mmilovan

As turntable, there are very few of them that will beat Technics SL 1200 as sound source, and in lower price range.

Yes, part of the (unsuccesfull) story probably goes to the fact there are no easily obtainable SACD DSD Workstations around, nor easily SACD authoring software. Again, remember Sony Minidisc, Betamax and other formats that are only "shadows of the past"...? But, I can only think about DVDAudio as another format soon to become obsolete and known to very few of audiophile oriented people.

I 100% agree with these words. I only put "jazz" in front of her name, because I've noticed constant changes when she deals the melody of a song, and it is real amazing experience!

@ Big Band Steve, Hmmm, not really confusing things, but rather trying to listen to the music, carefully... and to be open to various jazz and crossover jazz-to-pop categories! You know, I've heard a lot of same things about Jo Stafford. Then, I listened to her in various interpretations she recorded for Capitol label. And all I can really tell is that we are dealing with one of the most perfect, clean, rhythmically unmistakable and real jazz singer - finest of them all - to put it shortly (and that is just right the same what Billie Holiday said about her). If you're lucky enough to get some of her records - you will hear how flexible is her approach in changing the melody, just similar if not equal as to that of (above mentioned) Billie Holiday. And some of tunes she and Weston did as "vocalize" can, without any further thinking, clearly be put to swing-to-bop genre. Of course, this is not to prove Paul Weston was the finest of jazz big band arrangers during 1940-50 period, but just to emphasize he and his wife Jo are worth listening to. And, what is most important, these are the words from former very hard-core oriented jazz fan. I dislike even Bird with strings earlier (for me, it wasn't jazz music then), but, my taste changed a bit during last ten years or so.

Too bad, then, these were buried in that orchestrated Paul Weston et al. crap. Sorry, and I realize might get stoned for saying this on big band forums but it still baffles me how diehard jazz fans (that I assume to be around here) can get so excited about this dreary, unswinging pop orchestra fare. Having listened to quite a few of those Mercer 78s in recent times (as mentioned elsewhere, they were included in a batch bought from an estate), I find that even by the standards of the somewhat more commercial SWING (as opposed to sweet) big bands this music is just nowhere swing and jazz-wise. You really have to make a LOT of concessions style-wise to file them under "jazzy" or "jazzed-up" music. Hey, there even are Jan Garber records out there that can outswing this Mercer/Weston stuff! Ever hear Weston small band arrangements (with Nat King Cole for Capitol), or even his version of "Gentlemen Is a Dope" he did for Jo Stafford? They swing like mad! The same you can apply for TD and his band - one of the best around 1941-45 period.

Here is the very same record with sound restoration and NR added... http://www.sendspace.com/file/s4zuu5

Once, Jim asked for original version of "Gentleman Is a Dope"... So, here it is: http://www.sendspace.com/file/7bpts8 (sound quality is not my fault - it's worn to death record, transfered by someone). Another thing. During last few days I've listened to Capitol and Columbia records where Jo sung (usually) two choruses (those were sides with Paul Weston). I've discovered that it is true we can call Jo jazz singer... If you listen carefully you will notice structural alterations of the melody in second chorus, things that Billie Holiday always did. For example, I listened to original "The Gentlemen Is a Dope", "I'll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time", as well as material from around 1944. Ever noticed that?

Definitely hard task to recognize. On some variations of "Topsy" it sounds like Monk, while on another occasion I believe it is Kersey. Kersey was hell of a pianist, anyway. Not standard bop by any means.

It is the same thing for Monk, as for Bud Powell, Lester Young... I can hear no sign of deterioration of Bud, Pres... sure, they were ruined by the consequences of their attitude and theirs habbits, but...

Speaking of Decca records, this one is also awesome by sound quality, and the music is good (OK, not so great, as you might expect from Louis): http://www.amazon.com/Satchmo-Serenades-Lo...g/dp/B00004UAQQ Unbeliavable!

Speaking of such great and extensive discography I forgot to mention that Proper set gathered even earlier dates, such as Parlophone sides from early 1940s. These recordings are especially valuable, and they shows all influences to great artist, especially those from Teddy Wilson and Art Tatum.

Never heard MGM LPs, so I can't make comaprison (if you have suspicious pitched track you can send it to me just to hear). I can only guess that Proper material was lifted from some LP... The best sounded 1949-55 recordings are on single CD called Verve Jazz Masters compilation, dedicated to artist. They probably found original acetates/master tapes, God knows what.

