Big Beat Steve

Not wanting to speak heresy , but (for want of much else) how about this box on the Proper label? https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/tempus-fugue-it-mr0001675724 (After all "The Complete Bud Powell on Verve" for the most part focuses on the 50s.)

Interesting to be reminded of these. Vol. 1 was all over the place here for quite some time in the shops (I bought my copy of Vol. 1 some time in the later 80s) but I cannot recall having ever seen a copy of Vol. 2 anywhere.

Which leads us into Keynote territory (even if we concentrate on the LATER 40s, as this thread is - correctly - supposed to do), I first managed to get my hands on these sessions on this Mercury reissue far more than 20 years ago (but mostly pull out my Fresh Sound box for convenience these days to listen to them): https://www.discogs.com/Red-Rodney-Lennie-Tristano-Bebop/release/4615146

I don't know about the Dutch either, but I haven't heard about cricket being big in Austria and Switzerland, for example. I mentioned Bert Trautmann just as a very approximate analogy of someone coming into a foreign country and making it big there through sports (not as a confirmed sportsman - as in the case of international soccer transfers - but as someone working his way up through sports). Isn't that likely to happen with cricket because the domestic base of cricket just is very limited and makes this a very minor sporting event without much media coverage, except as a kind of "oddball attraction".

You know what? Seriously, and at the risk of being political, here is an observation: After the big refugee crisis in the center of Europe in 2015 there were not just suggestions but even urgings on the part of well-meaning persons that oh so many people from countries had been coming in where cricket is strong and who in turn were good at playing cricket themselves that their integration into the host society ought to be fostered by providing them much more of a cricket platform here. Well, unfortunately (or??) cricket is strictly nowhere here in Germany and in neighboring countries so this is to no avail at all and won't fall on fertile ground in any respect for the foreseeable future. Because the DOMESTIC basis just isn't there. But this might give you an idea of what the English team could have been up against. A kind of legions of reverse cases of soccer goalie Bert Trautmann ...

I think you are looking at a side effect of the basic problem of how to treat a former EU member that has decided to leave the EU and will now be treated as a non-EU state. In one way it is a special case but in another it is a fallback into times that were long considered to be overcome. I remember in my early freelancing days in the late 80s there was quite a bit of paperwork involved in getting clients in other (then) EEC countries as well as in non-EEC countries (e.g. Switzerland) to sign up with German tax authorities so they could recover the VAT that we had to invoice but they were able to claim back by filling in various forms. Needless to say this cost us several abroad customers who just felt that the paperwork wasn't worth it. And (I am saying this after some 25 years of working with HUGE amounts of EU documents day in, day out) it fits into the picture that the entire Brexit negotiations between the EU and the UK were governed by an overriding approach (on the part of the EU) to most certainly not make it easy for the UK. Thus maybe forcing the UK to take these steps to ensure VAT due is paid where it is supposed to be paid? Not that I am saying that the UK side did well but this mess that becomes apparent now has more than one originator.

I have a feeling that your feedback won't be liked by some or even many in certain circles (not here on the forum but overall) but IMO ist is important that you told of your expriences. What you describe is an uneasy feeling that unfortunately seems to exist over here too. I.e. a feeling of "we are not being told the whole story". Unfortunately (for the poltiicians) the majority of the citizens aren't that dumb. Even though most of the "people in the street" do not fall for conspirationist theories, once that feeling of your trust being shattered or abused is there this is harder to remedy than those in power apparently are likely to imagine. (Or they are more at their wit's end than we'd like and hope them to be)

About the allergic reaction of that "louis satchmo" that Jazzbo posted: Which brand of vaccine was he given? Pfizer/Biontech or a different one? That might be important to know too.

Montmartre - Momatta?? Oh my .. That sounds like this one here had been at work ...

Actually I am not so much worried about imports from the UK into Germany (in fact, though, I wasn't charged extra for the larger-size letter that contained a 2021 calendar that I received from a colleague in Britain the other day). Things have run their course for the most part (mainly due to the rise in shipping rates from the UK - that in fact happened well before Brexit) although I'd still like to stock up on certain period UK magazines to complete my collection. But I was wondering about what to recommend my collector friend in the UK (the one I mentioned in another post on the post-Brexit "ordering from abroad" discussion). He has often bought collectable printed matter (magazines, sales folders, etc.) from abroad in the past and I wonder what to advise him if he considers using me as an intermediary for a transaction from Germany again. Lame joke ...

