Shrdlu

I think Cedar was an upgrade, too, Guy. His sound is very smooth and subtle, and is an important factor on many a session - such as "Mode For Joe". I didn't like Timmons back in the 60s, mainly because I think his block chord passages are ugly, unlike Red's, which I really love. But, when I got the Mosaic Blakey set, most of which I had never heard before, I really enjoyed Bobby there, largely because he avoids the block chords for the most part. And then, with the explosion of CD reissues making it possible to hear BN sessions which were very hard (if not impossible) to find in the LP days, I have liked Bobby's contribution to those.

Lee Way was recorded in early 1960, when Lee was still playing regularly with Art Blakey. He did leave the scene for awhile the next year, but not in 1960.

The 40s Ike Quebec stuff, which was in a long-OOP Mosaic, is all excellent. There are single CDs of some of it ("Swing High, Swing Lo" etc.) I think it fair to say that Ike and Illinois are similar - both out of the Hawkins and Webster school. If you like Ike, the Jacquet set would be a safe buy.

What's that, BFrank? An instant heart attack?

It's a superb album, Jerry! So are "Mosaic" and "Free For All". I've played those many times since I first got the LPs, and I would never tire of them. There's so much to enjoy. I love the quintet sessions with Lee and Wayne, but the addition of Curtis Fuller's trombone makes a huge difference all round. The balance is just perfect. I don't like the sound on the JRVG of "Mosaic" - Wayne sounds very off-mike. So I hope the RVG, if made, will be better. The TOCJ is good.

Where did you hear that, Jim? If it DID come out as a TOCJ, it escaped Hans's attention. I don't know for sure, myself. However, the idea of the TOCJ series is to reissue the 4000 and 1500 series of 12" LPs, isn't it? I have never seen anything to suggest that they threw in some of the 10 inchers, not that there would be anything wrong with that.

I checked the Verve site, but they have nothing to add to this. I notice that the CD of "Transition" has Transition, Welcome, Suite, Vigil but, going by memory, I'm sticking to what I posted above for the LP contents. The booklet with the 8 CD set agrees with me, too. I definitely remember the calm of "Dear Lord" following the turbulent track "Transition". I do not have the "Transition" CD, so I can't check, but I think there is just an error on the Verve site. "Welcome" and "Vigil" were on the "Kulu Se Mama" LP.

Also, the Mobley quartet session came out as a JRVG (but not as a TOCJ, as it falls outside that category). The JRVG sounds good, but, of course, does not have the alternates, so its playing time is short. (So short, that it would fit onto a 10" LP. )

I don't think you'll miss it, really. I once had the LP, and hardly ever played it, and I have the RVG CD, which I'll probably never play again. And I'm pretty easy to please when it comes to music. I, also, want to stress that this isn't an attack on Hancock. He sure is one of the very best, and many are the albums with gems by him.

I'm a big Hancock fan, but, to be honest, I've never cared for this session a lot, either. For me, it could use some more rehearsal, and some assistance with the arrangements. For example, imagine what Gil Evans would have done with that personnel and instrumentation. Compare it with any of the other Hancock BN sessions. Those have few people on them, but so much was accomplished. Even the hornless "Inventions and Dimensions" album is far better; that one is, of course, great in its own right, not just by comparison. I think "The Prisoner" is way better, though, that what Herbie was soon to do. I hate the WB albums (just boring dross) and that fusion stuff he got into ("Headhunters" etc.). But I realize that he had to earn a living, and jazz was by then a ticket to poverty.

I'm sure you are right, Lawrence, The Disney Corp. has a lot of money and clout. Old Walt was a freemason, and possibly there's some of that in the company still. Nasty outfit all round - but they sure make high quality stuff. I'd be lying if I said that I have not enjoyed a lot of their output.

No problem, Lon! Peggy was a great singer. I've liked her since the 50s. I think her hit "Fever" came out in about 59. (Did you guys hear the super version with Jimmy Smith and Kenny Burrell, with two takes?) Thanks for the movie clip, Maren. "Peg" was one of the best characters in that film. Peggy Lee appeared on the Walt Disney show when they did an episode about the making of that cartoon movie. She was shown recording "He's A Tramp" (the song that "Peg" sang), and also the duet with herself for the Siamese cat song. We saw her record one layer onto an open reel tape deck, and then sing the second part as it was played back. "We are Siamese, if you please. We are Siamese if you don't please!" "I am Si, and I am Am. Put together, we make Siam." Great stuff all round. About 10 years ago, the Disney Corp. re-released that movie (they are greedy swine, experts at wringing the last drop of income out of anything they own) and did not pay Peggy any royalties, so she took them to court over that one. She was, by then, in poor health; I was disgusted with them.

It's ironic that, with Blue Note, one of the finest bunch of jazz sessions ever recorded, the original LPs are hard to find and the CDs are probably the worst example of the newer format (the TOCJs aside, of course). Yet with most other labels (in my experience, at least), nearly all the CDs, including the old 80s ones, sound very good. As an example, the old 16 bit OJCs are all great.

