RDK

I seriously doubt it's piracy - just a freakin' mistake on their part. Whether they follow through - whether they even have the items - is another question.

I doubt they're pirated copies. The company may be Malaysian, but isn't the company (its U.S. arm at least) in Delaware? I'd bet this is just a pricing mistake, with them not realizing that it's a 3-CD set they're selling. Whether we get these or not will likely depend on whether some wonk in the warehouse realizes the pricing error and/or cares enough to correct it in the computers.

As I mentioned early in this thread, I've seen the Akiyoshi band a number of times. Also the Mingus BB. Saw the Arkestra, but only after Sonny left this realm. Most recently (though still a couple of years ago), I saw Teddy Edwards' unusual "orchestra" that knocked me for a loop.

I think that's really cool! It's a LOT better than the jobs I had in college. I have many happy memories watching the Welk show with my grandparents when I was a child. I figure the joke with the Mosaic covers I'm making is that they're artists that are FAR from their normal fare. Even though I joke about a lot of musicians, I don't have a problem with any of them. I may not enjoy their music but someone does, and that is cool with me. Since we have completely hijacked this thread, any good stories of your time working for the Welk show... Ah, my stories are nowhere near as interesting as working on the Welk show itself. No, I didn't work on the TV show, but I did meet the man now and then. I was actually a tram driver/traffic guard at the Welk Resort down in Escondido, CA. Hardly a sexy or interesting job, but it was fun, I got free meals and theater shows out of it, and it helped pay my way through college. But I did have to deal with a lot of blue-haired old ladies hitting on me!

Just ordered one of the $48 sets. (Had remaining Amazon credit, so it ended up just over $10 out of pocket.) Will let everyone know what I receive.

In a case of record label snobbery, I tend to stay away from many of the discount/budget/Euro bootleg labels - but dammit there's often some good stuff to be found there. Looking through my stacks of CDs last weekend, I came across this, purchased some time ago for a mere $.79, possibly listened to once (and probably not very seriously at that), and then thrown into the "slush pile." Actually, the copy that I have has a black and white cover and was released by Aurophon, but it's the same session, recorded in 1977 in NYC (so it's not some Euro broadcast bootleg). This and other Who's Who in Jazz sessions tend to pop up all over the place, on all sorts of budget labels. But my question is why? These aren't boots, are they? Who produced these things and why the questionable pedigree? There's some good stuff to be found here, so who "owns" them?

Most likely this is just an error on their part and they'll soon cancel our orders. Otherwise we might score. Nothing ventured, nothing gained...

Ray thinks: "Will the guys make fun of me if I admit to having worked for Mr. Welk for several years while in college...?"

Don't know about any LP, but the show on easytree is not the same as the Blow Up CD (same personal, though, but maybe recorded a few days before/after).

So sad. He was a really sweet guy too. Years ago, as a PA on a sitcom pilot, I had to pick him up at the airport in my shitty old Datsun 210 and drive him back to the studio in Hollywood. I was so embarrassed that I had to drive him in my ratty car, but he was cool about it and regaled me with stories...

And Sal, you're right about The Gift. The thing is, Keanu can actually be good (or at least "not bad" if he really wants and/or needs to be. Usually in smaller roles, when the pressure's not on him to carry a film. He's kinda like Stallone, who was a joke for so many years then really put together a fine performance in Copland.

The simple fact is that he can open a movie. Can't fathom why, but the dude's successful - people (kids?) seem to really want to see anything that he's in. And that's gold in H'wood.

Thanks Chuck! I ordered the three that I didn't have. Heck, it's not like any money I save (if they do indeed show up) won't be going back to Mosaic anyway...

That's a perfect summation of his talents and popularity. Bad as he is, the dude can open a movie.

One more for the hopper tonight! B-) Damn! The stuff that's been showing up on easytree lately has been mighty swell. I've been listening to a killer live Herbie Mann date from '69 (i think) with Sonny Sherock on guitar. We really oughta start a "What bootleg jazz have you been listening to?" thread.

At least it's not this! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6847721/

I have no reason to doubt Ron, so it seems pretty clear (now) that the additional tape hiss on the TOCJ is likely due to higher gen LP tapes used for the Japanese releases. I would expect these LP tapes to be more compressed as well - and perhaps even more "analog sounding" if you buy into such things. I wonder if the wonky high end is simply due to the original tapes now being 40 years old - perhaps the LP tapes the Japanese used "aged" differently? What this should help prove, once and for all, is that it makes little difference if something is mastered in 16, 20-, or 24-bit. Or even that "original master tapes" are not always the best ones to use (at least with no disregard to personal preference). Otherwise, interesting finds.

Couldn't agree more! Lately, some of my favorite Corea recordings have been some boots of broadcasts he's done over the years. Tremendous stuff - much more interesting and appealing (to me at least) than some of his officially released albums.

What a shocking coincidence!!! I was just making another grilled cheese sandwich and I think I can make out Dr. Smith and the robot. I love this place!

I think I have most of these so it's not that big of a deal anymore - but a couple of years ago I'd have been doing cartwheels over these titles. Oblique is especially terrific!

And they wonder why people make fun of religion...

The SACDs (and I'd suspect the latest redbooks derived from them) generally sound fantastic.

Congrats John! All my best to your family. Now get some rest - you'll need it!

There was, presumably, a screening of "Clown" in Santa Monica last year, but I heard about it too late to attend. "The Oscar" used to air fairly regularly on TV a decade or two ago - at least thatr's where I saw it back then. Written (though disowned) by Harlan Ellison, it is indeed a hoot - though hardly as bad as many, more seriously-intended films that I've seen over the years.

This is turning out to be a very interesting thread...