Big Beat Steve

I wouldn't doubt it, all I wanted to point out is that it is pretty much impossible (at least for me) to give a less subjective description of how I perceive the difference even if the CD version does NOT sound "harsh".

It most definitely can. Overall I'm not telling which way the results are going to end up but there can be a definite difference. Lately I've been listening to more vinyl again, incuding long series of Ellington, including his 30s Columbia rcordings (that were issued in a row of 15 twofers on CBS in the 70s). I don't have Vol. 15 but have 12 out of the other 14 on vinyl (and the other 2 on CD) so towards the end I shifted between vinyls and CDs and was surprised to see that the vinyl just sounded "warmer" and had more "presence" whereas the CDs were not harsh but perfectly listenable they somehow just sounded "colder" and "doctored". Hard to describe neutrally (even less in a scientifically sound way) but but while the CD tracks sounded fine per se they just tend to sound more "synthetic". I wasn't expecting that difference but it was there. An impression I also had with quite a bit of 40s jump blues reissues I've been listening to lately, though in some cases the CD version of one and the same track (that i compared just out of curiosity) did win out. The bottom line to me is that rock on the one hand (particularly if it is from the 70s onwards) and swing/early R&B on the other hand emphasize different types of sound that make up the overall sound (and listening) expericene. I know this is not going to convince you but you are not going to get any scientifically proven or provable bottom line out of this anyway because people just do not listen to music with a machine-like, analytical mindset all the way. It all depends on the kind of sound you EXPECT to hear, and, anyway, depending on the medium you most often listen to your ears will adjust to the sound they are likely to get. But if you shift between those mediums you might be surprised to find there Is a difference. I was not expecting to notice that difference during my "Ellington" listening period described above but it was there. It's a highly subjective matter and one man's meat is another man's poison so any discussion like "this cannot be, you're just romanticising" is pointless.

Ouch ... I must admit I cannot consciously recall having heard Johnny Cash sing "Daddy Sang Bass" but there is a truly ATROCIOUS version (IMHO) of that song by Carl Perkins (from his 60s CBS days) out there that made me shudder when I had to listen through it on an LP from that period that I once owned so any possible enjoyment of that song as such will be marred forever to me ... OTOH, "One Piece At A Time" is hilarious! It was a good laugh among the small circle of us "traditional" country fans here when it was released at the time and still is very enjoyable today. I understand someone actually built a car following the lyrics of that song ... As for other favorites, many of his Sun items, of course, starting with "Luther's Boogie" ("Luther Played The Boogie").

About this being parody or not: I'd tend to agree with what JSangrey said about this being "observation" rather than parody. There is another example of it on their 1st Lighthouse All Stars 10in LP on Contemporary: "Big Girl". And then, for some more samplings of this, try to listen to more or less the same crowd of West Coast jazzmen having a ball as "Boots Brown & His Blockbusters" on the "Rock That Beat" LP on Groove (RCA). Half of the tracks are by this West coast crowd, the other half by the East Coast equivalent (Cohn, Travis et al.) sailing under the flag of "Dan Drew & His Daredevils". Not quite the real (black) deal, of course, but not really caricaturesque or parody to the ears of this fan of Honking Sax R&B either but more a case of good natured "hey, we can do it too" rampaging. Just some fun and far better IMHO than many other attemps by white bands at sounding like the real (black) 50s R&B deal back then.

Assuming it was not a Buy It Now price at $7,000 this makes me wonder how such a bidding race came all about anyway. There must have been at least TWO who pushed each other into that sky-high price region. What was the other one (or were there several?) thinking? Or was this a bogus bidder trying to push the other one up in an attempt at inflating the final price for the seller? Amazing no one seemed to feel like wanting to bid any amount between 2,500 and 7,000 the second time around and STILL end up with a price lower than the 7,000 that he missed out the auction the first time. (Yes I know such things happen but it is not the usual outcome)

It depends on what the going rate for such an item (which can be researched by almost anybody today) would be.

