gmonahan

Like that's possible. The pain of digging through all of Crouch's BS to find actual nuggets about Bird we haven't seen is too awful to contemplate. Volume 1? Lord help us....

Neither would I. That's why I have the 10-cd set! (And the Decca set and the Commodore and the Columbias!) And there absolutely IS some great Billie during this period--especially the stuff with Sweets. But there is also some pretty *awful* Billie during this period, which is why I'd hesitate to invest more money in yet another reissue.

How *does* the sound compare? I've got the 10-cd set, and I'm not much interested in upgrading unless there's a pretty good-size difference! Likewise, it's become kind of a cliche to say that Billie's voice could sound pretty ragged on the Verve stuff sometimes, especially compared to her earlier work, but I have to say it's one of those cliches that's kind of true.

Now, THIS is a guy I would have had fun talking to almost as much as I've already enjoyed hearing him on records. A sad loss.

I'd definitely go for an Art Pepper Complete Contemporary box. We've had most of the rest of his catalog in nice boxes for a while.

I think you mean Contemporary. I have virtually all of his available recordings on Contemporary, and they are uniformly top-notch (and have that wonderful Contemporary sound). And don't limit yourself to just the trio stuff, with his wonderful quartet recordings, e.g., 3 "All Night Session!" volumes--with Jim Hall on guitar, "Four!" with Barney Kessel on guitar and Shelly Manne on drums, and "For Real!" with Harold Land on tenor and Scott LaFaro on bass. A non-Contemporary Hawes trio date I really like is "Blues For Bud", which was recorded in Europe in the late 60's and is available on the 1201 Music label (it was originally on Black Lion) here. And one last trio CD not to be overlooked is "Bird Song" on OJC--a couple of terrific sessions from the late 50's not released until 1999. See here. Yes, absolutely, it was Contemporary. Sigh. When I start confusing labels like that, I sometimes think I should hang it up! Thanks for the recommendations on other Hawes. I'll check those out!

It's taking me a fair amount of (wonderful!) time to get through my Concord haul. How on earth did I miss Hampton Hawes??! I've been listening to three cds of his piano playing, including the wonderful Trio, Vol. 1, and he could really move on piano. I'm SO glad I got those cds! Caused me to go in search of more, especially the trio stuff he recorded for Prestige.

Was this material reissued on the mammoth 24-cd Centennial box? Yes, Greg. "RCA 22/15" quote means "RCA Centennial Edition, disc 22, track 15" Sorry--didn't get the code! Thanks for the quick response!

Concert at the Civic Arena. Jazz Piano Workshop. Duke Ellington & Earl Hines: Duke Ellington, Earl Hines, p; Larry Gales, b; Ben Riley, d. TPA3356 RCA LPM-3499 RCA:22/15, L&R:1/15.2 and SDT:19 House Of Lords -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I devoted my radio show to her on Sunday. Played a couple of the Krupa and Kenton things, then concentrated on the great Mosaic Verve set. I thought about playing something from "Indestructable," her last record, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I guess I wanted my listeners (it's a very small college station) to hear her in her prime, and frankly, that last record is pretty painful to listen to. She really was a great singer, and that Mosaic set is a prize.

I wish all the Victor stuff was available in a tight set with *good* sound. I have the "Indispensable" 2-cd set from French RCA, but the sound is pretty lousy, and the Victor stuff is spread all over the Bix Restored cds. I do love the Mosaic, but it doesn't include the Victor material. I have a particular weakness for Bix's solo on Whiteman's "Dardanella." There's this huge orchestra, lumbering along, trying and failing to sound "jazzy," and suddenly this amazing clarion-clear cornet comes exploding out with a wonderful solo. Still a goose-bump moment after all these years!

The Mosaic Verve set by her was one of the only truly surprising Mosaic sets I ever got. I expected a pretty good set, as I always do with Mosaic, but found it absolutely wonderful, and one I get out and listen to as often if not more often than most others. I wish this great artist well.

"Woody's Winners" was always my favorite of the Herman Columbias. I had sort of hoped Mosaic would combine the Herman Columbias with the Phillips for a box, but this singles release would appear to cut off that possibility. That said, all three Columbias from which this singles release is culled have been available in the recent past on cd, so I'm not bowled over by this particular selection. Now, if we could get a Select box with all the Herman Phillips recordings, that would be sweet!

Yeah, I'll be patient. Not my most prominent quality though. If you find out if there's another box by these two guys (and it's not the piano one, I have that), post about it here, will you? I'm sure I'd jump on it. This is all new to me. Do these boxes repeat material from the "Jazz in Paris" series? Or are they just compilations from various labels including American recordings?

