king ubu

I just heard Escoudé the first time a couple of days ago, listening to him on René Urtreger's fine album "Masters" (Carlyne, Universal France reissue). He's indeed good! I played all those four Carlyne Urtreger discs for the first time, and on the first one (Masters is the latest), there's another fine guitarist by the name of Marc Fosset. I don't know anything about him, but I'm quite sure it would be interesting to hear more of him, too! Someone else: René Thomas - for instance his RCA album with the Bobby Jaspar/René Thomas band (there's a Mole Jazz disc, too, but that one's hard to find I guess... maybe easier for you Bev, in England?). And of course his great OJC with JR Monterose. He's got two Jazz in Paris discs as well, but I like the two with Jaspar and the OJC better. The Raney Visists Paris are two discs, btw. One is in quartet with Sonny Clark, the other in changing settings with Jaspar and Roger Guérin making the band (with Maurice Vander at the piano) a quintet and sextet for some tunes. Those were on two of those black Original Vogue Masters digipacks from the late 90s. The first album with Clark has been on at least two Fresh Sound reissues as well, with that yellow cover. It's the better of the two, and I think nowadays the easier one to find (though of the two black ones I kept seing Vol. 2 for years in sales bins).

not an important guy by any account, but his Jazz in Paris 2CD release is very good: Sacha Distel Jimmy Gourley - he pops up on some Jazz in Paris releases, notably the good one by Eddy Louiss. His Elabeth CD "Double Take" with Barney Wilen is great. From Raney, another nice one comes to mind, a recent "Decca Original": Jimmy Raney & Bob Brookmeyer Billy Bauer's "Plectrist" is fascinating, another vote for it! Herb Ellis has some nice albums as well... there's a "Verve Original" of his as well that is quite good (with Mariano and Holman I think) Of course there's Barney Kessel, then... haven't heard a bad note from him... I only have two of his Contemporary releases so far, but I'll have to get more eventually. Then someone else: Ray Crawford. Can't give any good recommendations, but he makes me sit up and listen almost every time he's on an album I listen to (sidemen things only).

Just played the whole Blue Notes box in one go - most of the music I've heard for the very first time. Wow - quite a ride! Some thoughts: Legacy - Live in South Afrika 1964: similar to the early studio material on that Proper disc, yet looser and more exuberant (a good thing in my book, at least in the case of the Blue Notes... might be different if applied to, say, Oscar Peterson...). Great to have some more material with the great tenor of Nick Moyake! He shines on his ballad feature, "I Cover the Waterfront". "B My Dear" is another favourite of mine (studio takes of both I think are on the Proper disc). Blue Notes for Mongezi: The highlight in my ears! You'll need two and a half hours of time to play this (which is what kept me from touching this box so long... I had played disc 1 before, but when it came to this 2CD set, I never found the time...). It's organized in four tracks, roughly 40 minutes each. The music is all encompassing - from free and loud and noisy to those great typical cape grooves and passages with chanting etc. Very intense, play it loud! Blue Notes in Concert: similar fair... more tracks but most of them flow together seemlessly. "Funky Boots" is used several times to segue into another track. Lots of fun here! Can't single out any specific titles, will have to play this one again soon! And to end, Blue Notes for Johnny: this is just the trio of McGregor (p), Dudu (as/ss) and Moholo (d). Pukwana is ripe here. More centred it seems, less urged to stretch and step over borders. His soprano on "Ntyilo Ntyilo" is haunting! The music is more bare-bones, yet I never missed the presence of a bass player, McGregor and Moholo are enough of a rhythm team. The music in this box will bring me many more hours of listening pleasure, I'm sure! Highly recommended!