Like it's been said here, if you can find such an original or early pressing/edition (whatever) at a bargain price - sure, jump on it. But if you are alrady sky-high in top$ collector price ranges then it is what I may call feitshism (in the sense that Scott mentions and that agree about it - i.e. you drool about having the item, regardless of the price) or maybe narcissism (because someone may think he is a better being because he owns such items). Of course some degree of (minor) fetichism or narcissism is in most of us collectors (because we'd like to get our hands on historical items too in an attempt of grabbing a piece of history so these items do become a sort of fetish to us or because we feel oh so proud owning these items which makes us guilty of some degree of narcissism ;)) but as long as it is really a matter of getting the items at a real bargain price (which I do suppose is what this "Great Finds" topic is all about) then it is a relatively innocent kind of collectionitis IMO. Haven't all of us here who are into collecting (and not just consuming) our favorite music realized we were born waaaay after our favorite period of music so whenever we find one of those early pressings we sort of make up for us having come of age too late to be able to buy the records (or whatever other collectabilia) at the time they were available off the shelves in the shops? But $7000 for one single vinyl platter? Jeez ... that "eBay madness" topic here did not get started by chance either. There is a limit to what is reasonable after all. Honestly, I really don't want to brag, but just looking at my bank accounts I'd be able to buy the (very) occasional $7000 original pressing too and not feel the dent hurting my account but I'd never, never, never, EVER spend any such amount (not NEARLY such an amount!) for anything like that - EVER (not even coresponding over-the-top sums in other fields of my collecting hobbies). Actually I could not even think of any single record I'd want to sell the proverbial grandma, wife and children for in order to be able to pay an amount in THAT realm ... Simply because I'd be dead sure I'd not get my money's worth and I feel there are LOTS of ways of spending my money in a better and more worthwhile way, regardless of how much of a collector I am. And even as an investment it's pretty unsafe IMHO too buying in those realms. One slump in the overall market and economy and you'll be losing money, and there's no way of predicting the Asians and their insane buying habits will be around forever. At least not enough of them. No, I still feel there is a bit of a difference between trying to make history unhappen (i.e. by making up for the fact that we came too late to have been around when the items we covet were current) and just using history to speculate. Nobody lives forever, and those who rounded up a pizeless collection of early pressings in their younger day in the 50s will make some impressive profit when they sell off their collections before they bow out (or when their heirs do) but those who shell out $7000 today? Less likely ... And remember those Lee Morgan (et al.) 1st pressings probably are less unique than a mid-19th century 1st printing book. But anyway ... to each his own ... just sayin' ...

1st) IIRC I was referring to another statement that claimend ANYBODY enthusing about chancing upon a "great find" an being glad he found it (and telling about it) was indulding in nothing but fetichism. 2nd) About your question: I am pretty sure I am not the only one who'd answer something like this: a) More likely worship himself about his amazing superhuman power (including monetary power) of being able to round up such "desirable" items. b) Not sex with "it" but more likely have sex in some "other" way just by thinking about (at long last ...) owning that item. Which just might amount to the same thing to the person concerned. To cut a long and in the end redundant discussion (because opinions differ) short, as a collector you can enthuse about a lot of your collecting finds but there is a limit of what might be called reasonable (even if you stretch those limits to the point of bursting) and beyond those limits you'd better not be surprised if you won't be admired anymore but rather ridiculed (because most everybody else would feel you have not gotten your - collecting - money's worth, unless you're in it only for the purpose of speculation which is a different matter altogether).

10 months after the fact?? My my ... My point (which has been made and even explained) is that IMHO finding an original (as opposed to a later-day pressing) of course is nice and satisfying from a collecting/history point of view if the price is right (or, better still, a downright "great price") to the buyer. And like I said TEN months ago, why not share this with others and discuss it with like-minded collectors? Nothing wrong with it IMO. But beyond a certain "top dollar" limit IMHO it becomes insane and a matter of "original pressing fetichism" which cannot really be explained by the greatness of the music anymore either, particularly if it is an item that would be available in any number of decent, good-fidelity repressings priced much more reasonably. In those high-$ realms the border towards pure speculation (as long as top$ markets continue to exist somewhere on other continents, for example) becomes blurred fast. Just my 2c. All said earlier. And that's my point. And no doubt that of others.

