DrJ

I'm a big Allen fan, too - to me the Haden and Motian trio date from the Vanguard is one of the finest piano trio recordings in jazz history. That good - simply unbelievable, right up there with the best of Bill Evans' trios, but with its own sound and vibe. I like the playing on TWENTY ONE fine, but feel it's one of those "I'm Tony Williams, Godlike drummer, so crank me up in the mix" dates where it just throws off the whole balance for me...just because you're a genius doesn't mean you should drown everyone else out!

I stupidly passed on a very cheap cut out copy of this CD last weekend...wasn't familiar with it at the time, but in checking out All Music Guide, they rave about it. Still, Thom Jurek is the reviewer, and he goes into rapture in just about all of his reviews, so kind of useless. Where would people place this date in the canon of either man? It seems like it would have a HIGH chance of being a major winner.

You've moved it back up on my "to purchase" list Rooster and Ubu. I remember listening to this one on a listening station at Tower when it came out and being intrigued, but not enough to take the plunge. I see it used all the time for 5-6 bucks tops, so probably worth checking out. Thanks for the reminder.

Lookin' forward to that Pearson select. I have nearly all of it already but your comments on THE PHANTOM are making my mouth water. Yeah wesbed, I DON'T CARE WHO KNOWS IT is a fantastic album, a real late period BN sleeper...I love it, and I don't care who knows it! HOW INSENSITIVE I also have, and must say so far it hasn't really fully grabbed me either. I wouldn't be surprised if it did eventually, though - several times Pearson's music has initially struck me as kind of kitschy or camp - even some of the stuff on SWEET HONEY BEE years back - but now I love it. Sometimes it's hip to be square.

It's rapidly moving up my list of favorite duet recordings, and of favorite recordings period. Perhaps this one has hit me so hard precisely because I didn't come in with any specific expectations - if anything, I honestly figured it was more one to fill in a gap in my Getz collection, but turns out it's ESSENTIAL. I listened to it in the car on the way to work, taking someone to the airport, coming back, and then coming home again and I'm still not sick of it. This never happens that I play a disc over and over. Great stuff.

I just wanted to put in an enthusiastic plug for this CD, which is on the going out of print list per Mosaic/True Blue's last mailing. Just Getz and the undersung pianist Albert Dailey, unadorned and beautifully recorded - with lots of ambient room sound in the mix for atmosphere, so you feel like you're sitting right there in front of them. Impeccable choice of themes here, too: 1. Confirmation performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 5:24 2. A Child Is Born performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 5:19 3. Tune Up performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 5:41 4. Lover Man performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 6:54 5. A Night in Tunisia performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 5:26 6. Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 6:30 7. 'Round Midnight performed by Getz / Albert Dailey - 7:32 While many have been played to death, they HAVEN'T been played often in this duet configuration, and they sound fresh and new without exception. I must have played "Confirmation" 30 times over the past 3 days, something I very seldom do, but I'd be ecstatic if they uncovered a 20 minute version someday - it's that good. Despite the overall relaxed atmosphere, Getz digs in surprisingly hard at times, particularly on the bop themes such as "Confirmation." Dailey raises eyebrows on a number of occasions - check out his change of time signatures during the solo on "Tune Up." Anyway, at 9 bucks, this is a heck of a bargain. Don't miss it.

RDK - this argument about squashing the dynamic range sounds fine in theory but I honestly think it's more of a theoretical issue - a pet topic of debate for obsessed audiophiles (and hey, I'm talking about it here, so count me among those rolls I guess... ) but one that doesn't hold water in reality. What you're talking about - distracting loss of dynamic range - would only occur if there was EXTREME equalization going on, so that the specific parts of the sonic spectrum that were quiet to begin with were heavily boosted while others that were louder were being drastically turned down, in order to "flatten" or compress the signal so that it's essentially approaching a flat line. If that happened, then sure, what you're saying is true. That's selective adjustment of volume. It could also happen if the overall CD signal was so "hot" that it was approaching distortion levels, I suppose. What I'm trying to say is that it is clear to my ears that neither of these things is going on. While it's possible that Rudy may be using some compression on the RVGs - it remains a matter of debate but probably he does at least on some - he uses it FAR more judiciously than what you're implying. You can just hear it - not everything sounds like it's at the same volume, NO MATTER where you have your volume knob set on the stereo. There's plenty of dynamic range, even if you're listening at a louder volume and certainly if you adjust to a comfortable listening volume. So basically, I hold fast - given that your stereo volume knob doesn't selectively adjust different parts of the spectrum, you can just turn down the volume knob when you're listening to RVGs if you feel they're too loud, and turn up older CDs (which in my experience tended to be recorded much more quietly). When I do this in A/B tests, I find two things - one, that often there is NOT as much difference between the old and new versions as you initially thought - in other words, what skeith says is clearly true unless maybe you have an ultra-audiophile, mega-buck listening system that can reproduce the full dynamic range with perfect fidelity even at ultra low volumes - but two, that there IS CLEARLY a difference even if subtle.

