Fer Urbina

Actually, the only difference between the Blue Notes and the Verves, is that the former indicate that they should not be sold separate from the installments of the book they were issued with in the first place. The Verve CDs do not say anything at all regarding this matter. F

No apologies needed, Allen. As for the texts in Spanish, I don't claim for them to be perfect, but, for instance, the intro deals with many of the points mentioned in this forum. But if you really feel apologetical, a nice discount on the 36-CD set will do This was bloody difficult and possibly because it's not a good idea, as Mike F said about the "jazz for imbeciles" format (I don't trust overtly digested guides to arts, history or whatever), but as I said, bibliography about jazz in Spanish is patheticly weak (unlike our robust reputation for dodgy reissues). I still have to confirm it, but within days after the publication of our Frankenstein monster, two or three public libraries showed interest in starting jazz CD sections. That's the situation we're dealing with. As for Headhunters... apart from matters of taste etc, I was wondering whether it could be a cultural thing too. This will sound like anathema, but I know very few Spanish people who like Miles Davis's "Sketches of Spain" F PS OFF TOPIC If anyone's interested, my new avatar is a bloody good read

Hello Steve Apart from the "blue covers" of the Blue Notes, both collections are identical: both the Blue Notes and the Verves came out in Spain as companions to a book sold in weekly (or fortnightly, can't remember) installments. Both are legal issues of CDs previously or currently in EMI and Universal catalogues. The only "legal" question is whether these CDs could (or were meant to) be sold separately from said installments, or even outside Spain. This applies to both collections (as far as I know). BTW, for those concerned about the legality of these records been imported into the US etc, surely everybody knows that both collections were published in Spain by Time-Life (ultimately and American company?) F Edit: Just noticed the thread's title. Blue Moon is selling the CDs, but there is no mention to them on the actual CDs.

Agustín Gracias for the heads up. In my wish list with Allen Lowe's upcoming set. F

No offence taken, Allen, and you may be right that you can't do it in 25 (or 65, there are 40 more records in each "period") Have you read the whole thing in Spanish - introduction and reviews? I'm asking because I don't think it reinforces any misconceptions, and I hope you're not getting to any conclusions *only* from the list of 25 CDs. Best, F

Hello Mike, First of all (masochistic) thanks for the comments. Second, although everything you say is very reasonable (I agree with most of it, that's how I know) this list was prepared with the Spanish reader in mind. Let me explain: the literature on jazz we have available in Spanish is the Gioia, the Tirro, Ashley Kahn's books on Kind Of Blue and Love Supreme, the book on Jazz At Massey Hall, Russell's bio of Bird, Troupe's Miles Davis. And that is all (top off my head, but not more than this). Nothing else, which is sad, bearing in mind the books are coming out in English. In that scenario, honestly, even a Jazz for Imbeciles would be something. [Edit: not many people read English either] If the list makes a good collection, that's what we aimed for, nothing else. And no assumptions, by the way (I'm afraid I don't have time to translate the long disclaimer..., I mean, introduction, in Spanish). I accept that "essential" is probably not the best word, but it is just the title, and I couldn't think of a better one (Spanish is more wordy than English, so it's not so easy). I don't pretend to have selected the *best* jazz recordings, but I'm fairly confident that if someone buys any of the CDs listed, he or she is not buying a piece of crap. That's all. Also, I don't think you can rely on conventional radio in Spain for jazz and experienced listeners are few and far between (the Internet is solving that). As I said earlier, I knew from the beginning that the chronological division could make things worse than they're going to be anyway, but, I didn't want to go for the *styles* division, and I'd actually rather show how simultaneously some things happened (see the 1959 LPs above). I may have aimed too high for such an article. E. g., the Shape Of Jazz To Come, yes, it is the beginning of something, and it says so in the review (date only gives the *when*, the review gives the context). But it is also true that it is contemporary to the LPs I mentioned earlier. As for the track by track concept, the webmaster actually suggested it as a future option. Access to the Internet in Spain is not as widespread as in the US and the UK, but we're catching up. CD is still the main medium for music by far, so that's why we went for that option. Going back to the target audience, I would have never tried something like it for the US or UK. But in Spain, yep, we have a long long long way to catch up and even this list won't do no harm. Promise. F PS Hi, Jim R. Wes too, I know...

