Late

This thread had me revisit Sun Ship, Meditations, and Stellar Regions. I had forgotten how much I like Meditations in particular, and how dismal the original pre-digipack U.S. edition sounds. I ordered the SHM-CDs of all three titles. These, plus Max Roach's Percussion Bitter Sweet, a record I love but didn't actually have on disc at all.

Thanks for all the posts. I have three versions (Walter, Giulini, and Bernstein with Ludwig & Kollo), and probably reach for the Walter the most. I need to hear the Klemperer; I like his way with Mahler, particularly the 2nd symphony. I'll be hearing Das Lied live for the first time in May. Looking forward to it. I agree with David — Mahler is great live! Whenever there's a Mahler performance within driving distance, I try to go. ========= Related: I only have Horenstein's 9th, and like it, but need to listen to it more. There was a time I was collecting Mahler more than listening. That's changing now, and Horenstein is on my backlog. Anyone here heard Mitropoulos's Mahler? Perhaps even more eccentric than Scherchen's (e.g. fast tempi), but I think Mitropoulos's overall intent works. I like Scherchen's 1 in an old Westminster recording.

I made some comments above, but I'd give an emphatic yes — the SHM-CD has clearer bass, an improved soundstage, and Joe Chambers' drums sound much more present. The horns are very present, so that might take a little getting used to, but overall a big . The other SHM-CDs I'd recommend, so far, over previous editions are: 1. Ornette Coleman: New York Is Now! 2. Thelonious Monk: Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1 3. Thelonious Monk: Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 2 4. Sam Rivers: A New Conception Some SHM-CDs, while sounding very good, don't provide what I (personally) would consider a sizeable sonic upgrade from their TOCJ predecessors. They are: 1. Miles Davis, Vol. 1 2. Miles Davis, Vol. 2 3. Joe Henderson: In 'N Out Don't get me wrong — the above three SHM-CDs do sound very good. I just don't think, at least so far in my listening (who knows — I could always change my mind) that they sonically trample the TOCJ editions. One perk of the Davis SHM-CDs is that they offer additional tracks that the TOCJs do not. Same for the Henderson (i.e. one track). If I didn't have a number (um, a lot) of TOCJs already, I'd be swooping down on this series like a hawk. As it is, I'm trying to be selective. We'll see how long that lasts. Overall, when I listen to these SHM-CDs, my response is: .

No they're not! You can have them delivered to your local 7-eleven, family mart, or some other retailers for no postage fee. Really? That'd be cool. I'd import SHM-CDs through my local 7-Eleven.

My 1990 copy of Love Call actually does list three bonus tracks. They are: 1. Check Out Time (alt.) 2. Love Call (alt.) 3. Just For You The new SHM-CD will probably (I think) put the above two alternates after "Just For You" in the track list. That'll be a nice change (instead of having the alternates right after the masters).

Please list your favorite versions of The Song of the Earth!

To answer my own question — yes, the new TYCJ has the original Mel Fuhrman overdubs. Thanks very much for this info. I've only heard the 1989/1990 re-mixed CD and had no idea any overdubs were missing. Just for one track, of course. On the 1990 CD, the vocals (or rather spoken part) on "We Now Interrupt For A Commercial" are carried out by Dewey, though he knew ahead of time that they were just place-markers. Mel Fuhrman, during this time, was Blue Note's marketing director. The tune itself is meant to have some humorous undercurrent. This one track notwithstanding, the whole CD (the SHM-CD, that is) is worth hearing. While the Addey edition sounds fine, this new edition adds considerable soundstage (i.e. depth) to the experience. If you already like Ornette's 1968 work for Blue Note, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase New York Is Now! (and pre-order Love Call). Now if only The Empty Foxhole could receive similar treatment for SHM-CD! More importantly, please give us Complete Communion — Don Cherry's finest effort for Blue Note, in my opinion.

