gmonahan

Thanks for the heads-up on this one. It had somehow slipped under my radar. Used copy is on the way! gregmo

A rather bizarre treasure I found in a cut-out bin (for $1.95 each, no less) were 5 cds on Laserlight called "Happy Birthday Duke: The Birthday Sessions" from the Bethlehem period (ca. 1953). Amazingly good stuff, and the sound was even good. Go figure! gregmo

True, true, though I think the Reprise box has more interesting surprises on it than the Capitol box. Not that I'd part with that one, you understand! gregmo

Hush! I'm saving money here! gregmo

Does anyone have any personnel or recording date info on this album? I got it under the title "Hawk Eyes" on the Hip label. allmusic.com is no help except to say it's late-period Hawk in stereo with a trio. That much I can tell by listening to it. Lord doesn't list it at all, so, no help there. Any info?? gregmo

I guess the nice thing about this thread getting off onto avant-garde trombone players is that I can at least temporarily save some money on Amazon orders........ gregmo

According to Wiki, Harris didn't die until 1973. Too bad he didn't record more. As others have remarked a lot more eloquently than I can, he had a very individual and interesting style. But, I imagine he made good money in Vegas, and I can't fault him for wanting a bit of stability and affluence! gregmo

Some really interesting music in this box! gregmo

That won't be very difficult. He doesn't seem to have recorded much outside of the Herman band. One album ("Bill Harris and Friends") plus a session or two on Keynote and some live stuff. The Spanish pirates put most of his studio things together on a 2-cd set. gregmo

I didn't know they'd reissued "Stride Right" by Hodges and Hines. That's one of those 60s Verves by Hodges I wish Mosaic would do! gregmo

Sigh. This thread promises to be great for my ears, not so good for my bank account! gregmo

Yep, if you count the Select. Ellington holds the record, I think, with four--2 Brunswick (big band and small groups), 1 Capitol, 1 Reprise. Listening to Rosemary Clooney, disc 3. I like this set a lot better than I thought I would. gregmo

It's available from amazon: gregmo

I think you'll like the Clooney. I was surprised, frankly, at how much I enjoyed it! gregmo

Jim, you really might want to rethink your reservations on the Shaw set. You can pick up the Forrest vocals on two cds on Jasmine (they're well worth having), but the Mosaic is very fine. And it won't be around much longer. gregmo

That depends on how much you like Artie Shaw. I have both as well. The Self Portrait box is particularly heavy on the later (50s) recordings with the Grammercy Five groups that Shaw liked very much. The Mosaic box focuses strictly on the RCA period of the early-mid-forties. It has a fair number of alternate takes and, like a lot of Mosaic boxes, is designed for big fans of that particular artist and completists like me. I think it's worth it, but then, I like Artie Shaw. gregmo

I think the Blue Notes are absolutely essential. Like the others too, but those Blue Notes..... gregmo

I'd rate them Hampton, Herman, Shaw, Crusaders, Jones, Hackett, though I could see others rating the Crusaders set higher. It's fun. As always with Mosaic, when something goes to "running low," procrastination is a very dangerous thing. gregmo

GA, thanks for posting this. It appears to be a copy of the Concepts set issued by Capitol in the US. Of course, without a complete track list, I can't tell if all the alternates were issued on the US set, but the three I can see in the amazon.uk blurb photo were. If anyone has specific info on the alternate tracks issue, I'd love to read it. Thanks again! gregmo

Cecil Taylor is a far better, gentler, and kinder man than I am. I'd want to castrate the son of a bitch with a dull spoon. gregmo

The lowest circle of hell should be reserved for scumbags like this guy. How is Cecil, anyway? I mean, his health? Things like this can have a terrible effect if one's health is fragile. gregmo

I'd go if I lived close enough. gregmo

Oh, I think he was a very good film actor. I just don't think that's where his genius was. Film just confined him too much, well, with a couple of exceptions like "Aladdin," which was standup set to animation. He helped make Johnny Carson's last "real" show memorable, as he did just about every time he appeared unscripted anywhere. A comedy genius. I wish he had managed his illness as well as Jonathan Winters managed--with a great deal of effort--to do. gregmo

The late Phillips period with my candidate for the most underrated tenor saxophonist of all time, Sal Nistico. One of Woody's best latter-day bands. Thanks for posting! gregmo

With few exceptions I was not a fan of his movies, but I thought he was a true improvisational genius when it came to stand-up. Only Jonathan Winters ever came close, and I think Williams was better. A real loss. gregmo