king ubu

A great set, the Mobley! Look forward to it! One of my favorite Mosaic boxes, probably my favorite Blue Note Mosaic (well, not counting the Monk, Powell, and Nichols which I all missed - due to young age - and picked up in their BN CD versions, and should now start to replace by RVGs...) ubu

I did not hesitate that long (have it since 2 or 3 or even 4 years) - but it was WAAAY better than I expected, too! What I love about the second to fourth albums (the Mitchell-Cook band) is that they're so timelessly old-fashioned, solid, playing shout choruses and such things, just doing their thing, without having to bother much abouth what's going around of them (yet Corea certainly brings in some touches of "new", and he was a musician then at the point of starting all his great experimental music, as the original Return to Forever and Circle). ubu

I heard that LP several years ago. Got to look if I have it on tape, but I guess not. Would love to hear it again! I am not sure regarding younger pianists, Mike, I do not know very much about younger/contemporary mainstream/postbop musicians - but I sure think there would be some around - yet another question would be if they would fit Konitz/Haden. And Mehldau certainly is a pianist able to fit in many a situation (think about his record with Scofield, to have another example), and a very fine player with good ears. ubu

I was searching for another picture of which I did neither know the exact title nor the painter... to reply to Simon Weil's thought - I do understand it, but after not finding that painting and being pissed I forgot to reply here alltogether. Mike, I love the few of "Fusely" as those crazy Britons used to call him paintings I have seen. At the Kunsthaus in Zurich there is/was (?, they're renovating all the time, each time you go and want to see something particular that room has vanished in air...) a great Füssli-room I often visited (18c being one of my special interests as a student of history, also). And maybe the emerging out of the african-american tradition is what makes is possible for me to relate to it that strongly. The overtly religious (christian, mostly) "spirituality" usually leaves me rather cold... ubu

This sounds like a lost opportunity, Jim! Why not let them try it! Or - as I'm not always totally happy about Mehldau on these, myself: how about NO piano and add Attila Zoller on guitar? I know this cannot be done... (funny enough AMG notes him having died IN Vermont, so noone had to move him there...) ubu

This already starts to get embarassing... I have said album by the guy with them doorbells (and I'm inclined to say I love, although I obviously don't know it as good as I should, to say such a thing...). And those "strings" I did refer to, that's ONE upright only?!? Alright, I know some guys can produce lots of sound on it, and this may even be a technique adopted from classical playing, but, HELL, I OUGHT TO LISTEN WITH A WHOLE LOTTA MORE CONCENTRATION Thanks for checking the Mosaic about the Shaw track - it might thus be Freddie H., but I still rather think about Woody. Would have to relisten. ubu

Oh, I agree. But truth can be a terrible thing. Simon Weil Maybe the fact that it indeed CAN be terrible makes it such a strong emotional experience to listen to (late) Trane? For me, listening to Coltrane's music - moreso for the later, say, beginning with "Crescent" - has something very personnal, something very moving, emotional. "Truth" is certainly a rather good word in this context, "spirituality" would be another - and this then is a quality I perceive very strongly, although I do not consider myself a person open for spiritual things and experiences, usually. ubu

Most have been mentioned, but those that come to mind are: - Jason Moran, Black Stars - Greg Osby, Banned in New York, Symbols of Light - Joe Lovano, 52nd Street Themes - Mark Shim, Turbulent Flow - Bill Charlap, Written in the Stars - Bill Stewart, Telepathy - Jacky Terrasson, Alive - the Konitz/Mehldau/Haden discs (though I do not listen to them very often) and one that falls out of the given time frame, but deserves honourable mention: - Tommy Flanagan, Sunset And The Mockinbird Then I have to say I did not pick up all releases I would like to have (partly due to the f*#@ing copyright controlled CDs over here), as the latest Moran, the latest Osby, the Solal - I will order them from the US some day... ubu

You are lucky! It seems swiss customs are checking everything since 2002 - before, they did not, and often orders of a value of 100$ came through without costs, or with postal handling costs only. Tempi passati... the limit seems to be 50CHF (appr. 35$ or 30 Euros, currently), and everything of a higher value creates custom/postal costs of at least 15CHF (or ~10$/Euros)... Which is one reason why I only order Mosaics on the running low list, lately. ubu

Thank you very much for sharing these precious recollections! I have not yet fully entered the AEC orbit (and I should REALLY cut down my CD acquisitions...) - guess I got to spin the Nessa box (almost all I have, except for "Spiritual" and the recent "Tribute to Lester" on ECM). ubu

