DrJ

This could be really good.

For big bands live, just McCoy Tyner Big Band, Blue Note, NYC, about 5-6 years ago or so. Excellent show, Eddie Henderson was on FIRE and definitely took solo honors, but great playing by all. Jerry Gonzalez stopped by to sit in for a couple numbers on congas.

I have the CD version of the set, bought it used for I think about $100 a few years back - showing its age a bit remastering wise, but more than listenable and the music is excellent. I'd say go for that Mosaic LP box.

Matthew, I agree with much of what you say too - good points.

Well worth tracking all these down, although I think the Farlow/McGhee, Salvador, and Melle were my favorites. The Lou Mecca would be a great U.S. reissue if they ever revive the 10" series - have the JRVG and it's groovy.

Well I'm a bit surprised if the Pearson select is that bad. Even though McMaster does some of the Selects, they haven't been too bad so far in my estimation. But you owe it to yourself to check out some of the Mosaics (Select or "full") done by Malcom Addey, NO inferior sound there and in fact they blow away just about any Japanese reissue I have in my collection. The Johnny Hodges and Duke Ellington Reprise sets are a couple of the best sounding reissues you are apt to hear on standard CD, as is the Randy Weston Select. With "full" Mosaics you also get incredible booklets with most of the sets - the type of detailed annotation, commentary, and discography that great musicians deserve. Also note that Cuscuna does sometimes put songs in original LP order, when it either seems logical or when feedback from potential buyers dictates it. But because the later Pearson albums were basically pell-mell assembly jobs there is not a good reason I can see to put the tracks in album order. The Mosaic norm is to go with session order, which may break up LPs but also allows you to in many cases pick up on artist development and things that happened within a session you might miss otherwise. It's a personal thing but there is a method to the madness. I would for these reasons definitely withold judgement on Mosaic if I were you, you're potentially missing out otherwise. I have over 40 sets now (Selects included) and can honestly say that they constitute the backbone of what I feel is a pretty darn good collection.

I SORT of understand some people's less than enthusiastic reactions to yet ANOTHER discussion of who's the best remastering engineer...but also have to say ultimately those reactions also start to sound pretty sanctimonious, just as much as the pontification about who's the best engineer. All this "it's the music that matters" stuff is really kind of a load of crap too, folks, I am sorry to say. The not too subtle insinuation here is "I'm hipper and more of a musical purist than you because I respect the music only, and don't worry about such trifles as sound quality." Not only is this a false assumption, 'cause I think everyone here is pretty much a major music fan, but it does a disservice to the musicians in the cases where a decent reissue COULD be attained and isn't. First, I would venture to say that ALL of us have stuff in our collection that we absolutely love musically that sounds like it was etched into the grooves using a dull rock...we wouldn't BE here, posting on this board, if not. We're fanatics and passionate fans. So OF COURSE it's the music that matters...all of us good people aren't talking about Styx recordings being remastered (well, maybe once in a while, in the "Miscellaneous Music" forum, hell we've been on ELO lately so it can't be far behind... ) - we're talking about JAZZ, and GOOD jazz at that. Second, I have to say, the more I listen and the better my listening system, a nice remastering job most definitely enhances my jazz listening experience. No, it won't make a turd into a silk purse, but it can take an already excellent date and really make it kick even harder. These are WORLD CLASS musicians we're talking about here - they deserve the type of audio treatment that complements their talent. Anything else is kind of an insult, at least when the potential for great sound exists and it's squandered by a hack reissue job. Obviously this is different in cases where we already have the best we're gonna get - say stuff from the 20's and 30's originally out on 78s that's already been done painstakingly. No, it ain't gonna be issued with an SACD layer any time soon, but it's still great music and I think many of the same people who have commented most thoughtfully on remastering issues related to later, more modern recordings are the very folks who love the crackly stuff the most - me included - surface noise and all. In fact, for older recordings like that, give me surface noise over NoNOISE any day of the week. So you CAN have it both ways - love the music, and care about how it's presented. In fact, in my view, if you're a REAL music fan (!) , these two issues should be INEXTRICABLY LINKED in your mind. The remastering bugaboo just rankles me no end when the ability to present the music to its full potential is squandered. Matthew, sorry to pick on this statement but it's rubbing me the wrong way on a Monday AM...as far as I can see, nobody here has mentioned anything like not buying a CD just because a particular remastering engineer they dislike is involved with it...probably some HAVE said that at some point in time on the board, but nobody in this thread has mentioned it. So again, why the harsh reaction? And why weigh in on a discussion you're sick of? I just don't get it.

