Teasing the Korean

Bob Dorough - Just About Everything - Inner City Definitive reading of "Tis Autumn."

The Secret Life of Harpers Bizarre - Warner Bros. Stereo I always dismissed them as a second tier, lightweight 60s group. This is a really cool avant-pop album.

Brazil Super Hits - Atlantic mono Great one-stop-shopping collection of early bossa stuff on Atlantic, including Mendes, Jobim, Bonfa, Gilberto, Almeida, Herbie Mann, et. al., in various combinations.

I happen to really love moog albums from that era. Almost as much as jazz albums. And sometimes more than jazz albums, if I'm in the right mood. You know, on this album Hugo does really interesting things with material that is melodically and harmonically simple in its original versions (and that's not necessarily an insult to Neil). AND, I will ALWAYS love Hugo for his Man from UNCLE Vol. 1 LP on RCA, which is one of the greatest spy LPs ever (he didn't write the music but his arrangements are KILLER).

Hugo Montenegro - Neil's Diamonds - RCA Dynaflex Now sound interpretations of Neil Diamond hits featuring copious amounts of moog!

The Bregman stuff I've heard is harmonically on the square side. I've never really cared for the albums he did with Ella for that reason.

Not utilizing original cover art (so I've been told).

As someone who as done mono and stereo recording and mixing, I can tell you this: Any stereo recording that is properly in phase will result in a noticeable boost in the center channel (+3dB) when folded down to mono. This is a fact. The bass and piano are in the center on most of those RVG mixes. Drums and horns are usually off to the sides. Most of those recordings are in phase also, to RVG's credit. This means more bass and piano in mono. As someone with ears that work, I can also tell you that the piano is often buried in those RVG stereo mixes. Regardless of his intentions, most of those records have a better balance in mono. You are entitled to your opinions of RVG stereo recordings, and I am entitled to mine. I've never heard any of your records, so I can only hope that you did a better job of mixing the piano on your records than RVG did on his.

Shaving Ryan's Privates

Hard for me to enjoy a jazz quartet or quintet when the bass and piano are buried in the mix. This is why the mono versions sound better. And if the stereo mixes did indeed take priority for RVG, then he is grossly overrated.

Oliver Nelson - Live from Los Angeles - Impulse! stereo

Dorothy Ashby - Afro Harping (Cadet reissue) The Blue Stars of Paris (Mercury, mono) Brian Auger - Closer To It (RCA Yellowish Orange) The Main Ingredient - Afrodisia (RCA, same label) Monk Montgomery - Reality (Philadelphia International)

The fact that they are fold-downs still does not change the fact that the mixes sound better in mono.

Has he arrived yet, brandishing his pristine copy of "Jazz at the Porn Shop?" Inquiring minds want to know...

How is this album compared to the first one or the others by Gabor that you like? There's a copy at one of my local stores and it's not as in good a shape as the others they had that I bought so I passed on it for now. Maybe I should trade my copy of 1969 in for that one anyway. I like this one a lot, and sure, I'd say trade 1969 for it.

The most fascinating part of that thread for me is that people are shelling out 30-50 bucks a throw for audiophile pressings of albums that are routinely available in the dollar bin of vinyl shops and thrift stores...

I just checked out his entry on Wikipedia and it says it's locked due to a dispute.

Happy Birthday! In your honor, I will listen to some Italian bossa nova!

I never even heard of this Hoffman guy until I started poking around this site, about a year or two ago. If what I'm reading here is true, I have no desire to check out his message board.

Gabor Szabo - Mo' So'cery - Impulse! stereo A Stereo Jack's purchase...

A legal budget reissue. Probably missing a track or two. Was this a reissue of the Capitol soundtrack album?

Chet Baker - Swinging Soundtrack - Kimberly mono with arrangements by Bill Holman and Johnny Mandel This is apparently a budget label knockoff of Leith Stevens' "James Dean Story" soundtrack.

Happy Birthday! Hope you're planning on spinning some bossa nova today!

Yes, and I'd add "No One Cares" to that select list also.