Late

You're right about Naxos. I have no problem with any of the discs I've purchased on that label. Despite being a "budget" label, they put out a high quality product. I found the Schnabel "Named Sonatas" on Pearl through Amazon UK. Expensive, but no more than the label's (admittedly high) retail price.

Tower currently has Schnabel's Schubert Impromptus for under $5 here. There's been some noise reduction (not too terribly much, I don't think), but the music far surpasses the sonics. One to hear if you haven't already.

Just "discovered" Ingrid only yesterday, and have Here on Earth on order now. From reading this thread, I'd like to hear her live.

Thanks gnhrtg. I currently have the Classica D'Oro edition ($27 for eight discs), and you get what you pay for. The music is amazing, but I can barely listen to the transfers. They actually sound best on the boombox I have in the garage. Does anyone know an online vendor (other than Amazon or Tower) where Pearl discs are for sale and (possibly) in stock?

Where can a person find copies of Schnabel's Beethoven Sonatas on Pearl for less than a fortune? I keep reading that the Pearl editions are the most faithful to the 78's ... and that they're also out-of-print (and selling for exorbitant prices on the used market). Are the Naxos editions that much of a step down? Argh!

I wonder what kind of profit DG is making from these titles. If they're selling them for $5, are they buying them for ... $2? I purchased eight titles, a mix of Muse and Landmark, and am looking forward to hearing them. I remember when they initially came out in the early 90's, but at that time I was too involved with collecting "classic" jazz. I did buy about five Wallace Roney titles back then, but only kept Seth Air, which is still an album I like. It was recorded the day Miles Davis died, and apparently Roney was informed of this half-way through the session. I don't know if this charged the session one way or another, but, at least in my mind, Roney (who I consider, fairly or unfairly, an epigone) seems to have more purpose in his playing than usual. I remember a Lester Bowie blindfold test in DownBeat some years ago. When a Wallace Roney track was played for him, he remarked that the trumpeter really had the "Miles bag" down. When he was told it was Roney, his tone seemed to change radically, and he proceeded to criticize Roney for not really doing anything with his talent.

Yes, it started around 2001, and it's still ongoing. At least Bream, Domingo, Rubenstein and Horowitz boxes are now up for pre-order at various online vendors. Unless these are just re-reissues of the same box ... ?

Joe?

Sony has a nice series called the Original Jacket Collection. These are strictly box sets, but often they include stuff that's never been out on disc before. I own one set so far, and can strongly recommend it: George Szell's Mozart. I have the Montserrat Caballé on its way to me now. Some will hate the packaging (each disc comes in a mini-LP, though not as sturdy as Japanese versions), but it actually saves space, and the boxes themselves are quite sturdy.

Dusty Groove is currently offering a fair amount of Muse titles for $4.99. Also at $4.99, check out the titles on Landmark.

Thanks for the tip on the Timeless albums. The Coleman and Nock were just "Saved for Later." (No more booster packs!)

Thanks Mark! Always great to see an idol alive and well.

The Roost material is coming out once again in Japan — a mini-LP, this time on the new SHM plastic. The price is 2700¥ (going by memory), and the release date is some time in November. I'm tempted. The TOCJ that Lon has is excellent as well. I've never heard the U.S. edition. Sound allright? I just picked up Inner Fires last week. Strange sound (not bad, just strange), and amazing playing. I haven't heard a live 1953 date that (to me) isn't amazing so far. Bud was in incredible form that year.

I've received that message recently here in the States. When I clicked the back button on my browser, however, I was strangely able to access the site right away. Clicking "back" or refresh might do the trick. (At least it has for me so far.) I've finally been hit over the head with Giuffre's two Candid (originally Choice) albums on eMusic. Great stuff.

I was 21. It's the only time I've cried when a famous person died. It struck me as strange and a little embarrassing — I only knew the man through his music — but there I was welling up thinking about his passing. At the time, I had nearly all of his work up to and including In A Silent Way. The next day, my roommate bought a copy of Bitches Brew for me. One of the kindest, most well-timed gifts I've ever received.

You can look at the entire book (some 497 pages) through the link brownie posted above. Not a bad book overall. I know I would have pre-ordered this a few years ago, but (for now at least) I'll take a raincheck. Quick first impressions: • too many (for my taste) Gabor Szabo covers • too many (for my taste) Archie Shepp covers • no Saturn covers for Sun Ra (what?!) • one Lacy cover — one? • I dig the Giuffre covers A lot of covers I hadn't seen. It looks like a fun book to have.

It's true. He could really grate.

I'm on a Bud binge lately. To honor his 84th, I'll spin his version of "Idaho" with Johnny Griffin. An amazing duo track.

Has Savoy's reissue program for Muse stuff fizzled out? Nothing's come up on the radar lately that I'm aware of.

Did anyone pick up the Andorran issue of The Gap Sealer, which contains "bonus" tracks from Love and Understanding? Dusty Groove pulled it from their site (at least for the time being), and I wonder if there might be some legal issues (finally) at stake. My personal choice is to not support the Andorrans (though I did own two titles at one time), but I'd like to hear this one.

How would you all rate Tenor Madness Too?

I might be wrong, but I don't think any of the 32Jazz reissues were remastered. Well, maybe not re-mastered, but the CD booklet (for the Ford title in question) says "Mastered by Gene Paul at DB Plus Digital Services, NYC." Regardless, the CD sounds pretty good to me! For anyone with an interest in Ford, I'd say this is a very good sampler of his Muse work. The track "Esse Nosso Amor" is everything the music for The Bill Cosby show wanted to be.

Mostly CDs. I haven't been following the market for LPs in a long time. (I still have a turntable though!)

Muse titles have been popping up on Dusty Groove lately, usually for $4.99. Picked up the Bill Barron there. Some Muse and 32Jazz titles, however, are being offered through Amazon's marketplace for sky-high prices.

Why pay rent when you can buy Catalyst's 2-CD set for $53, or Eric Kloss's Doors for $250? Jeebus.