As you can see from the listing above, the 2 CD JRVG includes not only the SONNY CLARK TRIO session (with all the alternates that have also ppeared in the U.S.) but also the session originally issued only in Japan that was finally issued a few years back as a "regular" BN reissue (no special series like Conn or RVG) called STANDARDS. While I still prefer the SONNY CLARK TRIO stuff by a fairly good margin, the STANDARDS material has really grown on me. At first listen it sounded more subdued than the usual Clark fare, partly due to a fairly conservative rhythm section, but it's still a dandy and, if you're a Clark nut, I suspect it will grow on you with repeated listens.

OK, I'll bite - if you were going to recommend a great front end CD player, not universal, what would you suggest wolff?

This is a group I think will be remembered as one of the greatest...too bad it's in an era in jazz where everyone assumes there ARE no greatest anymore. Anyway, saw them last year and was bowled over. They have fun, serious fun, and it's a joy to listen to them. Their music isn't going to trigger any great sea changes, but they're picking up and running with some threads from the mid- to late-60's "outside in" people - and Wayne was one of those people - that hadn't been yanked on quite this way during the intervening years. Doesn't hurt either that Brian Blade is my favorite current drummer...and again, one reason is that he's picking up where Tony Williams left off in the later 60's, before changing his playing and going in a direction that I never really did warm to.

I have long maintained an interest in trying to keep up with good pop bands, but have not been very successful with new ones since my son was born - just not enough hours in the day, and jazz usually takes priority. Can anyone clue me in on some of the influences for Wilco, and maybe give some idea of who they most sound like? I've heard nothing but praise for HOTEL YANKEE FOXTROT but don't think I have heard anything off it that I could place as being them...

In my view, yes, it's a very nice complement to the COMPLETE QUARTETS set, same level of quality. Green and Clark - what are you waiting for!?!?

Depends on the day and mood - today, I voted "cheesy scholck" because I'm feeling smarmy, but tomorrow perhaps "good pop band." Really, ELO is a great example of the strange phenomenon of the ephemeral that defines true pop music to me..sometimes I want to pull the car radio out of the dashboard and throw it into the path of an oncoming 18-wheeler when I hear one of their tunes, other days I'm bellowing along until I notice the teenage girl in the car next to me is looking at me like the aging dork I am and I hush up. Funny Dan mentioned "Telephone Line" as inescapable during a summer vacation, I remember the very same thing, think I was in 8th grade but maybe a bit later...and tagging in on Jim Sangrey's comment, this is one of their tunes that I think you can hear was done with tongue FIRMLY in cheek and yet also with a great deal of affection for 50's/early 60's pop, PLUS with fantastic production and hooks and arrangement. It's held up, more than well. But much of their other stuff hasn't - perhaps the most misguided and stupid approach to covering a 50's rock and roll tune ever in their turgid rendition of "Roll Over Beethoven." The violins and other touches borrowed from classical music never worked for me either - they just sounded like whining, out of tune, badly recorded electric guitars. Also, the multilayered production most of the time worked agin-em rather than afore-em, burying some of the hooks under a layer of sludge. But I have to say I did really like their drum sound, HUGE and very distinctive. Odd thing: I absolutely LOVE what Jeff Lynne did for Tom Petty's music, and I'd have never guessed that would be a good match. As much as I still love older Petty like HARD PROMISES and DAMN THE TORPEDOES, with the rootsier sound, his absolute greatest singles were with Lynne as producer. Postscript: I like Jim's take on 10CC too - when I'm in the mood for this type of pop thing, I'll take 10CC over ELO on most any given day, and related to my comments above what separates them for me is that 10CC's production was more complementary to their tunes, while many times ELO's production was production for production's sake and actually buried the tunes.

UPON REFLECTION is definitely one of many very fine Hank Jones albums, and the poignancy of the theme is certainly another attraction. I dig it, although can't say I return to it real often for some reason I haven't been able to pinpoint. I was perhaps even a bit disappointed in it, given the high praise I've heard from others and read about (e.g. in the Penguin Guide). Have to say though that my all-time favorite Jones trio date is THE ORACLE (Verve), with Dave Holland and Billy Higgins. That is one remarkable album from start to finish, and many familiar with Jones will be more than a little surprised at the adventurousness of the music. Not that Jones isn't always incredibly sophisticated harmonically, but it's usually a bit more subtle and firmly within the mainstream. THE ORACLE takes the music out just a little bit, certainly not anything avant garde, but has an appealing edge that honestly I find sometimes a little lacking in Jones' music as a leader. A little hard to find these days - I think officially out of print, but it does pop up. Don't miss it. Another amazing one is Jones' entry in the Maybeck hall series, though that I find more typical of his temperment. Still, nice to hear him in the solo format, you can read his thinking even more clearly than usual. As far as Thad goes - I've yet to hear anything he was involved with that isn't worth at least a couple listens.

Yeah, I suspect you're right, and have actually been thinking more along the lines you mention wolff. Probably the best way I'll go. So thanks for the nudge in that direction. The more I consider it, what I am truly most interested in trying to get, first and foremost, is really outstanding 2-channel sound, whether for LP, CD, or SACD.