No clue... they also introduced the "Verve Masters" here, which where a bit sturdier/glossier digipacks (one fold-out part more, like those Frech Universal Heritage/Anniversary digipacks). Those contained titles that were earlier released in the LPR series, but also a bunch of Coltrane albums (which subsequently became "Originals" as well, I think? Sort of like the Nina Simone series, Originals yet not part of the on-going reissue series...) Also, thinking of it, I think the reissue I have of Shirley Horn's "Here's to Life" is also labelled "Original" (same digipack with the originals logo on the inside spine behind the clear tray). Weird! I guess it took them a couple of years to figure out how to continue with their reissue activities once they stopped the LPRs (and VMEs... the Verve By Request and Verve Elite Editions were stopped around 2000 already, I think).

the european "jewel case originals" had clear jewel cases and where the coloured strip is on the digipacks, on the inner part of the traycards, it read "[verve/decca/whatever] originals" as well.

The Simones are in the same jewel case "Originals" design over here, but they seem to have been a separate "batch" rather than being part of the series.

You'll enjoy this one, EKE!

The first time I saw it I had no expectations. And I admit to liking it more for style than substance. One of my favorite parts are those mid-60's opening credits! Well, I had quite some expectations of course... it was on the big screen as part of a larger Newman series, and before catching "Harper" I'd seen films like "Sweet Bird of Youth", "Exodus" (dubious film but great Newman performance), as well as some good later filmes including "Mackendrick Man" and that hilarious "Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean"... and being a big fan of early Lauren Bacall films and noirs in general, I found "Harper" lacking in many respects, including screenplay/dialogues, construction of the plot, and also, I regret to say, general style.

Added the guitars batch (there was also an Eddie Fisher disc in that batch it seems), plus that Jimmy Smith. Is there anything else that's missing between the LPRs and the Originals? Please help if you can!

nope... but still quite... fatale as for "Harper", I found that one quite a letdown - expected far more from it!

No, I think you covered it all. I never knew that the VO was the successor to the LPR, but I can see how that would be assumed. I believe there were some titles that were issued between the LPRs and the VOs that, although they weren't classified as any kind of "series," seem to be a link between the two. There were three that were released in January 2006: Herb Ellis' Ellis in Wonderland, Howard Roberts' Good Pickin's, and Jimmy Raney featuring Bob Brookmeyer. I only have the Ellis, and I'll look on the jewel case when I get home to see if it mentions any kind of "series" on it. I have the Ellis and the Raney... those are indeed "Originals" (of the jewel case variant - identical packing as the Ayler/Barbieri/Nelson etc batch) over here in Europe. So there are still some things missing... and of course many I'd like to have are still missing from my collection!

Why get angry if you don't get a product that's illegal in the US?

funny looking wolf here:

The dangerous thing about those earphones isn't that they're going directly into the auditory canals, but that people seem to listen at a higher volume with those. As far as I know, damage-wise it doesn't matter if you use earphones or headphones, it's only a question of listening too loudly.

I missed this thread - great to see this album reissued! Will look for it! How about "Nirvana", the album linked to on that Reece page (link goes to CDbaby which sells it)? Anyone heard it? Impressions?

Would you care to give some more information about this set? Is it all sideman material, or does it also contain some early sessions under his own name? Big bands or/and small groups etc.?

Caught Robert Benton's "Twilight" recently. Very good film, old-fashioned, well-crafted... just what I like about the rare good Hollywood flick. Of course there were plenty of elderly women in the audience that night... Sarandon, Hackman and Newman... (and James Garner) - what more could you possibly want?

read some Kurt Vonnegut for the first time - Cat's Cradle, now finishing up Slaughterhouse 5. Very good reading! Cat's Cradle was hilarious, has been some time since I read a book that amused me as much!