I want to reiterate a recommendation for "New Orleans Suite." I've been listening to Ellington for a long time, and I like just about everything he did in the 60s and early 70s, but this suite really sticks with me. "Blues for New Orleans," with Johnny Hodges' last studio solo and duet with Wild Bill Davis, is absolutely majestic, and Cootie Williams is wonderful on the "Portrait of Louis Armstrong." I don't think there's a weak piece on this disc, and it really does capture the spirit of the Crescent City. Very highly recommended.

I very much agree! (Second home?) Second home: an extended stay hotel/apartment place in Medical Center area, Houston. Been here most of the time since early April caretaking my wife through cancer treatment. I've been down that road. You and your wife are in my thoughts.

It's worth mentioning in this thread (as opposed to the other two just cited!) that two artists in particular recorded some interesting material for Mainstream that has been indifferenly reissued: Maynard Ferguson, most of whose Mainstream material was only briefly issued on cd, and Sarah Vaughan. Her Live in Tokyo set is well worth seeking out. Some Mainstream stuff came out via the Jazz Heritage series, but it would be nice to have the Vaughan material in particular.

I got my 58 discs a few days ago (took about three weeks to get them--not bad at all!). I'd ordered 62, three were out of print, and they forgot to put the McLean "4,5,6" K2 in the box. I called *the man* at Concord, and he assured me they'd get it in the mail. I got it the very next day by Federal Express! That seemed a bit extravagant, but I was glad to get it. Now I have LOTS of listening to do!

Mosaic has finally updated its pre-order page to include a couple of Selects and three singles. I listened to the sound bytes and was surprised to find myself most attracted to the Andrew Hill select. Much of his music has often proved a bit remote to me, but the little of this solo work I heard really sounded lovely. I'm looking forward to getting that set and hearing it! I'll probably get the Buddy Rich too. I've always liked that band.

Agreed. Worth it more for Bill Evans' playing. Tony does better elsewhere. You know, I used to feel the same way as all the other posters on this thread--liked the Fantasy album, thought the Improv was so-so, but that album has really grown on me, especially "You Must Believe in Spring," a Michel Legrand tune that has seldom been recorded. Call me nuts (and some of you will!), but there's something about that song that really catches my attention. The Bennett "Complete Improv Recordings" on Concord is well worth it IMO. Some of Bennett's best work.

I don't doubt that! It would be interesting to know about the rights. It was pretty unusual, I think, for artists to own their masters at that time. The movie "Ray" made a big deal out of Ray Charles owning his masters at ABC/Paramount. I haven't read any biographies of Charles, so I don't know how accurate the movie was about that. For all his legendary status, Tea wasn't exactly a chart-topper, so it seems to me like it would be unusual for him to be able to make that kind of deal, but you never know. Regardless, I'm definitely looking forward to hearing the music--Bobby Hackett with him on it too! I don't personally believe that Joe Teagarden has the rights to this Verve lp, but that he is just putting it out because he wanted to have a "prize" recording to offer and he's mad at how his dad's work has been stiffed by some majors and bootlegged all over the world. Well, if that's the case, I'm in a *hurry* to get the album!

It wasn't her best period, the Roulette stuff, but there are treasures in the set. She did better with Mercury, and I'm fond of her later Pablo stuff, especially the Ellington Song Books. Big Happy Birthday, by the way, to Michael Cuscuna, who turned 58 on Wednesday!

I don't doubt that! It would be interesting to know about the rights. It was pretty unusual, I think, for artists to own their masters at that time. The movie "Ray" made a big deal out of Ray Charles owning his masters at ABC/Paramount. I haven't read any biographies of Charles, so I don't know how accurate the movie was about that. For all his legendary status, Tea wasn't exactly a chart-topper, so it seems to me like it would be unusual for him to be able to make that kind of deal, but you never know. Regardless, I'm definitely looking forward to hearing the music--Bobby Hackett with him on it too!

OK, I'm an idiot! Thanks for the url. I ordered the cd and will look forward to hearing this very last of Big T's studio albums. I wonder how they got the rights from Verve to sell it? Not that I'm complaining, mind you!

It's not generally known, but Jack's son has reissued that Verve lp as one of the three cds that he sells on the website. . . . I bought all three of those cds, and there's lots of great Teagarden on them. It's actually been some time since I last heard them, and I would pull them out right now if I could, but I'm in another city from my collection. . . . Could you give me the url? Thanks! Greg M.