Late

Strictly in my opinion — perhaps others could chime in — I think Stellar Regions is strong enough to have made Expression a double album. The only track I'm not crazy about is where Coltrane plays alto.

I haven't. I'd have to imagine it sounding better than the 24-bit TOCJ edition. I have a number of gaps in my TOCJ collection (Hank Mobley BN 1568 and My Point of View come to mind, as well as Into Somethin'), but I haven't been actively seeking them out. The TOCJ of Soundin' Off, on a related note, I think sounds gorgeous. It's one of my favorite Reece titles.

I've never thought the mono edition of this record sounded very good — and I'm usually a mono fan. I only have a rip of the stereo edition, and it sounds like a different album. What do other posters here think? Mono? Or stereo? This record would seem a perfect candidate for XRCD treatment, as Mobley appears beloved by that reissue campaign.

Gotcha. I started doing that, initially, with the 24-bit TOCJ series. They're all sold off now, except one: Dizzy Reece's Star Bright. It still sounds fairly horrible, but it's the best edition I've owned. (I've never heard the Mosaic Select edition; the JRVG was excruciating.) I wonder what this SHM-CD series could do with that Reece title. Some hip Mobley on that date. If you're inclined, do post your response — positive or negative — to that Shorter disc when time permits.

As soon as your disc begins to play Track 1, hold down your scan button to go back. There are some (I forget exactly how many) seconds of studio chatter and playing before Track 1. They're not essential by any means, but I've always found it curious why they were appended in this "hidden" manner. I would have never known about them if Michael Fitzgerald hadn't posted here some years ago about their existence. Now I have to dig out my copy of Interstellar Space and listen to those seconds (!) again.

If you end up liking Interstellar Space, I think you'd like Stellar Regions. The latter is, in my opinion, one of the most accessible late-period Coltrane records; I personally think it's a stronger record than Expression. Cosmic Music is more for Coltrane collectors and/or completists. The music is good, but (in my opinion) it's less essential. ______________________ Now — here's a question: I wonder if the Japanese SHM-CD of Interstellar Space will have the hidden track (or hidden "index") that the U.S. digipack edition contains.

On a different note, I keep forgetting that "SHM" stands for "Super High Material." Does that tag make anyone else think of ...

The Shorter only, or other SHM-CDs? I'm interested in hearing your response! (Even if you don't care for that particular SHM-CD, you will have the bonus tracks, so that can't not be some type of plus.) I'm wrong on this. The two alternate takes come before the bonus track "Just For You" on the new SHM-CD. Doesn't really matter, of course; I already pre-ordered based on my positive reaction to the SHM-CD of New York Is Now!

I'm glad that White and Blackwell's box set is out there. Who else would be willing to commit to such an obvious labor of love, and actually make it happen? When the two were on Charlie Rose (not that that's any great litmus test), their sense of earnestness and respect for the music was palpable. I can only imagine that that box set will lose them money. Blackwell is on record that he's willing to work with the GHB Foundation regarding the dispute at hand. Perhaps Neal Pomea's right — perhaps White and Blackwell made some bad assumptions. And, if Mr. Pomea is also right about federal copyright in the year 1970, what's exactly at issue? I think White and Blackwell's "stand" for the music itself is ultimately more admirable than a stand — and a seemingly tenuous stand — for what, on the surface, appears to be a money grab. The underlying irony is that Paramount could essentially have cared less about the music.

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).