I love the idea of the "complete fuckups," brilliant. I'm sure there were at least a few more I've come across. Great idea for a Select.

Sorry I'm late in too - HAPPY BIRTHDAY and thanks for hosting the board, it's a great place primarily thanks to the friendly, everyone's welcome vibe you guys established and maintain.

Well Big Wheel, you're in for a treat once you hear the earlier records. I would agree with Jim and Lon - as great as the later records like CONSUMMATION and CENTRAL PARK NORTH are to me, they have some patches that to my ears haven't aged as well. For example, I do have a hard time getting past some of the numbers with electric bass - I am not fundamentally against electrified jazz, but to me these cuts sound time bound and kitschy now. By contrast, the earlier material is consistently sublime and still sounds ultra fresh and contemporary even today, precisely because they didn't pander to any trends and just made beautiful, creative music. Just simply amazing how creative the charts were, how wonderful the playing and writing - what a cast. Bob Brookmeyer's arranging work in particular is monumental. Blue Note definitely has to get around to reissuing all their holdings of Jones/Lewis, the music is just too good to sit in the vault. The first 3 discs of the Mosaic are among my favorite jazz recordings ever. This includes the albums PRESNTING THAD JONES-MEL LEWIS AND THE JAZZ ORCHESTRA, LIVE AT THE VILLAGE VANGUARD, and MONDAY NIGHT plus previously unissued stuff from that era - so everything from 1966 through 1968.

As Lon and some others know, some of the Savoy Lateefs were issued in a 2 CD set a couple years back - and for once, Orrin Keepnews kept the dates issued complete, not truncated! He did, however, never get around to getting the other Lateef Savoys out... To make up the rest, if you are into vinyl, there was a good 2 LP set on Savoy called MORNING...I'm not 100% sure but I think if you have this and the CD twofer, you'd have all his leader stuff on Savoy. I'd be pleasantly surprised if someone corrected me about that, since it would mean more Lateef to hear! All the Savoys are indeed great - and I'd give the material on MORNING the nod as his best work, which makes it all the more galling that it's not out on CD.

Morganized - I may not have been clear enough here, hopefully I haven't offended you. Actually, if you'll note I started my post with the clear phrase "Nothing personal..." precisely because my words were not directed specifically at you. Rather, I felt you were bringing up a topic that has been discussed here before, often by people who have an axe to grind with the whole RVG series. I didn't think you were doing that. I guess I feel a bit differently than you do - you feel that people often presuppose the RVGs are superior. In my view there are many more people around here who seem eager to slam the US RVG series (particularly the TOCJ crowd), more than those who defend it. Really though I personally don't care - people should listen to what they want to, regardless of series. I just rankle when in the past folks have tried to claim the only thing added by the RVG's is loudness. Again, my tin ear comment was meant in that vein, NOT directed at you personally. It was also mostly in jest, although I could see how people might take offense. I do believe though that some people are much more capable of hearing subtle things in audio than others, and sometimes those who can't nay say the abilities of others. Anyway, so sorry if my post came off as being directed at you or overly harsh - no harm or foul, I hope! I enjoy your posts.

Nothin' personal, Morganized, but I personally feel it's time to put to rest this canard about the RVG's just having "the recording level set higher." Correct me if I'm wrong but this issue of playback volume would make ZERO difference in sonics even to the audio challenged. Basically, you compensate by adjusting your volume knob - if the CD is louder, you automatically turn it down, if it's quiet, you turn it up. At least that's what I do...try it some time and once you have your old copy and your RVG both adjusted to comparable volume levels, THEN do your A/B test. It's really that simple. If you do that and still can't hear any difference then I'm thinking either your system is pretty bad, or there's tin ears at play, or both. Notice I didn't say "if you don't hear the RVG as better..." because I realize it's a personal taste thing and not everyone likes the sound of the RVGs. But they are most assuredly different in their sonic thumbprint, WAY beyond just "being louder." I find it odd that with so many people who obviously know their audio on the board this ridiculous piece of folklore keeps coming up, like Blue Note and Rudy are trying to slip one by all of us. Don't think so.

