of the discs, which he always took good care of, wouldn't play properly. Koster, a Web and graphic designer for Queens University of Charlotte, North Carolina, took one that was skipping pretty badly and held it up to the light. "I was kind of shocked to see a constellation of pinpricks, little points where the light was coming through the aluminum layer," he says. His collection was suffering from "CD rot," a gradual deterioration of the data-carrying layer. It's not known for sure how common the blight is, but it's just one of a number of reasons that optical discs, including DVDs, may be a lot less long-lived than first thought. "We were all told that CDs were well-nigh indestructible when they were introduced in the mid '80s," Koster says. "Companies used that in part to justify the higher price of CDs as well." He went through his collection and found that 15 percent to 20 percent of the discs, most of which were produced in the '80s, were "rotted" to some extent. The rotting can be due to poor manufacturing, according to Jerry Hartke, who runs Media Sciences Inc., a Marlborough, Massachusetts, laboratory that tests CDs. The aluminum layer that reflects the light of the player's laser is separated from the CD label by a thin layer of lacquer. If the manufacturer applied the lacquer improperly, air can penetrate to oxidize the aluminum, eating it up much like iron rusts in air. But in Hartke's view, it's more common that discs are rendered unreadable by poor handling by the owner. "If people treat these discs rather harshly, or stack them, or allow them to rub against each other, this very fragile protective layer can be disturbed, allowing the atmosphere to interact with that aluminum," he says. Part of the problem is that most people believe that it's the clear underside of the CD that is fragile, when in fact it's the side with the label. Scratches on the underside have to be fairly deep to cause skipping, while scratches on the top can easily penetrate to the aluminum layer. Even the pressure of a pen on the label side can dent the aluminum, rendering the CD unreadable. Koster has taken to copying his CDs on his computer to extend the life of the recordings. Unfortunately, it's not easy to figure out how long those recordable CDs will work. Fred Byers, an information technology specialist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, has looked at writeable CDs on behalf of government agencies, including the Library of Congress, that need to know how long their discs will last. Manufacturers cite lifespans up to 100 years, but without a standardized test, it's very hard to evaluate their claims, Byers says. The worst part is that manufacturers frequently change the materials and manufacturing methods without notifying users. "When you go to a store and buy a DVD-R, and this goes for CD-R as well, you really don't know what you're getting," he says. "If you buy a particular brand of disc, and then get the same disc and brand six months later, it can be very different." This renders the frequently heard advice to buy name-brand discs for maximum longevity fairly moot, he says. DVDs are a bit tougher than CDs in the sense that the data layer (or layers -- some discs have two) is sandwiched in the middle of the disc between two layers of plastic. But this structure causes problems of its own, especially in early DVDs. The glue that holds the layers together can lose its grip, making the disc unreadable at least in parts. Users that bend a DVD to remove it from a hard-gripping case are practically begging for this problem, because flexing the disc puts strain on the glue. Rewriteable CDs and DVDs, as opposed to write-once discs, should not be used for long-term storage because they contain a heat-sensitive layer that decays much faster than the metal layers of other discs. For maximum longevity, discs should be stored vertically and only be handled by the edges. Don't stick labels on them, and in the case of write-once CDs, don't write on them with anything but soft water-based or alcohol-based markers. Also, like wine, discs should be stored in a cool, dry place. Koster's friend Mark Irons, of Corvallis, Ore., stored his CD collection in a cabin heated by a wood-burning stove. The temperature would range between 40 degrees and 70 degrees in the space of a few hours. Now, the data layer of some of his CDs looks as if it's being eaten from the outside. Irons is still pretty happy with CD technology, since it beats vinyl LPs and tape for longevity. Now that he's moved his discs to an apartment with a more stable temperature, he's noticed that the decay has slowed. "I'm hoping they'll hold out till that next medium gets popular, and everyone gets to buy everything over again," he says.

Great Volkher, as always. I've just sent you email. Oh, people, I am all with you. Milan BTW, I am in hope that John Litwack will also join in, Flurin (king ubu) as well as few other Basie fans!