Thanks for the comments, King. RE: Basie, I think the single CD Decca does the job better than the single CD Satchmo (and I'm more a Basie than an Armstrong man). The thing about opinions, everybody has to have one RE Kenton. Herman's First Herd goes first in my book. Most popular band in 1945-46 and the music. My problem was that the Legacy reissue (the 2-CD set with the red cover) which was carelessly done (mildly put). RE Brubeck. A tough call and one of the last ones I dropped, together with Ben Webster's Verves. It was fun (still is) but I went thru several times. Picture this: Kind Of Blue, Giant Steps, Mingus Ah Um, Time Out, Shape Of Jazz To Come, What Is There To Say?, (Geo Russell's) New York NY, Ben Webster With Oscar Peterson are from the same year. And I had 14 more to go. Which, since I was the taskmaster, brings me back to the Spanish whining... F PS RE Sinatra. Nobody missed Ella? And Sassy? PPS kh1958 Thanks. I didn't go for *Tristano* (is that it?) because I wanted Konitz, Marsh and Bauer up there.

Hello Brownie and thanks Major flaw in the thing is that non-Spanish speakers are missing the fact that there are 25 + 40 CDs (Bud Powell and Cecil Taylor among others). Working on it. As I said, this may have been too much of a hurdle, but one of the first things we decided was to include an equal number of CDs from each period, and currently available too. And only one name in the main 25 list. I already explained the Lester Young case (and he's one of my favourites...) As for the reissues, I've also explained that we didn't quite get to legal or moral issues in our discussions. That said, to the best of my knowledge there is a difference between, say, the Armstrong JSPs and the Andorran reissues. Main one IMHO, from the (selfish) listener's point of view, the JSP is a damned good selection (almost an hour's worth of music not overlapping with the Legacy set), carefully produced etc (and since we're at it, legal according to European law). My only doubt about this matter was on the George Russell RCA Workshop, and I already explained why I went for the French RCA. And Brownie, ze French may complaine, but dere's nofing like de Espanish booen it cams to booyning F

Hello everyone and thanks for chippin' in. Very quickly. Although it may go against strict musical considerations, we decided to assign the same amount of records to each period. Also (and this was perhaps too much of a hurdle) no name was to be repeated in the 25 list (hence Miles only once). Within each period we were more flexible (I don't think we have more than 4 CDs from the 70s). As for whether it is easier to do one period or a different one, I think it's a matter of perspective. Jorge LG, who did the last bit has travelled a lot and been to a zillion concerts, a true mad fan, and had the chance to know the 80s and 90s first-hand (he lived in NY for a while). Compare that to whatever knowledge we might have of the music recorded in the 20s or 30s, which will always be second-hand, and has been filtered by reissues (some music has never been reissued) and *absolute* truths or conventions, which are tempting to use because almost no one will dispute them and the reader will probably feel comfortable with them (e. g., first choice for stride pianist would've been James P Johnson, right? - but EKE BBB chose The Lion, and precisely those recordings, and he has the reasons to back it up). Columbia's best of the Hot 5s/7s... I seem to remember it doesn't include Weatherbird, the duo with Earl Hines. Call me whatever, but to me it's enough to dismiss it. Also, I would have gladly go for a Satchmo live set from 47 (Town Hall or Symphony Hall, possibly the latter). And I don't think you can be too asymetric with Satchmo (if anything I would've liked to have something from the 30s). Basie and Duke in the 50s... no room, I'm afraid. They have excellent records, true, but they made their deepest mark in the 30-40s. We also tended to include *styles* at their beginnings, or when they could be considered freshest. For instance, I'd accept it is rather silly to portray the 70s without any Pablo recordings at all, but there you go. Basie and the 3-CD Decca set. Re: dodgy reissues, is like buying an instrument when you're a beginner: get a good one, albeit more expensive, or chances are you'll be disenchanted (and we don't want that). There's actually the case of the George Russell Workshop. There's an edition easier to get in Spain, but mistitled (no *complete* recordings), and an alternate take that just isn't (discussed in these forums, BTW). As for why get the Basie single CD edition. We went for the simplest, less expensive options, and, personally, I don't really need two takes of "Stop Beating Round The Mulberry Bush" (I do have the Decca/GRP set). Prez: I know. Painful. I went thru the Aladdins a few times, but... I don't accept his post-1945 dismissal by some, but -personal taste- I do prefer him pre-1945 hands down. At the end of the day, the matter is that there's almost no literature on jazz in Spanish, and you can't imagine the amount of people that go to Tomajazz and ask "where do I start?" As long as it's not too bad for starters... F PS I *type* very quickly, sorry

Sound-wise I would recommend the Legacy box over the Definitive. For discographical errors in the Definitive set a comparison with the Masters of Jazz series, check Leo Valdés' site F (There's a review in there by me too . Now, after a few years, I'd add that the Minton's tunes in the Live are identical to the Masters of Jazz set, overdubbed applause, pitch correction and all.)