Actually I am really talking about "collectible, of sorts" items. I.e. magazines, sales brochures and books from, say, anywhere between the 30s and 60s. Items that sometimes can be very collectible (and pricy too) in the right circles but don't usually look so to the uninitiated. I wonder how shipping and customs clearance of such items in both directions will be affected now.

I wonder: Even secondhand (collectible, of sorts) one?

This is something I have been wondering about too. A British fellow collector I have known for close to 40 years and who has loads of international contacts through his hobby and has actively purchased collectible items abroad (from Italy, in particular, but also from Germany and other places) some time last year told me he had indeed voted "Leave". To my surprise, but I won't hold it against him (the blame for this mess certainly is not on the UK alone). Though I wonder how he now intends to go on about his collecting. Or else he either had decided about scaling down anyway (he is well into retirement age) or had already cut back on his foreign buying. On 2 or 3 occasions in recent years I indeed had to act as an intermediary for him because - unbelievable as it may seem - the shipping costs from Germany to the UK incurred by having the seller ship the item to me domestically and me then forwarding it to him was significantly lower than what the seller - an auction house - would have charged for shipping direct to the UK. And the items weren't even bulky or heavy! And this was way before Brexit.

Not so rare. The daughter of friends of ours was named Ella Caterina (after Ella Fitzgerald and Caterina Valente) - in the very early 2000s.

Yes it IS a hassle but should be worth it. Back in the day when ordering from the US was still somewhat more affordable (particularly when Global Priority Flat Rate envelopes still gave you a good deal) I did this a couple of times with US eBay sellers and succeeded in about 80% of the cases. A frequent (initially rather puzzled) reply by the sellers was "Oh I just included the automatic shipping quote listed by eBay and I didn't know there was such as thing as GLOBAL priority flat rate shipping" (Yes, people, there IS a world outside the US ... ) In these 80% of the cases they were happy to oblige and sometimes made a point of thanking for the hint as this would allow them better sales prospects with foreign customers as they'd be able to include better and relaistic shipping rates. In the remaining 20% the retorts were to the tune of "The word of eBay is THE GOSPEL" or "Can't be bothered". (Oh well ...) This should work similarly with many Discogs sllers if you want to make the effort. I discussed this not long a ago with my son who as a side job during his university studies works part-time at a record shop that also sells through Discogs. They are pissed off with those recent shipping rate changes enforced by Discogs too but somehow do manually adjust the shipping invoiced to reflect an amount more in line with the ACTUAL shipping costs. But of course it means additional work and P2P communication with the customer.

Re-reading the initial post, a detail about that initial statement struck me: Quote: The first thing that caught my eye was that it doesn't require the standard 45 rpm adapter. Is it really such a rare thing in the States for a 7" record NOT to have the huge centerhole? FWIW, all the 7" records on the JAZZTONE label that I have seen only have the small center hole. And the fact that these are 33rpm records certainly cannot make all the difference because offhand I can think of several labels over here (notably some budget labels) where the 7" singles and EPs (33 but also 45 rpm) just have the small center hole. Another variation on that theme are those EPs or singles where the center is filled too but is pre-punched so it can be broken out "for those who thus desire" (but usually hasn't been - if those secondhand ones you usually see are anthing to go by). This seems to be particularly common in the UK (HMV, Parlophone and elsewhere too) but also on (Swedish) Metronome, for example: (see below). So what's the deal overall with this "small-centerholed" 7-incher and is this really such a special feature?

Good to see that record ended in the hands of an expert where it belongs.

Ha, you succinctly summed up why I always felt uneasy (und fairly unmoved) about those typical 60s Phil spector productions. Too much sound mixed and mashed together, overproduced, overstuffed ... Really not the cup of tea of those (like me) who in pop music come from real (50s) rock'n'roll (and its founding ingredients) and go for "handmade" music with clearly played, straightforward instruments that interact by themselves instead of being submerged in all sorts of effects - and that can be reproduced 1 to 1 on stage by the band members with no artificial gimmicks. Yes, I realize that's no scientific nor musically/musicologically "correct" description (and maybe not "a thing to think or write" but WTF? ) but just a matter of personal preference of musical textures. It's only me but in short, Phil Spector's records never did much for me and they never filled a gap that I felt existed in my (certainly wide-ranging) tastes and collection (I realize some top-notch pressing might have added insights - if these Philles originals really are that sensational, but still ...). This or that hit was pleasant to listen to but you tire of them very fast. In the turn of events (and of the pop/rock music of that time) I'd much rather wonder about where Buddy Holly would have gone if he had lived longer.