Two things come to my mind: 1) Website 2) (web based) Discography/sessionography

Full article: "Footpatting with Count Basie by Mike Zwerin International Herald Tribune, May 5, 2004 PARIS -- This year is the double anniversary of Count Basie's birth -- Aug. 21, 1904 -- and death -- April 26, 1984. Although there are concerts dedicated to the memories of Fats Waller (also his 100th birthday), Edith Piaf and Glenn Miller, the list of more than 100 important summer jazz festivals in Europe and the United States in Down Beat magazine does not include one major testimonial to Basie. Record companies have not announced any memorial boxed-set reissues, and when asked about special recording plans, Bill Hughes, the leader of the Count Basie Orchestra, which will appear at the Lionel Hampton Room of the Miridien Etoile in Paris from May 10 to 12 and is touring Southeast Asia later in the year, said: "We may have a recording date in Malaysia." Such peripheral appreciation belies the importance of the big band to the history of 20th-century music, as well as Basie's founding-father role. There is as much musical and cultural relevance on a Count Basie recording, such as the 1958 "Chairman of the Board" (Roulette), as on a recording of a Beethoven symphony. Not more, not instead of -- as much. The big jazz band was a 20th-century outgrowth of the symphony orchestra made possible to a large degree by Adolphe Sax's invention of the saxophone family -- instruments that were easier to learn, cheaper to buy and projected further than clarinets, oboes and flutes. Many black instrumentalists did not read music in the early 20th century. The first black big bands were a collection of musicians inventing riffs, putting them together and remembering them. Their lack of reading helped them to hear better. Swing, the creation of a groove, the African contribution, came first. Basie called it "footpatting." White musicians could read but they couldn't swing. Black musicians could swing but they played out of tune (an element that would come to be called funk). Such discriminations were certainly oversimplifications, but they were not totally inaccurate in the early days. With more education and the gradual integration of the bands of Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, Artie Shaw, Charlie Barnet and Basie himself, it became harder to tell the difference. Duke Ellington was a case apart. He cast his musicians to play themselves rather than their instruments. His orchestra was his instrument. In addition, he was a composer and Basie wasn't and the dapper Duke looked sexier than the pudgy Count. Either way, Ellington seems to be better wearing the test of time. But Basie's band stood above the other so-called "riff bands" of the 1930s thanks to his minimal piano and to his principal soloist, Lester Young, the "Mozart of the tenor saxophone." "Taxi War Dance," for example, starts with Young's floating, lyrical, still undated improvisation, and then there are riffs and more solos and more riffs and Young takes it out. There's no "tune." It was as much Young's band as Basie's. After Young left in the 1940s, he could afford only smaller groups and he was fading away until the 1950s, when he formed a subtle and soulful wind machine that put to rest the myth that it was not possible to play in tune and swing at the same time; as well as the myth that black bands could not play pianissimo. And for that matter, the myth that pianissimo was not commercial. Basie's guitarist Freddie Green, who knew only how to play pianissimo, was leading the Basie band from the middle. Although he never soloed, he was the power behind the throne of a bandleader known as "the little man who isn't there." Although it was the foundation, the listener felt his rhythm guitar but did not really hear it. You were not supposed to hear it. He would leave out half the notes of the chord to keep you from hearing it. It could sound as if there were two cellos walking with the bass. A delicate footpat. Once, after Green told a new drummer to play something one way and Basie told him another, the drummer asked which of them was actually the leader. Without hesitation, Basie pointed to Green. It was also, to a large degree, the band of arrangers such as Ernie Wilkins, Thad Jones and Frank Foster, who knew how to use dynamics with sophistication. Neil Hefti's laid-back "Li'l Darlin'" was a commercial hit; as was the shouting "April in Paris." The album "Frank Sinatra at the Sands" (Reprise) accompanied by Basie playing Quincy Jones's arrangements in Las Vegas in 1966 was a marriage of people born to make music together and is a classic. In a club, Basie would start a set with that minimal medium-tempo strum he was famous for while the audience went on talking and clanking their glasses, barely aware that the music had begun. Until a sudden fortissimo tutti chord in their faces blew their ears back. Then the audience would laugh and, after an instant drop back to pianissimo, applaud. A pianissimo being applauded is a miracle that deserves to be recalled."

"PARIS -- This year is the double anniversary of Count Basie's birth -- Aug. 21, 1904 -- and death -- April 26, 1984. Although there are concerts dedicated to the memories of Fats Waller (also his 100th birthday), Edith Piaf and Glenn Miller, the list of more than 100 important summer jazz festivals in Europe and the United States in Down Beat magazine does not include one major testimonial to Basie. This is incorrect. The Ascona Traditional Jazz Festival in Ascona, Switzerland is honoring the centenaries of Basie, Fats Waller, and Coleman Hawkins from June 25 to July 4." And, of course, Columbia already did everything for this occasion, right? Sad... Shame... Pity...

Anyone gathered this sort of information - where e-books about jazz (free or charged) can be found? Did someone download them and read them? How does it like?

I enjoyed set immediately, and could only agree with those members who said they like it 100%. Once you hear it, strange thing going on - growing wish to hear it again and again. Somebody might call this "dinner music", but it is unfair: playing such things and runs with so much ease on keyboard is technically hard, and Wilson's wise way of phrasing, non-usage of any kind of formulas (so opposite to Oscar Peterson), makes his music fresh as today as in days it was first recorded. Read Yanow review and don't know why such criticism as his is reserved only for pre-bop performers. Hate it, really. To be honest, taking music in small doses one can apply such thoughts to all trio formats (to Bill Evans, for example). We can only hope things will change in future. Jazz music and its history is much deeper then one can ever imagine. BTW, for those who don't like boring piano trios - never forget who liked Teddy Wilson the most (one well known pianist named Thelonious Monk, and one trumpet player named Miles Davis - Wilson often played piano during intermission between Miles sets)...