In my understanding, this current Originals series is a successor to the LPR series (same no bonus tracks policy at least). I just looked for an older thread listing the LPRs. Now my question is: is there something missing from the following list? Something between LPRs and Originals (or in Europe: between jewel case Originals and digipack Originals)? ***** VERVE LPR SERIES ***** Available Until May 2005 Count Basie: King Of Swing Willie Bobo: A New Dimension Dave Brubeck & Paul Desmond: 1975: The Duets Rosemary Clooney: Swing Around Rosie Alice Coltrane: Universal Consciousness Ella Fitzgerald: Whisper Not Stan Getz: Stan Getz And The Cool Sounds Astrud Gilberto: The Shadow Of Your Smile Dizzy Gillespie: Afro Woody Herman: Woody Herman 1963 Stan Kenton: The Formative Years Carmen McRae: Birds Of A Feather Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66: Equinox Wes Montgomery: Willow Weep For Me Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band: At The Village Vanguard Anita O'Day: Incomparable! Oscar Peterson: Soul Español Mel Tormé: Olé Tormé Sarah Vaughan: It´s A Man's World Margaret Whiting: Margaret Whiting Sings The Jerome Kern Songbook Available Until September 2005 Ernestine Anderson: My Kinda Swing Buddy De Franco: Mr. Clarinet Slim Gaillard: Slim Gaillard Rides Again Terry Gibbs: Plays Jewish Melodies In Jazztime Gigi Gryce-Donald Byrd Jazz Laboratory & The Cecil Taylor Quartet: At Newport The Jazztet: The Jazztet At The Birdhouse Sam Rivers: Crystals Lalo Schifrin: Piano, Strings And Bossa Nova Sister Rosetta Tharpe: Gospel Train Cal Tjader: Soul Bird: Whiffenproof Available Until March 2006 Dorothy Ashby: Afro-Harping Albert Ayler: Music Is The Healing Force of the Universe Ray Brown: Jazz Cello Buddie Emmons: Steel Guitar Jazz Jim Hall: Live! Earl Hines: Once Upon A Time Steve Kuhn & Gary McFarland: The October Suite Pee Wee Russell: Ask Me Now! Archie Shepp: Attica Blues Gabor Szabo: High Contrast Available Until June 2006 Cannonball Adderley: Julian "Cannonball" Adderley Stan Getz: Reflections Jimmy Giuffre: The Easy Way John Klemmer: Involvement Lee Konitz: Motion Billy Mitchell: This Is Billy Mitchell Gerry Mulligan/Johnny Hodges: Gerry Mulligan Meets Johnny Hodges Sonny Stitt: New York Jazz Phil Woods And His European Rhythm Machine: At The Montreux Jazz Festival Available Until September 2006 Brook Benton: Songs I Love To Sing Kenny Burrell: Have Yourself A Soulful Little Christmas Blossom Dearie: My Gentleman Friend Frank D'Rone: After The Ball Ella Fitzgerald: Sings Sweet Songs For Swingers Al Grey: Snap Your Fingers JJ Johnson: JJ's Broadway Hugh Masekela: grrr Buddy Rich & Harry “Sweets” Edison: Buddy And Sweets Jack Teagarden: Mis'ry And The Blues Mel Tormé: Tormé Available Until March 2007 (IN EUROPE: SWITCH TO DIGIPACK WITH THIS BATCH) Mel Brown: Chicken Fat Gloria Coleman: Soul Sisters John Frigo: I Love John Frigo...He Swings Roger Kellaway: Cello Quartet Yusef Lateef: The Golden Flute Lyle Ritz: How About Uke? Tony Scott: Tony Scott Archie Shepp: The Cry Of My People Stuff Smith: Cat On A Hot Fiddle Clark Terry/Chico O'Farrill: Spanish Rice Available Until June 2007 Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers: ‘S Make It Candido Camero: Candido Johnny Griffin: J G Illinois Jacquet: Desert Winds Roland Kirk: Kirk In Copenhagen Machito: Vacation At The Concord James Moody: James Moody Dave Pike: Manhattan Latin Patato & Totico: Patato & Totico Sonny Stitt: Personal Appearance Available Until September 2007 Lorez Alexandria: Alexandria The Great Freddy Cole: Waiter, Ask The Man To Play The Blues Blossom Dearie: Soubrette Sings Broadway Hit Songs Bill Evans: California, Here I Come Ella Fitzgerald: Hello Love Ahmad Jamal: Chamber Music Of The New Jazz Ramsey Lewis: Another Voyage Sergio Mendes & Brasil ’66: The Fool On The Hill Oscar Peterson: A Jazz Portrait Of Frank Sinatra Jimmy Smith: The Boss Available Until March 2008 Al Cohn: Al Cohn Quintet Featuring Bob Brookmeyer Xavier Cugat: Cugi's Cocktails Harry Edison: Sweets Dizzy Gillespie: Sittin' In Gene Krupa: Plays Gerry Mulligan Arrangements Joe Newman Quintet: At Count Basie's Buddy Rich: Blues Caravan Max Roach: Jazz In 3/4 Time Available Until July 2008 Ernie Andrews: This is Ernie Andrews Ella Fitzgerald: Hello, Dolly! Milton Nascimento: Courage Marlena Shaw: The Spice of Life Jimmy Smith: Stay Loose Sarah Vaughan: After Hours at the London House Dinah Washington: I Wanna Be