You certainly didn't remind me of Hitler, John! Just in case, I will apologize. It was just the wording that sounded like that scene in the movie. I don't really like to talk about that ratbag, of course. If only he had stuck to impersonations, and kept out of politics. I recently read a quote from one of his secretaries that he was a good mimic, and, of course, Chamberlain was a real prat, as the British would say. Forget hindsight, Churchill was reporting in Parliament what was really going on.

Yes, there was a thread where that went on for awhile. I was alluding to it. I cannot recall what the main topic was, though a Search, using "lazy" would pick it up.

I often mention it. This website has been an invaluable aid to me in getting a lot of LPs of sessions which haven't been reissued on CD. Seldom do I not find an album that I want. The only limit for me is that I cannot afford to buy too many in a given time period. Re "expensive", I avoid high-priced items, however "mint" they may be said to be. I usually pay from $10 to $20 for an LP in VG+ condition. I also avoid the Gemm fee by dealing directly with the seller in each case. Re "availablity", the sellers have always had the things that I have wanted. I email them to find out, of course, but I have not been disappointed. So: Vive le Gemm! You can find it there, and rememberaboutit.

Having been around when the LPs were first issued, I can help you with some right away. "Africa/Brass": Side 1 "Africa" Side 2 "Greensleeves", "Blues Minor" "Live at the Village Vanguard": Side 1 "Spiritual", "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise" Side 2 "Chasin' The Trane" "Impressions": Side 1 "Impressions", "Up 'Gainst The Wall" Side 2 "India", "After The Rain" "Transition": Side 1 "Transition", "Dear Lord" Side 2 "Suite" "Sun Ship": Side 1 "Sun Ship", "Dearly Beloved", "Amen" Side 2: "Attaining", "Ascent" The others I'm not sure about. "Infinity", I think, was the one with the overdubs by Alice and Co. Sorry: the board software will mess up my formatting a little.

Good news, in a way, about the hum. I checked the 1989 CD, and it has it, too. So I guess the tapes are a little faulty, or the original settings were too "hot". The latter is unlikely, as there is hum on items from different recording dates at different studios. Maybe Creed Taylor left the tapes on top of the fridge. I am especially glad that the reputation of Japanese remastering is untarnished.

Nice one, Bev! That was my first thought when I opened this thread, too. I guess you escaped the infamous English "school lunches", with their semolina (or was it tapioca?) puddings. In the Billy Bunter books, "tea" at school was known as "doorsteps and dishwater".

"Transformers". "back in the day". Geez, Jim, you sure know how to make a guy feel old. Even worse, I was a Dad, and not a young one, when the Transformers came out! Ed, those were good days when switches and belts were around (it should not be necessary to add: if properly used by loving parents and schoolteachers, as in my experience). The absence of proper corporal punishment nowdays in most Western countries is the reason why there is so much trouble with kids who hang on corners and are uncontrollable. I have a dear "e-friend in music" who is a teacher. He has had a nervous breakdown because of the wild behaviour of the kids in his classes, and may lose his job and his home. He is a very bright and knowledgeable man, and it's really sad to hear about this. Where I live, uncontrolled teenagers routinely burn down schools, and get away with virtually no punishment, while the taxpayers have to cough up millions to rebuild the schools. This is a big topic, of course, but that's just a few words about it.

That reminds me of Hitler (played superbly by Derek Jacobi) doing his impersonation of Neville Chamberlain in the TV series about Albert Speer. (It was called "Inside The Third Reich", and starred Rutger Hauer, and it was very well produced.) "Quite, quite, quite, quite." And a little quite!" That's well put, Jim S. There are several sessions like that. If only ... I feel that way, to some degree, about Herbie Hancock's "The Prisoner". It's a fine session, but could have used a little more rehearsal, or perhaps some assistance with the arrangements from, perhaps, Gil. I think we are noticing the absence of Al Lion in these examples.

Imagine trying to explain this mysterious thread title to someone in, let's say, India, or anywhere 200 years ago!

I well remember the original LP, which I once had. I got it partly as a joke, as that grotesque red cover seemed like someone was taking the Mickey. It was fun to wave it at Mom and other horrified older folks. It looks like the view down the throat of some devil. Ugggh! You folks like this thing? My Dad hated the sight of it. At the same time, I was "badgering" him with Eric Dolphy's bass clarinet on "Last Date"; he said that it sounded like a farmer chasing a turkey cock around a farmyard. Those were the days!

I'm very partial to both Stan and the Three Sounds, and I like this set. To be honest, I don't reach for it often. This is partly because far too much other stuff has arrived since I got the "Blue Hour" set! It might be an idea to have a thread about albums that we really like, but seldom actually play. But I'm too lazy to start one ...

'Ere, wotch yer spelling, Guv! Should of taken that in college, ha, ha! The streps one would fit nicely in that Japanese thread - I enjoyed that, by the way, and I felt that it was not intended to be insulting - and nor are my comments. Jazz got to me at about the age of 3, as my Dad had a clockwork phonograph and a pile of 78s by the likes of Fats Waller, Benny Goodman, Billie Holiday, etc. I was allowed to sit on the living-room rug and play these. Great days! This led me to write in to a kids' request program on the radio and ask them to play "Mopping And Bopping", a 12" 78 by Fats. It caused a stir on the show, as it was mixed in with such fare as "The Teddy Bears' Picnic", by Bing. I was out when they played it, and missed the whole thing.