PM sent today...

I thought their policy is to issue only master takes from original metal parts

Not so long ago I saw somewhere on this board discussion about 60 or so LPs Mosaic issued long ago in 3 phases. So, my question is: was that set ever be available as CD format? If not, can we expect it in near future, or it is burried in grave forever? ANd another question for person who owns it in LP form: what are they, what period does these sets covers and of course, how does music sounds (probably great, I hope)?

Oh Agustin, this sounds like a real winner: "Lester & Hawk Jam Sessions Plus 1945/6 Hollywood Murray McEachern, leader, directing: Bobby Hackett, Manny Klein, Emmett Berry, Frank Riley (tpt), Vic Dickenson, Ray Conniff, Henry Coker (tbn), Corky Corcoran, "Babe" Russin (ts), Willie Smith, Lem Davis (as), Jack Martin (bs), Leo "Scat" Watson (p & vo), Slim Gaillard (g), "Bam" Brown (B), Nick Glicco (dr). Slim Gaillard introduces the soloists. 1. SONNY BOY (Jolson-DeSylvia-Brown-Henderson) 10:09 As above, Peggy Lee (vo) added. 2. YOU WAS RIGHT, BABY (Peggy Lee) 2:55 Bobby Hackett (tp), Willie Smith (as), probably same rhythm as before . 3. SEPTEMBER IN THE RAIN (Warren) 3:11 Buck Clayton (tp), Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins (ts), Kenny Kersey Irving Ashby (g), Bill Hadnott (B), "Shadow" Wilson (dr). 4. I GOT RHYTHM (George Gershwin) 9:32 Lester Young (ts), probably same rhythm as before. 5. D.B. BLUES (Lester Young) 4:36 Coleman Hawkins (ts), probably same rhythm as before. 6. BODY AND SOUL (Green-Sour-Heyman) 4:36 Same personnel as for "I Got Rhythm". 7. OH, LADY BE GOOD (George Gershwin) 4:56 Buck Clayton (tp), Probably Kenny Kersey (p), Bill Hadnott (B), "Shadow" Wilson (dr). 8. MY OLD FLAME (Coslow-Johnston) 4:38 Helen Humes (vo) acc. by above listed group. 9. DON'T BLAME ME (Fields-McHugh) 4:09 10. UNLUCKY WOMAN (Helen Humes) 3:29 Buck Clayton (tp), Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins (ts), Kenny Kersey (p), Irving Ashby (g), Bill Hadnott (B), "Shadow" Wilson (dr). 11. SWEET GEORGIA BROWN (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey) 9:07 Jubilee Show No. 186: Hollywood, March or April, 1946 Willie Smith, Benny Carter, Charlie Parker (as), Nat "King" Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (B), Buddy Rich (dr). 12. Tea For Two (Vincent Youmans) 2:50 13. Body And Soul (Green -Sour-Heyman) 2:43 14. Cherokee (Ray Noble) 2:57 Jubilee Show No. 192: Hollywood, April, 1946 Buck Clayton (tp), Probably Kenny Kersey (p), Bill Hadnott (B), "Shadow" Wilson (dr). 8. MY OLD FLAME (Coslow-Johnston) 4:38 Helen Humes (vo) acc. by above listed group. 9. DON'T BLAME ME (Fields-McHugh) 4:09 10. UNLUCKY WOMAN (Helen Humes) 3:29 Buck Clayton (tp), Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins (ts), Kenny Kersey (p), Irving Ashby (g), Bill Hadnott (B), "Shadow" Wilson (dr). 11. SWEET GEORGIA BROWN (Bernie-Pinkard-Casey) 9:07 Jubilee Show No. 186: Hollywood, March or April, 1946 Willie Smith, Benny Carter, Charlie Parker (as), Nat "King" Cole (p), Oscar Moore (g), Johnny Miller (B), Buddy Rich (dr). 12. Tea For Two (Vincent Youmans) 2:50 13. Body And Soul (Green-Sour-Heyman) 2:43 14. Cherokee (Ray Noble) 2:57 Amazing cd with excellent sound (remastered by J R T Davies) The Jam Sessions 1945-46 A Jumpin' Jubilee on Jazz Unlimited JUCD 2054 (Storyville)"

Up - great thread idea!

Well, inspiration for this thread was reading to sad news about last jazz musicians recorded in 20s, 30s, 40s... I always wonder if some of famous places remain intact as they were in those famous days. I mean, clubs, record studios, ballroom halls and etc. So, how many famous places left until nowadays? Is there any? (I saw some film about KC, and there, on that film was shown place where famous club (it can be Reno or something like that) existed - now it is police station ) Is there any enlighten investigation in this field.