I LOVE this piece. I have it as a 2-parter on an MGM album, "An Evening With." Unfortunately, on my copy, there are pitch issues on side 1. I think it was mastered at a slightly slower speed (based on the low notes the vibes play and the flabby drum sounds). Is this track on CD anywhere? I have it on Proper CD set. Once digitized, pitch corrections of such files are piece of cake.

Today, I went to my daily portion of listenting to "Shearing Sound", and I found one tune that really like the more I listened to. It's "In a Chinese Garden", piece played straight with not so improvisation parts. And, what's most important, the more I listen to him the more I like everything he did. I dig that stuff with strings, too.

R.I.P. Nellie. It was your voice on "The Lady is in Love with You" I discovered few years ago on some obscure compliation, and it was magic. You've get me forever!

Attached here is cover of my favourite one: recordings from 1950-53. made for Decca, reissued on "Tommy Dorsey & Artie Shaw", Swingsation, 059 953-2 GRD-9953, 1999. GRP Records. After the first initial listening I was, to put it short, scared to death. Now, that's the way big band should sound!!!

If choice is only one take and one particular solo (instead of making decision above so many albums Sonny recorded) I will recommend: "To Think You've Chosen Me" - Oct. 8, 1950. Nice Junior Mance at the piano and unforgettable Sonny Stitt...

Benny Goodman, he is one of the "reasons" I started listening to jazz...

Especially, I like to listen to All Star sides and live concerts he made around 1947. with Teagarden, Big Sid Catlett and Earl Hines. Among greatest recordings he ever made.

In some interview Hampton noticed that bop was nothing new to him - he was capable of hearing complex harmonies and to play alongside as early as with Goodman quartet. Now that is quite interesting situation in that BG small band: Hampton and Wilson as sophisticated musicans somewhere in proto-bop stage - and Goodman and Krupa (with greatest respect to them, of course) as voices of music played before swing was The King.

Another vote for foobar2000. Small, reliable, fast and free software.

The same with me - I'm delighted from first moment I saw it till now on (and believe me, I watched clip SO many times). Besides clever bopish inspired arrangement (Paul Weston???) it is Jo Stafford who really "rocks" - she was the among them best! I can clearly understand what Pres meant when he said Jo was his favourite singer: Chris Albertson: …Jo Stafford? Young: There you are! Yeah, I’ll go there. Chris: Jo Stafford is your favorite singer? Young: Yeah. And Lady Day. And I’m through. Chris: But Jo Stafford doesn’t sing jazz, does she? Young: No, but I hear her voice and the sound and the way she puts her songs on. Pres oppinion was not "prepared" for that particular interview, he admitted the same thing years earlier when "remarked that if ever formed his own big band, the "boy" singer he’d want would be Frank Sinatra, and for the "girl," he’d try and secure Frankie’s old Tommy Dorsey band-mate, Jo Stafford." The above mentioned blog describes with few words what really is so great about Jo: The paradox of Jo Stafford’s vocal style is that her essentially “cool school” method -- which she developed long before the term came into use – manages to generate terrific heat. Her duets with fellow Columbia Records artist Frankie Laine could easily be described as hot! In characterizing her approach as cool, I refer to her phrasing (particularly in a jazz setting), to her minimal use of vibrato, and to her extremely admirable refusal to be what I call a “lyric wringer.” She gave her audience credit for having sufficient intelligence to follow a song’s narrative without having to be clobbered by bathos. She is a lyric interpreter of tremendous subtlety and nuance, whose warm tone lends shading to the material. The only obviousness in a Stafford performance is the singer’s ability and her joy in the music. Another felicity to be found in Jo’s manner of addressing lyrics is her close attention to her material’s dialectal identity; she clearly knew when to apply her flawless diction and equally when to drop her g’s. It is interesting to emphasize that Jo was inspiration to Helen Merrill, if I remember correctly.

About identification of the band supporting Jo Stafford. This link: http://2.upload.dailymotion.com/tag/big/vi...eman-is-a-dope1 says it's Jo with her husband Paul Weston, and that clip is from 1947. Well, I'm not sure about that. It is not from 1947, I'm almost certain. There is another data here: http://relativeesoterica.blogspot.com/2006...4852449230.html This Stafford performance of a tune that was clearly one of the singer’s favorites, “The Gentleman is a Dope,” comes from a 3/8/60 telecast, The Swingin’ Singin’ Years. So this could be the guide...

marcel, unfortunately, nothing I find until now, will search more extensively... (not to mention that once on BB of the photo "Great Day in Harlem" (it is closed now), Lester Young granddaughter told she have some Newport tapes with LY singing... Gee )