Loved Jimmy Witherspoon & Brother Jack McDuff: The Blues is Now Available Until September 2008 (IN EUROPE: VERVE ORIGINALS, SWITCH TO JEWEL CASE) Albert Ayler: New Grass Gato Barbieri: Chapter Four: Alive in New York Yusef Lateef: Psychicemotus Oliver Nelson: Live From Los Angeles Freda Payne: After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!! Pharaoh Sanders: Elevation Gabor Szabo: Spellbinder Michael White: The Land of Spirit and Light IN BETWEEN (IN EUROPE: ORIGINALS IN JEWEL CASES) January 2006 Herb Ellis: Ellis in Wonderland Eddie Fisher: Eddie Fisher and The Next One Jimmy Raney featuring Bob Brookmeyer Howard Roberts: Good Pickin's Jimmy Smith - Bluesmith (never saw/read about this one...) what else? there seems to be a gap here - all help appreciated! ***** VERVE ORIGINALS (DIGIPACKS) ***** September 18, 2007 Billie Holiday - Lady Sings the Blues Ella Fitzgerald - Ella in Hamburg Ella Fitzgerald - Live at Mister Kelly's Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Porgy And Bess Gato Barbieri - Ruby Ruby George Benson - The Shape of Things to Come Jimmy Smith - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (some of this is available on the Oliver Nelson Mosaic) Miles Davis - Lift to the Scaffold (Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud) Oscar Peterson Trio Plus One Sarah Vaughan - Live at Mister Kelly's Stan Getz - Getz Au Go-Go (Live) Wes Montgomery - Goin' Out of My Head October 9, 2007 Duke Ellington Meets Coleman Hawkins Gil Evans Orchestra - Out of the Cool Johnny Hartman - I Just Dropped By To Say Hello Oliver Nelson - The Blues and the Abstract Truth Quincy Jones - The Quintessence (all of this is available on the Quincy Jones Mosaic) RAMP - Come Into Knowledge Ramsey Lewis - The 'In' Crowd Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Lifeline Sonny Rollins - On Impulse! Stanley Clarke - Children Are Forever February 9, 2008 Duke Ellington and John Coltrane John Coltrane - Africa/Brass John Coltrane - Ballads John Coltrane - Coltrane John Coltrane - Live at the Village Vanguard March 18, 2008 Bill Evans - Plays the Theme from The V.I.P.S. and Other Songs George Benson - I Got a Woman and Some Blues Jimmy Smith - Live at the Village Gate Kenny Burrell - Night At the Vanguard Oliver Nelson - Fantabulous Oscar Peterson Plays Count Basie Paul Desmond - Bridge Over Troubled Water Stan Getz - Jazz Giants '58 Louis Armstrong - New Orleans Nights April 22, 2008 B.B. King - Live at the Apollo Grover Washington Jr. - Inner City Blues Ramsey Lewis Trio - Live at the Bohemian Caverns in Washington D.C. Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Vibrations Terry Callier - Occasional The Jazz Crusaders - Old Socks, New Shoes...New Socks, Old Shoes June 3, 2008 Antonio Carlos Jobim - Rio Revisited Antonio Carlos Jobim /Elis Regina - Ellis & Tom Astrud Gilberto - Look to the Rainbow Astrud Gilberto - The Astrud Gilberto Album Astrud Gilberto/Walter Wanderley - A Certain Smile, A Certain Sadness Luiz Bonfa - The Brazilian Scene Luiz Bonfa/Maria Toledo - Braziliana Stan Getz - Getz/Gilberto #2 Stan Getz w/Laurindo Almeida July 1, 2008 George Duke - Faces in Reflection Norman Brown - Just Between Us Walter Beasley Will Downing - A Dream Fulfilled July 29, 2008 Return Of The Brecker Brothers Dizzy Gillespie - The Cool World Dr. John - City Lights Hugh Masekela - Home Is Where The Music Is John Klemmer - Barefoot Ballet Maynard Ferguson - Octet Milt Jackson - Live At The Museum Of Modern Art Ramsey Lewis - Goin' Latin Stan Getz - Sweet Rain Willie Bobo - Bobo Motion September 23, 2008 Cal Tjader Plays The Contemporary Music Of Mexico And Brazil Crusaders - Pass The Plate George Duke - Feel Grover Washington, Jr. - All The Kings's Horses Joe Sample - Swing Street Cafe Lalo Schifrin - Piano, Strings And Bossa Nova Luiz Bonfa Plays And Sings Bossa Nova Roy Ayers - You Send Me Stan Getz - Big Band Bossa Nova Terry Callier - What Color Is Love October 21, 2008 Dizzy Gillespie - Dizzy Goes Hollywood George Benson - Tell It Like It Is George Duke - I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry Grover Washington, Jr. - Soul Box Jimmy Smith - Hobo Flats John Klemmer - Arabesque Little Jimmy Scott - Everybody's Somebody's Fool Oscar Peterson with Strings - In a Romantic Mood Roy Ayers Ubiquity - Change Up the Groove Sonny Stitt Sits in with Oscar Peterson Stan Getz In Stockholm Walter Beasley - Intimacy Will Downing - Come Together as One