Seems no one has mentioned "Live in Seattle" so far. That's another incredible album! (the CD version has some material not on LP) I do enjoy that one very much! Gotta listen to all this late Trane stuff again after reading this thread - and after Sangrey's insight-ful and eloquent post (thanks)! ubu

Just starting Lewis Porter's "Lester Young". ubu

quite sure, actually! No, I did not expect to listen through this set in one go (moreso as all those unheard hats are lying around) - but I really like the music! Some very strong playing by all, Miles delivering several great solos, McLaughlin providing maybe the biggest highlights, and Holland/DeJohnette and even more Henderson/Cobham providing firm steady grooves. I REALLY like it! And it's not the slightest bit boring, in my opinion! Sonny Sharrock makes an appearance on the very first session included, by the way. ubu

Very sad news! ubu

another one I humbly request to be taken on our "da shit"-list: miles davis - the complete jack johnson sessions is da shit! anyone of you folks here heard it? I caught some flew or something, and have been in bed all day yesterday (terrible headache, not much music) and today, listened to all day that new Miles set, in one go... Fantastic stuff! I never heard the originally released tracks, as I did anticipate the box and did not want to spend money on old lousy remasters, as I knew I would get that box. An exhilarating listen! ubu

True words, Alexander! I went through the useless attempt lately again... ubu

I started on that trip with "Sun Ship", too, after having been rather bevildered by first hearing parts of "Ascension"... May I suggest you try "First Meditations" (this and "Sun Ship" are sort of the bridge between "classic" and late Trane, I guess), and listen to it back on back with "Meditations" - this one, in my opinion is one of Coltrane's strongest and most beautiful recorded works! The comparison may help to see common things, to hear some continuity. Then, "Interstellar Space" is GREAT! (Ask our friend JSngry - or search for his post on that album) ubu

Many great news! Looking forward to the Farlow very much! Liebman sounds exciting, too! Glad the Reece will see the light of the day! I wrote Mosaic an email suggesting it right when they announced the Select series! It could also include the Duke Jordan album, maybe. Some great music, anyway! ubu

Claude, did you ask them to put a value of 5$ per disc, or did they do that by themselves? I'm usually loosing half a fortune lately, on any order of a value above 30 Euros or $$ - swiss customs are no fun! Then, when ordering from Mosaic I usually go the slow and cheap way and let them ship it, you dig? ship! Once they "forgot" to send out an order, and when they finally did (I had to proof that I payed - took a month or so...), they sent it via air-mail, and each and every CD case was broken... which makes me wait for their packages up to two or even three months, but never any damage of problem... ubu

"8 1/2" is one of my favorite 5 or 10 films, definitely! A work of genius! We had a Fellini retrospective here in Zurich (I would NEVER watch a Fellini on tv), and I went to see as many films as I could. "I vitelloni" is great. "La dolce vita" - I failed to see it again, and it's been several years since I saw it last - has never struck me as "8 1/2" did. I do not like Giulietta Masina at all, so I got some sort of a problem with "La strada" and "Giulietta degli spiriti". They're not bad, though, for sure. "E la nave va" is another intriguing film, although I think one ought to be an Opera-connaisseur to really understand it. I saw "Fellini: Satyricon" again, and think this is one of the best films he made. Then I was rather disappointed by "Fellini: Casanova". Another good one (I have not seen it lately) is "Fellini: Roma". A great hommage to a great city. On "8 1/2": what I do love about this film - I cannot actually put it all in words, but just one aspect: the film has such an ease, such a light flow. The film is so funny, and yet so melancholic, not to say sad. I think this is what I love so much about it: that it's such a funny film which is nevertheless able to express such deep feelings. Hard to put this in words. sal, I wish you lots of fun in your continuing Fellini adventures! ubu