Has this ever been reissued? Jepsen does not list it. Seems like Nick Fatool is the only really known name (jazzwise) in the lineup.

I know, Marcel (but thanks anyway). That's why I mentoned that CD (to exclude it from the reissues I was looking for). Somehow, somewhere there must be another one out there. Or there is another tune with the same title by another artist that I might have gotten mixed up.

Thanks for mentioning these recordings, Romualdo. I bought the "Ouverture to Dawn" 3-LP set from Official quite a few years ago secondhand at a giveaway price. Time to spin them again, maybe. By coincidence I pulled them out last night, searching for a related Timme Rosenkrantz recording of Erroll Garner (of which there were many, according to Bruyininckx). While perusing a 1947 copy of ORKESTER JOURNALEN last night I came across a review of "He Pulled A Fast One" Pt. 1 + 2 on Jazz Star 4750 credited to Tmme Rosenkrantz All Stars along with two other 78s featuring tracks from the 1945 Town Hall Concerts and credited to the same "All Stars":I have the Town Hall recordings and am 100% sure (well, almost ) I also have the above one (that title distinctly rings a bell) but was unable to find it in my (substantial) vinyl collection. Not on any of my Garner LPs, not on any V.A. LPs I checked. Bruyninckx. lists the session like this: I know I don't have any of these releases, including the "77" vinyl (a Doug Dobell reissue, I suppose). Are any of you aware of any of any other reissues (beyond the ones listed and apart from the "Chronological Classics" 1944-45 volume of Erroll Garner) of these tracks from the past 30-40 years (that I may have missed searching for)?

"Modern Jazz Festival" on (American) Jazztone, you mean? I don't know about your copy of this guilde du Jazz pressing but mine has the record title in French on the front and in English on the back of the cover. But Jepsen's discography marks the Dawn tracks explicitly as being released on EUROPEAN Jazztone J-1245. Maybe an indication to confirm your suspicions?

Intersting to see you mention this compilation. Time to spin it again, maybe. I've no idea if it really is that scarce. Maybe Stateside but over here? (I found my copy two years ago at a weekly fleamarket during my holidays in Southern France - used but not totally abused, and at 1 EUR what can you say? ) At any rate, I am far from sure if qualifying this sort of V.A. jazz album from that period as "hodgepodge" really does this kind of albums justice in each case. Remember many V.A. albums (particularly in the "Jazztone" market segment) were intended as "introductions to jazz" at a time when 12in LPs were comparatively expensive, at least over here. Not many would purchase jazz 12in albums by the armload. Quite apart from that, I find this particular compuilation even less of a "hodgepodge". On the one hand, a lot of the tracks seem to come from the Dawn label, so it might actually serve as an introduction to the catalog of that label, much like their own "Critics' Choice" album (DLP 1123). And what is more (much more IMHO) is that in additin to the tracks you highlighted this album contains more rarities as it rounds off the ACTUAL sessions for Dawn. I haven't checked all the tracks but at least the tracks by Gene Quill (Rubbin' The Genie), Zoot Sims (When The Blues Come On) and Paul Quinichette (If I'm Lucky) were not included on their respective featured LP releases on Dawn but were additional tracks (or "leftovers" or whatever) assembled here. Much like some of the "Jazz West Coast" series and other samplers on the Pacific Jazz label. Not the worst kind of album compilation to satisfy discographically minded vinyl completists, don't you think?

Yes, but this would mean the overview would start at the start of the current fundraiser, i.e. Dec. 1 (since Dec. had already been overpaid by several 100% ;), covering the cost for several months), right?