It sucks that these 5CD boxes are so darn expensive - even more so as the other 5CD sets (and smaller 4CD, 3CD) packed in big boxes were sold for such good prizes (thinking of the George Duke, Monty Alexander, Eugen Cicero, Art Van Damme, Peter Herbolzheimer). I haven't been able to push myself and buy either of the two big boxes yet, although I'm perfectly aware that I will buy them some day... (still need the Solo 2CD as well, only got the Live 2CD so far).

Thanks for the list, Big Al! Hope my collected links helped a bit!

The very first Simone LP that I purchased some 40+ years ago which I still have. It remains my favorite of her many recordings. Got to see her at the Newport JF back in '64 as well. Gee, you must be old! I bet back then she must have been a class act on stage! Around the time the first Philips album was done, wow!

Is this one the solo album, or does she have a band with her? w/Jimmy Bond and Tootie Heath, it seems... and getting difficult to find (unless you'll want the Collectables twofer pairing it with The Amazing - the single disc of the later contains four bonus tracks though, but all of At Town Hall seems to be on the twofer, no bonus tracks on the 2005 EMI reissue in that case).

The later of these is a compilation, right? yes, but the songs Why (The King of Love Is Dead), Mississippi Goddam, Revolution (Pts. 1-2) are unedited versions and are must haves. Thanks! I read that up on AMG in the meantime - sounds indeed like a good way to get some RCA bits! There's another compilation, "Just Like a Woman: Sings Classic Songs of the 1960s" - anyone has that one? Doesn't sound quite like a must-have if AMG is to be believed.

The later of these is a compilation, right?