Randy, first let me thank you for two and a half interesting hours of music, most of which I've never heard! Some tracks did not do anything for me, some I did identify, some I did not know I like a lot... In keeping with the tradition, I will only add links for the tracks I do know, not tell what it is right here in my post. This then, is a transcription of the notes I made while listening. Disc 1 1. Dizzy Gillespie's late forties big band? Lateef or Big Nick? I did not find this track on my RCA set, the tune seems very familiar, and I guess that's one I will feel ashamed of not identifying, once it will be revealed... Then, there's not enough trumpet playing, it seems, for this being a Gillespie track? Great opener! Like it a lot! 2. Woody Shaw - no idea what the tune could be, but I would guess it comes from some Columbia album (too lazy to check with my Mosaic). Nice alto solo! Gary Bartz? Fascinating piano, and a great trumpet solo to top things off! The rhythm section is really cooking, building up lots of steam, and really in support of the soloists. The bass solo then shows the frame of time this is from (late seventies - early eighties), with that rather ugly sound... 3. Beautiful! No ide who this could be. Has a late sixties Blue Note-Hutcherson feel to it, but I do not know it. Great bass playing! Very relaxed, which is a good thing after the first two tracks! Either I have this (which I don't think to be the case), or I gotta run and get it! By the way, the tune sounds almost like something Dolphy could have written, to my ears. 4. Infectious groove! Not what I listen to, but I like it rather well! I am not sure if I like the alto solo, sound rather generic at some moments. All in all though, I like it. 5. Very dense. I like the mix of the rhythmic complexity and the rather simple piano stylings. 6. Nothing to say about this one, not my kind. 7. Great sax playing! Love the sound of this one! The strings and sax are marvellous together! Maybe my favourite so far! 8. No idea, rather like it. Nice sound on alto! 9. Ellington/Strayhorn/Hodges... the original studio recording can be found here, track 9 to be exact. Maybe one of my favorite Ellington compositions! 10. This one's track 4 from this album. Reminds me I got to listen to that nice, very nice box set again! This was my very first box set, and one of my first ten or fifteen jazz purchases, and I still love the music! They sound so absolutely fresh on these October 1960 sessions! 11. "Crucificado" (by Dave Burrell) - I only have this in Archie Shepp's live rendition on the 2CD "Attica Blue Big Band - Live at the Palais des Glaces" (Blue Marge). Rather nice tune. Disc 2 1. Love it, love it, love it! What a great tune, what a simple yet thoroughly engaging composition! It's track 3 from this album. Great bass support, great trombone solo, and some nice guitar, too! Those piano touches added by the maestro himself are intriguing, too! I love his piano playing! 2. Betty Carter? I appreciate her a lot, but somehow I am not (yet?) completely ready for her music. 3. Not my cup of tea - but I like this lots better than #6 on disc 1. 4. Interesting, but not much to say. 5. Not my cup of tea at all, sorry, 6. ditto, sorry again. 7. From the opening, this sound like something I could like again! Could be Abdullah Ibrahim. Great tune! The piano does not sound like Ibrahim. Whoever this is, I love it! 8. Another one I rather like, but after the preceding track, it's a bit of a let-down for me. 9. A great one! Very cool tune - but I have not the slightest idea who this could be. 10. Not much to say about this one. Somehow I like the minimalist soundscapes, but it is a little bit boring, in my opinion. 11. Some Standard I fail to identify... No idea who's playing. The sax seems a bit too forced to my ears. Randy, despite me not liking all of your discs, it has been very interesting to listen to all that music! Quite a lot of it is new to me, and there are some tracks I definitely would like to know more about! ubu

By the way, anybody has the Beins/Pfleiderer/Wilson? Guess ?.?. has, no? And the Jon Lloyd seems to be great! Anyone has that? ubu

This should have been: "?.?. ..." of course, but my computer seemed to have some problems with those strange letters... I listened to the trio disc of Wallin - very cool! Not that avant, not that experimental (the duo - only parts of which I've heard - seem to be a little more on the explorative side), but very strong music! Uh, and, as long as I don't mistake my girlfriend for a hat... ubu

"Flight to Jordan" came to me completely out of the blue, too, some five years ago - I was in Italy, and in that time they still had that "Blue Note Magazin", 18'000 Lira (those were the days...) for a CD (without liners, otherwise just as the usual editions) and a magazine which had more information on the music than the usual liners would have had... I have ever since loved "Flight To Jordan"! A couple of very nice compositions, and Reece/Turrentine make for a good front line (revived on the Reece Conn)! ubu

As our friend mmilovan sent me on a Prez trip recently, I listened to this one (the Prez parts, only - including the Rushing tracks) two days ago, and YES IT'S FUCKING GREAT! Even the jam at the end with Little Jazz and Jacquet added (and Prez aboard, too) is good! Jim, I would guess the VME will include the bonus material - the Webster Soulville did also have that piano session, and there are several others that come to mind that do have bonus material. ubu