Yes, I stand corrected ... It is these 3-CD sets that provide a complete set. Although announced as being "complete" in the liner notes, the 3 LPs in the French RCA Black &White series skipped not just one or two tracks (notably Open The Door Richard) but quite a few vocal numbers more. So it depends on availability (and the "essential" - or not - character of the tracks missing on the LPs) which reissue one would go for.

As LPs do seem an option, the best bet (except for 2 vocals IIRC which are scattered somewhere else in the series) to complete the RCA recordings of Count Basie without overlaps and duplicates IMO would be the three LPs reissued in the "Black & White" series on French RCA (Vols. 4, 15 and 53 of that B&W series).

Sounds to me like this was the kind of reissues that Krazy Kat did in Britain in the 80s. Krazy Kat produced a LOT of Gotham reissues, and they were well presented with decent liner notes. A bit like a lot of what Ace did. I seem to remember that quite a bit of the Ace vinyl catalog of that period (80s/early 90s) was covered as well by reissues on Rhino for the US market (where Ace maybe wasn't officially imported at the time?). As if there had been an agreement between Ace and Rhino that Ace covered the "RoW" and Rhino covered the US. Did something like this exist (even if only tacitly) between Flyright/Krazy Kat and Collectables too at some time? Or did Collectables just plainly recycle the Krazy Kat reissues? But why focus on (mostly) Gotham only?

Trying to comment on where I THINK I can add something: 1) The music of the broadcasts, airshots, live recordings (made with whatever less-than-perfect equipment at the time) on the QUeen-Disc label usually is very rare and of course fidelity isn't always tops. But I'd attribute this for the most part to the typical sound quality of 40s airshots, and that's what you are likely to get with most 70/80s vinyl reissues of such on-location recordings from that period. Personally I STILL find it very listenable and enjoyable, e.g. the airshots on Queen-Disc 025 by the Basie band I am listening to right now. Besides, considering how everyone fell all over each other in that recent discussion of that unheard Miles-Coltrane live recording of 1960 here the other day (that went for a high sum on eBay) despite the rough sound this really CANNOT be such a big issue if you are in it for the MUSIC. (I cannot see why a 1960 recording should be cut more lo-fi slack than one from way back in the early to mid-40s anyway, even if it is for St. Miles and St. Trane ) So if it is just because the opportunity is there that you are focusing on Queen-Disc, I'd say - grab them if you really are on a Basie kick (I know I would). Even if these airshots aren't always hi-fi, these live versions of the Basie repertoireoften are even looser and more freewheeling than the studio recordings (great as these are). Beyond this, plenty of live recordings by the Basie band from the 40s have been released on vinyl - mostly collector labels from the UK, France, Italy, Sweden, and also some Boris-Rose-lookalike (and soundalike?) labels such as Caracol. I have quite a handful of them but looking at the discography (which is a science unto itself to sort out in this respect, particularly the overlaps) I feel this is just the tip the iceberg. So much for "filling gaps". 2) The best way I have found to complete the Columbia period of the Basie band in ONE single rush without duplication and going to and fro is the series of 6 double LPs reissued on (French) CBS in their "Jazzotheque" series in the mid-80s (CBS 88667, 88668, 88672, 88673, 88674, 88675). Presentation and sound are nothing to complain about IMO. They should still be around secondhand. There also was a 10-LP CBS box of the complete Columbia recordings by the Basie band which is fairly spartan in presentation (at least the copy I once saw). I have not checked its differences in content vs. the six-twofer series, though Enjoy your hunting!

This would confirm what I have observed. Riviera Jazz of course is a relatively small collectors' label and would therefore qualify as an "indie". And the LP I mentioned was released on the band's own label - i.e.an even smaller label.

FWIW, a brand-new Italian LP (by a recent band) released in 2016 that I bought in (IIRC) early summer 2017 still has that SIAE sticker on the back of the cover. As for your remarks about the presence of this sticker in books, I do not own many relatively recent books from Italy, but one huuuge 2-volume music tome printed and published in 2010 (i.e. before the end of the monopoly) does not have that sticker anywhere on or in the books nor on the slipcase. So from what you say it seems like by now its application or non-application has become a random affair.

I understand these are just licensing and tax clearance stickers (hence the distinction between sales and rental?). I have seen them both directly on the CD jewel case and on the shrink wrap (there they are easily discarded) - and on LP covers too. As to what they EXACTLY mean, an Italian forumist would have to comment. At any rate they do not seem to indicate copyright licensing throughout as they are also present on records featuring music that is in the public domain. IIRC all the CDs I've bought from the Riviera Jazz label (reissues of 30s to the mid-50s recordings, sometimes first-time issues of live recordings) had these stickers on their shrink wrap too.