Goodbye to all of you nice people. You will last forever in our world.

Hey John, and what about Earle Warren? I think I saw him in Ken Burns film, but I am not sure.

Was he the last survivor from Old Testament Basie band?

Sad, sad news! He was the last to know the magic itself! People, don't ever forget he was before Freddie Greene in All American Rhythm Section!!! Greene came around March 1937., and if you listen carefully to earliest Decca sessions maybe you can hear Williams strumming those chords with Big Un, Papa Jo and Holy Man. (Basie band at first Decca session was: Buck Clayton, Joe Keyes, Carl Smith, Trumpets: George Hunt, Dan Minor, trombones; Lester Young, Herschel Evans, clarinets and tenor saxes; Caughey Roberts, alto sax; Jack Washington, alto and baritone saxes; Count Basie, piano; Claude Williams, guitar; Walter Page, bass; Jo Jones, drums. Jimmy Rushing, vocal. January 21, 1937 On second Decca session there were: Ed Lewis, Bobby Moore, trumpets, replace Keyes, Smith. Freddie Green, guitar, replaces Williams; others the same. March 26, 1937) Is it Williams in series of famous Chatterbox early 1937. broadcast doing solo role on his violin? If so, you can hear priceless attempts to play fiddle with Kansas City rhythm. And quote from Albert Murray's "Good Morning Blues" - The Autobiography of Count Basie (p 176.): "Jo Jones and I also took a little trip to Chicago in that car. Another personal matter came up, and things got a little complicated for me, and I thought the best thing for me to do was cool out of there for a while. So Jo said, "Hell, let's go to Chicago." And we just got in the car and took a little drive up there for a few days and took in some shows. We went to the Grand Terrace and caught Fletcher Henderson, and when Fletcher asked me if I wanted to sit in for a few numbers, Jo told him we would just wait our turn with our own band. We also took in a few other spots. That's how we found Claude Williams. He was playing guitar and violin in one of those places, and I decided that we could use him in the band if things worked out and we came into the Grand Terrace. I couldn't hire him then because the band was still waiting for the word from MCA." Of course it was during those Reno KC days.

Not yet everything, but masters are so fine, also! Among other facts there is so much sincere in this set. Frankly, I expected to get bored after so many blues numbers in array, one after another, but... no way. They all seems so interesting you'll never get a chance to think about being based on same harmonic or esthetic (if you wish) formula. And, of course - Clayton. Although I don't like Helen Humes so much (well, I like her, but color of hers voice is something that I can not connect with persona - the same goes for Mildred Bailey) she melted with the rest of the band so well, here. I can recommend this set to every history/music lover. These are the roots of everything happened later (good and bad).

Yesss, so much "problems with wifes" and mine is the same. In time passed by, collection of mine climbed to around 1000 pieces. CDs were everywhere in the house, so it was quick ultimatum: either I will make some good tower for organizing collection, or - as she "promised" - she will throw them all away, right through window And what else can I do - I made "wall" of CDs. But, I know for a sad story about jazz record collector (it was during vinyl days) in Belgrade. He had so much pieces, and he didn't do anything than listening to music all day. So, his wife really throw all the records out and him too!

This set is awesome! It has some of very coherent music of the day and just perfect boogie-woogie piano works by Albert Ammons. Rhythm is so strong on some numbers you wouldn't' believe it's jazz rhythm section at all - still it cooks perfectly well for my taste. And Gene Ammons is so beautiful by doing his understanding of Pres, playing alongside his father. Touching moments, really!

I've noticed the same with Django box. Attacs of tones have some sharp edges. It looks as it is not modern mastering, but grainy mastering of 1980's. Really don't know what they did with that one, if they had original metal parts and sophisticated equipment. I am pretty sure it is not how good transfers from 78s sound.

Well, people, although I am not big Coltrane fan (anyway, have much of his CDs) I think (as jazzbo pointed out) that Trane's late period from 1965. till the end was something very, very special. I would say I like THAT Trane the most. Think he was the most powerful than in any other earlier particular point in his career. You may, or you may not accept that type/kind of free emotions that come through his instruments, but, yes it was all there! On acid (or not), knowing he is slowly dying (or not) - simply "Stellar Regions", "Olatunji Concert", and bunch of few others probably are high-end or the most interesting Trane's albums. IMO, of course!

Did someone of you, great people, found Merrill with Wilson in any form?

Nah, people - these verses that looks so laughable must be taken with few grains of salt.

I can only think this is great thing, but don't know how much it costs: http://www.mayah.com/index.php?id=19 I am also in seeking such device for recording live, but all I've read about Minidiscs did not sounded so well.