If the RVG was remastered from vinyl - and the sonic characteristics still have me suspicious it may have been - they did a fantastic job removing surface noise of any kind. Some was audible on the old U.S. version which I've now sold back, but I don't hear anything of the sort yet on the RVG. That said, I haven't had a chance to do a listen on my own system at home. FWIW, the RVG also sounds better in other ways - more fullbodied, better bass, etc. Nice job.

I have the Lateef on vinyl and it's a killer - really wonderful album, happy to upgrade soon as my LP has some surface noise. All the Lateef Impulse! dates NEED to be on CD - and as I've been saying for years would have made a great Mosaic box.

Yes, agree that the "random play" functions on some CD players suck. On mine I've noticed that the pattern it follows depends on which disc you start with - e.g. if you start with disc 2 it'll go through one (predictable) sequence, with disc 3 another, etc. So not even CLOSE to "random" and there are some sequences where certain discs get ignored for 5-6-7 or even more selections. Annoying and hard to understand - how hard could it be to put in a random number generation program? Anyway, with that frustration in mind - I actually DO use random play quite often. My favorite thing to do is put discs in there that either I haven't played all the way through yet, or haven't really explored in enough detail, and just let it go. I've found or rediscovered some of my favorite cuts doing this - stuff I have just overlooked for some reason. Good when you're working too, to play continuously for hours in the background.

DON'T GO THERE GARTH - there's a special place in hell for those of us who have become, almost against our will, "sonic upgraders." (But having said that, U.S. RVG's RULE!)

As I said, Stefan, agreed - still, little harm in trying as long as hopes don't get too high.

I agree Corea is a remarkably gifted pianist. He has perhaps the most distinctive "touch" of any living jazz pianist, except maybe for McCoy Tyner. I generally have problems identifying piano players "blindfolded" but can pick out Corea in a heartbeat.

Fortunately, due to the great kindness of another board member who was by coincidence looking to sell, I have now got a copy of this box on the way at a more than reasonable price! A very pleasant and unexpected surprise - THANK YOU, you know who you are! B) People coming late to this discussion who are still looking for the Smith box - it is listed on Collectors Choice Music's site (I hate them but before my friend came through, went to them immediately because I know they stock many Mosaics). I ordered but then got a "backordered" notification...so unlikely they'll be able to come through, but you might give it a shot.

DAMN! Thanks for the link and updating me guys. This is one I literally had in my shopping cart at the Mosaic site at least 3 different occasions and then removed thinking "I've still got time and I don't want to miss these others (most of which have now gone OOP)." Shoot. Oh well, time to piece together as much as possible with the Verve 2-fer, CD-R's, etc...

It's nowhere to be found on the Mosaic Web site. Odd, and eerie... Boy, in light of the recent movement of some sets there to OOP and Last Chance did THIS give me a heart attack this evening. But it's not on their OOP list, though, so this HAS to be an oversight - right? RIGHT? PLEASE tell me I'm right. This has been next on my list for "regular" Mosaics for some time. Will be mighty bummed if it sneaked past me. BTW - sorry, this should have appeared in the Mosaic forum but I got so panicked I goofed.

Thanks Kenny. I perused that list too and it looked pretty promising. Will probably take the plunge!

I've been trying to round up the last few of those great Verve "Take 2" collections from the mid-90's that I missed when they were issued. Many/most now OOP although not too hard to find used. THE MERCURY RECORDS JAZZ STORY may be the last on the list I truly am interested in. Can anyone post their impressions? How much of the material remains otherwise unissued in the U.S.?

At this point in my life, one Yes album is plenty...and that one will probably always be CLOSE TO THE EDGE, a really remarkable achievement. Still listening to my old (flea market buy, circa 1976) vinyl for now but with plans to snag the CD remaster VERY soon. It's hard not to be disappointed with what came after that...Yes made some very fine music but nothing as well conceived or executed to me. FWIW, I've always thought GOING FOR THE ONE was grossly underrated - a fine collection of tunes, beautifully recorded. THE YES ALBUM was wonderfully fresh and I still like that one.