To me, Bartz is the nadir of post-Shorter saxophonists in a Miles band. I don't dislike him as a musician, but with Miles (to me) he never seemed to get off the ground with his solos. Whenever I listen to the Cellar Door Sessions, I always wonder what they would sound like with Joe Henderson on board. But, temperamentally, I'm not sure how Davis and Henderson would have worked out. (Henderson subbed briefly, I believe, in the 1967 band.) I do like Bartz's Another Earth, particularly the track "UFO."

Is anyone saving the 3:1 campaign stickers for this series? I understand the campaign only applies to residents of Japan (I think). I'm not entirely sure how it works — simply purchase three titles in order to select one for free? That seems like a pretty good deal, if so. Any Japanese readers here? The offer expires March 31st. I believe these SHM-CDs are actually available at 7-Eleven stores in Japan. I wish the 7-Eleven near my home carried them.

By the way, The Department of Scientology has now mailed you a life-size poster of Messengers Corea, Holland, and Altschul for that empty space above your dining room table. It may or may not be hand-signed by Commodore Cruise.

Do you have release information past February 26th? After checking HMV and CD Japan, I couldn't find any information past the initial list of 100 titles.

Not to derail the thread, but I've always found Grossman the more interesting tenor on Elvin Jones' Live At The Lighthouse. Not the same band, of course, or even the same year ... I think there's something to the argument that, after Shorter, saxophonists in Miles' bands became less and less requisite to the group's sound and direction. Even Liebman — a great tenor player — seemed to feel this way when he asked Miles what the point of him (Liebman) being on the stage was. Miles' response was: "People like to see you move your fingers fast."

Has anyone here been able to compare UCCI-9204, Sun Ship, to the new "complete" U.S. edition? I agree with ether — hard to follow the maze of this series. But erwbol's posts help considerably to clarify.

Agreed — I noticed that too. I have a bad feeling I'm going to be purchasing more titles from this series than I had originally planned, thus rendering me ... loco in the coco.

(I still play CDs in the car.)

That's my favorite track from Iska. Just gorgeous. I'm jones-in' to see what the post-March titles for this series will be. I listened to the JRVG of Schizophrenia today, and, while that edition sounds better to me than the Connoisseur, the bass is wildly boosted. I'd very much welcome an SHM-CD version. And, heck, why not The Soothsayer too? The McMaster, while not terrible, is showing its age. (May as well have a SHM-CD of Super Nova too!) What I'd really (really) like to see, of course, is Sam Rivers' Contours in this new series. I adore that session, and the Connoisseur is so grating to my ears. I also think it contains Freddie Hubbard's finest soloing for Blue Note. The SHM-CD of A New Conception sounds good — particularly Rivers' horn(s), and Hal Galper's piano. The bass and drums sound better than in the Mosaic edition, but they're further back in the recording — something I just have to get used to. And, I hate to say it, but I just don't care for Steve Ellington's drumming. His bass drums figures sometimes drive me crazy — is he trying to play triplets on the bass drum? If so, he's not quite making it. In the original liner notes, Rivers comments that Ellington is his favorite drummer — so, ultimately my loss. But Rivers was also a personal friend of Tony Williams. Wouldn't Williams be his favorite? (Just sayin'.) I love the conceit of this album — that Rivers wanted to record an album to relax to. Yeah, right! Cuscuna suggests that, because A New Conception was a commercial failure (no one could relax?), this may have been the reason that Dimensions & Extensions was held back from release. I love Dimensions & Extensions, but I've always thought that session screams out for Woody Shaw instead of Donald Byrd (who's trying to sound like Don Cherry — even down to the pocket trumpet).