Well, I've been told worse by better'n you! Just kiddin' - I feel your pain, REALLY I do, but if I get any unexpected electric bills or mortgage payment coupon books, I will be returning them with an "addressee unknown" note! On the bright side - this is a KILLER set, just keeps growing in my estimation. Money well spent, and hey, it'll be waiting for you when you finally are paroled from debter's prison!

I've made it through only the first few cuts of STAR EYES - HAMBURG 1983 with Martial Solal since it arrived in the mail from Cadence last week, but so far, it's a real gem. Similar stuff - nothing overtly "hot" or showy but Lee is DEFINITELY "in the zone," great way to put it. Solal is amazing in a little more demonstrative way. For a slightly different kind of Lee - a bit more fettered, less played in, but still fascinating - the date with Giuffre and Ted Brown and Warne Marsh that was last reissued on the Verve Konitz/Giuffre 2-fer in the mid-90's has also been floatin' my boat lately.

Got mine on Saturday, Chuck. Haven't made it to the last track yet but will let you know. Only listening I've been able to get in has been in the car to and from work. But really enjoying ALL MUSIC so far, an all expenses paid trip to the wonderful off-kilter world of Warne. And Levy was having some good days too, wasn't he?

Thanks for the input wolff. Budget is flexible, fortunately money, while not "no object," is less of a constraint for me than for some. But again I'm more interested in quality and cost-for-features, not just paying top dollar for the sake of saying I did. I like rock as well as jazz and I have some very good sounding surround mixed rock recordings - in both SACD and DVD-A format - so I'm still interested in surround - can't see myself using it much or at all for jazz though I agree. Turntable is a Technics SL-1200MK2, which is more than fine for my purposes. I primarily use it to play vinyl once, long enough to transfer the LP to a CD-R.

That's an interesting one Rooster. I respect your viewpoint there, but can't say I wholly agree...while it's true that sometimes Lovano's own leader dates are overly contrived and postured, generally his playing is the real deal to me. And when you get him involved with someone else's looser, lower profile recording, watch out. Great examples: Tom Harrell - PASSAGES (Chesky) Yosuke Yamashita KURDISH DANCE (Antilles - fantastic!) Any of his work with Paul Motian For his own recordings, FROM THE SOUL (BN) is a truly remarkable album, perhaps one of the finest larger profile jazz recordings of the era. Ed Blackwell's contributions alone are worth it but Petrucciani is also in peak form. Penguin once gave this a coveted crown and it's worth every jewel in the setting. RUSH HOUR (BN) is also really strong, nearly as good. The live 2 CD QUARTETS Vanguard recording on BN is also a good one. I love all these because for me they harken back to an era when jazz artists with an instantly identifiable sound and a pretty good following who were working on well-regarded labels could also still take some chances, even if ultimately firmly within the mainstream. Kind of like the old "inside out" Lion produced BNs. Most overrated - LANDMARKS (BN), for some reason everyone loves this but it has to be my least favorite Lovano recording and the lineup, which should have been a smoking one, doesn't come through (Abercrombie's worst recording?).

Actually a Dizzy Philips Mosaic would be a nice one...so much of it has been out in reissue, but clearly some hasn't and it would make a nice tidy package.

Inspired by the recent thread on "hearing" Sonny Clark for the first time. Anyone who you once thought a lot of who now you really can't much abide? Easy one for me....Bill Frisell. Sad to say this, 'cause he obviously has talent and is earnest and seems like a hell of a nice guy. But as my musical ear has developed I listen now and just go, "what's all the fuss about?" OK, FX are neato at first and he does some fun stuff, but has anyone ever been a more banal improviser in terms of complete lack of rhythmic and harmonic interest? I no longer "get" it.

I would draw a much stronger parallel between Wynton Kelly and Sonny Clark than Garland and Clark. Both are, for lack of a better word, much more "modern" sounding in their conception to me, and there's a lot of commonality in that time feel and "bounce." Garland was superb no doubt and King Comper, but he still sounds more firmly in the more traditional 40's-50's bop mold than Kelly or Clark (even though Clark did much of his recording in the 50's he sounded like a 60's guy even then!).

Another big thumbs up for RELISH, a pretty audacious debut. Have been very nervous about picking up any albums since then because I don't want to be disappointed! "St. Theresa," "Ladder," "Pensacola," all amazing tunes. The "God" single was pretty good too actually, despite being written by a Hooter - just overplayed. Clever, funny, catchy, hell even Prince covered it live. Anyway, the new Osby sounds VERY promising, nice line up.

Well I'm hopin' this new Aerosmith comes even halfway close to their old form. Nothing since way back around NIGHT IN THE RUTS has been worth even a cursory listen, and the last great album was DRAW THE LINE from 1977...they certainly DID rock back then!