gmonahan

Thanks for this link. I also enjoyed reading his piece on Mitch Miller. gregmo

We just got spoiled by the quick shipping. Mine took the better part of ten days to get to Oregon, but it arrived unscathed, and I'm enjoying it now. I guess we just have to embrace greater anticipation! gregmo

Have a great day! gregmo

Uh...no...different Dagmar I think! Dagmar gregmo

This one REALLY creeps me out. gregmo

Jamal, disc one. gregmo

Rosemary Clooney, although not "undermined" in any way, was not pleased with Miller's choice of material for her either. I think it was Ralph J. Gleason who claimed that Miller told Clooney to sing "Come On-a My House" "like you want to get laid." Although I appreciate the sentiment, I more than understand how it would grate on Clooney... The story of Miller and Sinatra is well told in the excellent notes to the huge "Blue Box" of Sinatra's Columbia recordings. Sinatra did blame Miller, and Miller countered that Frank *never* recorded anything he didn't want to record. It's an interesting "he said...he said." My guess is that Miller did recommend the schlockier songs (including the infamous "Mama Will Bark" with Dagmar), and that Sinatra, desperate for a hit and knowing how dumb the songs were, went along anyway. "Mama Will Bark" is definitely a hoot, and not exactly a high point of Sinatra's discography! gregmo

Modern action flicks are especially impressive on Blu-ray. "Ironman" was my first, and it's gorgeous, but I think "The Dark Knight" takes the cake. The blu-ray version expands to the full screen on my 72-inch Toshiba during the IMAX shots, and the sound actually amps up. My house pops off its foundations and dances around the street. Way cool. gregmo

Welcome to the Board! Delighted to have you here! gregmo

Got my Jamal box today. Weirdly, UPS delivered it to the post office instead of to my house, and there was a small snafu with my mail. I assume Mosaic is saving money by having it delivered by UPS to local post offices and then having them deliver it to houses? I've never heard of that before. Or have we discussed that somewhere, and I've missed it?! gregmo

Thanks Dave. I emailed Mosaic to get a tracking number (it wasn't on my notification of shipping email). Maybe it'll come tomorrow. Hope springs eternal! gregmo

I think s/he should get those Buddy Bolden cylinders Lon has been hoarding. gregmo

Same here. Mine was sent on the 21st via UPS, left Secaucus, N.J. on the 22nd and disappeared into the void. Guess us we're paying the price for living out here on the left coast.. Thanks for posting this Dave. It makes me feel a LITTLE better that I'm not the only one! gregmo

This trio and the group in post #4 look like aliens from another planet to me! I'm still wondering what they want Jesus to use them for. gregmo

Haven't gotten my Jamal set yet. gregmo

Not a bad lineup: Roy Eldridge, Kai Winding, John LaPorta, Warne Marsh, Lester Young, Teddy Wilson, Terry Gibbs, Billy Bauer, Eddie Safranski, Max Roach, Billy Eckstine. I have the session on this double CD from Verve (big Billy Eckstine fan here!) I've come to like Mr. B more and more too. I think I'll order that one--thanks for the heads-up! That would mean, I guess, that the 1956 sessions are the only ones never to have been issued on cd. Too bad Mosaic isn't doing Singles anymore. If they could get hold of the alternate of Billie's Bounce and add it to the rest, that could make a nice single. gregmo

The excellent French label Frémeaux & Associés reissued all the Metronome All Stars sessions - plus the Esquire All Stars sessions - from 1939 to 1950 on this double CD: Summit Meetings It includes a number - but not all - of the various alternate takes! Missing are the 1951 (Capitol), 1953 (MGM) and 1956 (Clef/Verve) Metronome All Stars dates. I did not know the 1956 session remains unissued on CD. A shame! But I am sure the Spanish afficionados will be taking care of this soon! Verve France (Barclay) reissued the LP in the eighties! The Capitol sessions from 1947 (two tracks) and 1951 (two tracks) were issued on the old Capitol Jazz Classics series (on LP: M-11031). It was Vol. 6, "All Star Sessions." I imagine that record is nearly as rare as the Clef 1956 LP. I've never seen the MGM effort from 1953. Who was on that one? gregmo EDIT to add that those two 1951 tracks were reissued by Capitol on cd on a compilation disc called "Birth of the Cool, Vol. 2." It's mostly dominated by Gerry Mulligan Tentet tracks with Chet Baker, I think.

You can buy cartridges that have interchangeable styli. These are excellent quality: http://www.stantondj.com/v2/cartridge/facts_playback.php Interesting. Thanks for the link! gregmo

Finding a new one that plays 78s, and with the right cartridge/needle, does strike me as a bit of a challenge. gregmo

Of course it is fair. I just wonder if this was a recurrent situation or a relatively isolated incident in a less than pleasant overall situation where probably one thing led to another. Maybe Mingus, being as hot-tempered as he was, really would not have been the person to state, for example, that the situation overall was fairly OK and a career step ahead for him (again, would he otherwise have stayed for more than one year if he had been confronted with that kind of thoughtlessness or degrading treatment day in, day out?) but that the situation deteriorated during that Southern tour and made things unbearable for him? That would have put things in perspective. The sad truth is that unfortunately this was no isolated incident. Just remember the shabby and downright "couldn't care less" behavior of Benny Goodman in the face of how Wardell Gray was treated in certain places while in his band. Let's face it, when it came to being articulate and outspoken in everyday life and assuming responsibility for their own employees many band leaders were just utter dimwits. Or Roy Eldridge with Krupa and Shaw. Such stories are legion. That said, _Beneath the Underdog_ has always been one of the most problematic of jazz autobiographies. Have we ever had a thread on it? gregmo

Bing Crosby, disc 7. It's taken me a while to listen through all these, but I've really enjoyed 'em. gregmo

Happy birthday Jack, and thanks for cluing me to this Board a few birthdays ago! gregmo

More likely with "older" collectors who are also serious (and damned near everybody on this Board!). I can remember exulting when I finally got hold of the 8-volume VSOP set on French Columbia. Figured I had all the Satch that mattered (I was young), and I did have some very good Satch (and I still have those LPs), but over the years there have been SO many more. I got the Definitive sets of the Deccas before Mosaic issued them better and with alternates, so I got those too--and this after I'd gotten all the old Decca Jazz Heritage LPs years before. I got the JSPs for the Hot Fives and Hot Sevens on cd even though I had them already on LP. I'd bought "Louis in the 30s and 40s" on LP before the Complete RCA recordings came out on cd, so, of course, I got those too. It goes on and on.... But in the words of George C. Scott's "Patton" in the movie, "I love it...God help me, I do love it so...."!! :blush2: gregmo

The problem for a label like Mosaic is that so much of the "essential" (master takes) music from these periods has been reissued with much of it available used from various sellers, that I just don't think any of it would be viable for them to rework. I especially agree with you about the earlier 25-31 Sony-owned material, though. My guess, however, is that this will be the last Ellington from Mosaic. Not that I wouldn't LOVE to be proved wrong! And welcome to the group! gregmo