The RVGs — for the early Doug Hawkins material, at least — presented tracks in recording order with the exception that alternates were placed (wisely, I think) at the end of a session. I got so used to this presentation that I wasn't even aware of the original vinyl track order. These SHM CDs restore that vinyl track order, as mentioned above, and I'm glad for it. I like the "story" that Alfred's decision for track order creates. (Maybe it wasn't Alfred's decision alone; I don't know. Perhaps Wolff or the artists themselves played into the final decision for track order. Chuck could probably level an assertion in this regard.) For me, a good example of how recording order doesn't work is the Ornette Coleman Atlantic box. While I love that box set, I created CDRs of each album in their vinyl order, with "bonus" tracks at the end. I originally got to know those recordings in their vinyl track order, and couldn't undo the expectation of what I'd hear next. I do understand the appeal of recording order — in that it reflects, to some extent, the evolution of a session — but sometimes recording order, when I listen that way, makes me feel like I've made a sandwich with the contents on the outside and the bread on the inside. I also sometimes think that if Blue Note recording artists from back in the day were to read through a thread like this, they might say: You crazy!!! Still doesn't diminish my enthusiasm for this new series, though. And now you guys have me wondering about the SHM of Odyssey of Iska, one of the few McMasters I was actually content with. Argh!

Anyone listened to this — for cello — in the last ten years that this thread was started? I'll have a go at it this weekend.

Ah — I mistakenly assumed the photo was taken at Atlantic's studio. Is that a rehearsal space they're in?

No kidding. Such a shame that the fire (arson?) destroyed those unheard gems.

Just now read through the interview that Paul posted the link to — thanks, Paul! Man ... the tapes Ornette must have. Sheez. Was that the photo, Colin?

You mean this series? A fantastic, and hugely overlooked, Japanese reissue series.

It just occurred to me that about 50% (maybe slightly more?) of the Elvin Jones Mosaic is now part of this SHM-CD series — as individual titles. Not a bad way to get to hear (some of) those sessions. A few pages back in this thread, mention was made of Larry Young's Unity. I wonder if that title is forthcoming in this series (if, indeed, the series itself is forthcoming). I have Contrasts on pre-order, but passed on Of Love and Peace. What titles would you like to see in this series? I'm especially interested when a new title in this series doesn't have a TOCJ predecessor. And I also like that this series isn't (so far) weighted toward the classic Blue Note hardbop menu (as great as that is).

Just finished listening to the TYCJ of The All Seeing Eye. This is the third time I've purchased this title — first, the 1994 Larry Walsh Connoisseur ed., then the RVG, now the TYCJ. I must say — the re-purchase was worth it. I think this was a well-recorded session to begin with, but rarely (in my opinion) did Rudy get the drums so right. The TYCJ brings a new dimension to Joe Chambers' drums — in particular, the toms. You can "hear" the wood more readily now, if that makes sense. This new edition also has considerable dynamic range — if there is any EQ-ing or compression, it was tastefully handled. Shorter's tone is gorgeous on this outing; the TYCJ would seem to push it considerably up-front (maybe a little mid-range boosting?), which is not going to be to everyone's taste, but I think (i.e. assume) this is in the original recording. Anyway, if you're a fan of this record, you'll probably like this new Japanese edition. For me, Al Shorter's composition — and Wayne's solo on his brother's tune — is the record's highlight. I wish Wayne would have recorded more — a whole album? — of his brother's work. Next up — A New Conception ...

That's a good question. The TYCJ of New York Is Now! sounds like a different mix to my ears, but I don't know. Addey didn't pan the horns out as much (if I'm using the terminology correctly). The TYCJ is very much stereo, if you know what I mean. It's nice to have both editions to go back and forth with. I could be off here, but Addey's edition sounds more neutral over all. I bought the Addey editions of both discs (New York is Now! & Love Call) in 1990 — now almost 25 years ago! Hard to believe. The music hasn't aged a bit. One of the perks of re-purchasing a title (read: here comes the rationalization) is checking it out all over again, and re-connecting with the music. I remember buying those discs for the first time — along with the Elvin Jones Lighthouse discs — and scratching my head and loving them simultaneously. This TYCJ series — according to Google Translate — is being compiled by Michael "Kusu-kuna" and "Whereabouts" Hitoshi.