Out of sheer curiosity: How come only "this" month's donation balance is displayed now and the results of December's donations are not shown anymore? IIRC the $150 requested were "overpaid" by a multiple figure by the end of December so should cover the costs incurred for several months. Might be useful to know that a certain backlog is there (just in case ...), isn't it?

I'd say if you have been comatose and unresponsive for 4 years or more following that stroke the end is a relief and a blessing for everybody concerned. R.I.P. He will be remembered for his 50s recordings, along with his fellow Honking Sax Men heroes. I spun his "Cornbread & Cabbage Greens" CD in remembrance yesterday before coming across this review. Robert Christgau sums up his work pretty much to the point. http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=1733

Not so sure about small-town (or medium-sized town) U.S.A. in the early 50s. Local dancing bands (including big bands) still did have a loyal audience there that kept the clubs going for occasional visits by the big names. Of course that's quite different today. But maybe it's not even quite as unthinkable today as it was one or the other decade ago. I think the pendulum swings a LITTLE bit back here and there. Unless you lump only "far-out jazz" into the jazz category.

Maybe what she meant to say was "Despite HAVING BROKEN his leg in two places .... "(during the war or wherever ...) Further on down in the text there are a few instances that seem to indicate a lack of proofreading too ... But an interesting, down-to-earth story indeed. I wonder how many families lived through situations of "missed opportunities" like this ...

You mean this music relaxes you so much that instead of working up a steam behind your wheel about those road hogs out there you just ease back in your seat and sigh to yourself "WTF??" I need some of that sometimes!

IIRC this photo appeared on the SHORPY website some time ago, and I immediately had a hunch this might make some beautiful cover picure for a down-home blues anthology. So I guess Yazoo had thought so first too (or is this a VERY recent reisue)?

Honestly, no idea about his current availabilty overall (crooners are pretty much off my radar in my pre-1945 jazz or "hot dance band" interests ) but his records used to be around for quite a long time. I remember when I was browsing the London record shops in my "collecting beginnings" in the second half of the 70s there used to be tons of Al Bowlly LP reissues in all the "oldies"/"nostalgia"/"swing" racks so at that that time he still must have been very much a national hero (much like Carlos Gardel in Spain - and Latin America). Maybe a discography (accessible online for reference) would be a good starting point as some jazz collectors might be able to provide info on where the recorsdings by specific orchestras that he most often recorded with would be available in comprehensive reissues, therefore including the Al Bowlly vocals too)? Have you tried the Vocalion website? Among more jazzier items, they reissue lots of British "nostalgia" music too.

Yes, me. Certainly not reading this from Hoosier State. At first I thought it was just here (Mozilla) but am somewhat relieved now this happens to others too.

I've only got one of his 2-LP "hit" compilations on RCA Camden (therefore predating his Monument period as far as I can tell) which was bought mainly for the presence of "Percolator" (a tune that for some reason got VERY regular airplay on oldies radio shows here in my very early music collecting days from the mid-70s and does get stuck in your ear once you've heard it). Some of the tunes there show his R&B roots, others are VERY MOR-ish. Apart from that, his presence on many Nashville country recordings of course makes him impossible to pass by if you listen to that kind of music at all. I agree, though, that it was Sil Austin and the other 50s R&B tenor sax men (from Plas Johnson through Red Prysock or Sam The Man Taylor - one who also did VERY MOR stuff that you would not associate with R&B at all - and all the others) rather set the pattern for white sax men and not the other way round.

True, MG, due to the length of the tracks and the featured sax men stretching out this Austin/Prysock LP is not like his others. But apart from that one I always liked the ones shown below (of which I was able to get quite affordable original pressings) better than his soft mood sounds like on "Plays Pretty For The People" (a phrase I had always associated with Louis Prima anyway). Comercial - yes (in a way very much of its time, as JSangrey says) but powerful blowing anyway. So to me he was not so much a black Boots Randolph (nice analogy anyway) but rather a somewhat grittier Earl Bostic. (Yes, those matching covers are corny but very period-like and a document of their times )