gmonahan

Damn, Jim. Next you'll be telling us you don't like Kenny G! gregmo

Jimmy Lunceford: re-assessing the Decca Jazz GRP vs. the Decca Jazz Heritage series 'enhanced stereo' vinyl (1969): Since writing #8 above, I've A/B'd the Jimmy Lunceford tracks on both and consistently arrived at a surprising conclusion: If you can handle the slight reverb of its 'enhanced stereo', the Jazz Heritage vinyl provides more clarity, open air, and detail. The computerized NoNoise of the Decca GRP CD not only dampens the total sound but also muffles the instrumental solos and vocals. The result of this processing and re-equalizing depletes the ambient air so the Lunceford band sounds like it's in a closet full of clothing. While the seven bonus tracks on the CD are nice, the overall playback does not reward close listening. An interesting finding, but I think the new Mosaic trumps any other reissue of the Lunceford Deccas. It certainly does to these ears. gregmo

Haha, file those under "Seemed like a good idea at the time"? Ha - over here quite a few of the vols. from that Jazz Heritage Series (with exactly the same tracks in the same order) were reissued on German Brunswick in their "The Golden Swing Years" series in the mid-60s, strictly in mono and with no tampering. On the other hand those Decca Jazz Heritage LPs were very nicely compiled for their time and for some LPs from that Decca Jazz Heritage Series there just was no subsitute (that was compiled as well) in any other reissue series for a VERY long time - e.g. the Jan Savitt LP (DL 79243) (and as Trev no doubt will confirm this one has some great lindy hoppers' delights on it ... ) You're dead on about the Jan Savitt LP. It remains the only one in that series I still dig out on rare occasions, but the material from the others has mostly been reissued in far better sound on cd, thank goodness (well, maybe not the Woody Herman "Turning Point" volume??). That said, Milt Gabler did do a fine job on the compilations, and the liners were generally pretty good too. But the sound. Oh my. gregmo

That was sadly the case with many cd reissues from the early 90s. I think engineers were so enamored of the "silence" of cds that they sometimes neglected to realize that a little noise could hide a lot of music. That got corrected later, but by then, some of the big labels had already "done" their work and were not interested in going back and doing it again. Mosaic did (look what they've done with the cd remasters from the GRP Decca Jazz Chick Webb, for example), as did Jasmine and a few small labels, but, well, so it goes. Look at it this way--the GRPs were FAR superior to the old re-processed stereo disasters of the ancient Decca Jazz Heritage Series on LP! gregmo

A friend and colleague of mine who is a fine jazz pianist in his own right recently published a book on Ellington as pianist entitled _Duke Ellington as Pianist: A Study in Styles_. I thought some out there might be interested so here is the url: http://www.music.org/index.php?option=com_hikashop&ctrl=product&task=show&cid=60&name=volume-24-duke-ellington-as-pianist-a-study-of-styles&Itemid=108&fb_action_ids=10201772651095420&fb_action_types=og.recommends&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map={%2210201772651095420%22%3A585514004852530}&action_type_map={%2210201772651095420%22%3A%22og.recommends%22}&action_ref_map=[] gregmo

Great clarinet too, difficult although he no doubt was, BG could certainly play some. True that! gregmo

I just figured you were riffing on the getting old line!! gregmo

That particular program (with Diahann Carroll and the Fifth Dimension) is available as part of volume 3 (entitled "Primetime") of the 7-DVD set, "The Frank Sinatra Concert Collection." It's a good set. That particular ballad was part of a four-ballad medley, "Glad to Be Unhappy," "Here's That Rainy Day," "It Never Entered My Mind," and "Gone with the Wind." It aired on 15 November 1968. gregmo

So, working for Benny Goodman was not, after all, the worst experience of her life! Definitely one of the greatest of the classic big band singers. gregmo

I was wondering where this one went. Thanks, Lon, for the reminder, and especially, thanks Ricky for your hard work AND for joining us on the Board to keep us up to date! gregmo

Not necessarily, if the latest news can be believed! gregmo

We still have time to make the list. Don't either of you leave. We'd miss ya! gregmo

The shoulder shrug at the end is interesting! I don't think Sinatra thought much of the song--I didn't think much of it either--but it is cool to see the band! gregmo

I put a message on his guestbook. Gotta love C.T.! gregmo

Benny Carter, "The Music Master" Proper box, disc 3. I like it. Sound is good, and I haven't heard a lot of these things before. gregmo

Thanks for posting this Mark. The last true collection of un-mined Sinatra is the series TV stuff. This catches him in the classic Capitol period on a great song. gregmo

As I've read through the tributes on this thread, I've been struck again--as I have listening to him over the years--by the amazing variety of musicians with whom he played--every style, type, and sort. And he enhanced them all. What an extraordinarily open-minded musician he was. RIP. gregmo

No restaurants? Too bad. I love eating rijsttafel (Indonesian rice with a zillion toppings) when I'm in Amsterdam. That and some Heineken makes for a very fulfilling evening, food-wise! gregmo

Now Marcel, such cynicism! But, I think in this case, Loren really does want to get the music released. He's a true jazz guy. gregmo

I don't think the BG estate is the only one holding it all up. Schoenberg was citing it as one of the more egregious examples. But I certainly agree that getting any of it would be great. Pretty sure Mosaic is already on board. gregmo

Thanks Romualdo! gregmo

The cds in the 9-cd box were fairly basic, with single-fold covers just listing tracks, dates, and personnel (no liners). There was a very small supplemental booklet that came with it with an essay on Bechet's life by Jean-Pierre Jackson, but with little on the specific sessions. I don't have them scanned, but here are the titles in order with dates covered in parentheses (apologies to my French friends for leaving off the accents!): 1: Bechet Creole Blues (1949-50) 2: In the Groove (1950-51) 3: Petite Fleur (1951-52) 4: Embraceable You (1952) 5: Nuages (1952-54) 6: Un Ange Comme Ca (1954-56) 7: Passport to Paradise (1956) 8: Premier Bal (1957) 9: Souvenirs de la Nouvelle Orleans (1957-58) Volume 8 includes the two sessions with innovative French pianist, Martial Solal. gregmo

Are the Pierce and Willie Smith sessions the only ones that weren't issued in the "Essential" cd series back in the early 90s? That series had 14 cds, and this box only has 11. Obviously, dropping the alternates makes tons of room, but I'm curious how much new there will be in this box for those of us that have the earlier ones. gregmo

I was lucky enough to find that set at a rack-job at Charles Degaulle Airport, of all places. Go figure! gregmo

Oregon has no sales tax, so no problem here...well, except that not having a damned sales tax screws up state finances and starves important programs! gregmo