From this side of the pond: About to come out, from Equinox publishers, Peter Ind: Jazz Visions - Lennie Tristano and His Legacy, and Brian Priestley: Chasin' The Bird - The Life and Legacy of Charlie Parker F (London)

These CDs came out in Spain c. 1998/9, possibly later. As the Blue Note series, they were published accompanying weekly installments of some kind of jazz encyclopedia or book (I can't remember now), for sale in regular newsagents. As the Blue Note series, the transfers are identical to the corresponding official releases by PolyGram or (later) Universal. As for the covers, they have kept the original colours, with a white frame, as in I don't know whether the book or the CDs state that they have to be purchased together, although it is very likely. F PS The Spanish Blue Notes have turned up in London in discount bookshops and the like... record distribution has mysterious ways...

And you can probably get the CD direct from him. His details are (after a quick google) Tony Williams, Spotlite, 103 London Road, Sawbridgeworth, Herts, CM21 9JJ. +44 (0) 1279 834175 (office tel) +44 (0) 1279 834175 (office fax) F U

Apologies if this has been advertised before, but I just saw at Hep's site that they're reissuing Buddy de Franco's Capitol sessions including George Russell "A Bird In Igor's Yard" Can't find any more details at the moment, but looks really interesting. Any additional info would be welcome F

Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere (haven't found it). Allen, is there going to be a new edition of "American Pop: From Minstrel to Mojo" or is it just a new CD box for the "old" book? I have the original edition plus the 9-CD set and I think it's a great idea to get an overview of American music. Any other details about publisher etc. will be most welcome. Fernando

If I'm not mistaken, it is the other way around. F U

Same goes for the Charlie Christian series. I think volume 9 is the only CD including the "Stompin' At The Savoy" from Minton's (May 8, 1941) British labels: Everybody knows about JSP, but IMHO Scottish label Hep is very good too. F

That's very likely. Everest recordings have reissued on CD by Evidence, Collectables and Fresh Sound, if I recall correctly. There's a third Everest LP by Jo Jones, "Percussion & Bass", a duet with Milt Hinton. Reissued in CD by Fresh Sound, but out of stock as far as I know. All the Everest/Fresh Sound CDs I have state that they own the rights for the recordings. As for the fascinating world of reissues Gloria Lynne says in her autobiography: "Early in 1998, a company called Collectables released four compact discs from albums I did in the sixties with Everest records. When I first spoke to Jerry Green, president of Collectables, he told me he was trying to get Everest to give him the masters of my recordings, but they refused to release them. So he asked me to send him the albums I had. I sent him seven albums and he paid me $7 000 for them. He also gave me a contract for royalties." From Gloria Lynne w/ Karen Chilton: "I Wish You Love" (Forge, NY 2000), p. 265 F U

Big bands sound great when played loud, like - The "Basie Story" Roulette double CD recently reissued. - Woody Herman's First Herd, especially "The Good Earth" and "Northwest Passage" - Ellington's "Main Stem" (1942) and the classic Newport 56 Diminuendo... even earlier stuff like the "Dicty Glide" is great to hear really loud. and some Jimmy Smith stuff, like "The Champ" with those big fat chords at the end... F U

Just got the Town Hall CD. Many thanks to Chuck Nessa, and a big round of applause to the postal services in the US and the UK. Posted on June 6, received on June 10. Nuff said. F U

The CD liner notes credit the song to Duke Ellington and Irving Mills. Fernando

Hello, For the sake of completeness, the Nina Simone Sings Ellington has been recently reissued as EMI 4 73220-2 (in the UK at least, together with 6 other CDs including all the Simone recordings for Colpix) Fernando

The EMI CD (3LPs, 36 tracks, near the 80-minute mark) was indeed split in two for the "blue cover" edition by Time/Life in Spain. One of those records that should be always in stock. F U PS (edit): 38 tracks, actually. In the "blue cover" edition, CD2 is much louder than CD1 (dunno why) 1 Chega de Saudade DeMoraes, Jobim 2:00 2 Desafinado Jobim, Mendonca 2:00 3 One Note Samba Hendricks, Jobim, Mendonca 2:35 4 O Pato Silva, Teixeira 1:59 5 Bolinha de Papel Pereira 1:16 6 O Amor Em Paz DeMoraes, Jobim 2:25 7 Trêvo de 4 Folhas Dixon, Woods 1:22 8 O Barquinho Boscoli, Menescal 2:30 9 Lobo Bobo Bôscoli, Lyra 1:20 10 Bim Bom Gilberto 1:12 11 Hô-Bá-Lá-Lá Gilberto 2:14 12 Aos Pés da Cryz DaZilda, Pinto 11:31 13 É Luxo Só Barroso, Peixoto 1:55 14 Outra Vez Jobim 1:49 15 Coisa Mais Linda DeMoraes, Lyra 2:51 16 Este Seu Olhar Jobim 2:15 17 Trenzinho (Trem de Ferro) Maia 1:47 18 Brigas, Nunca Mais DeMoraes, Jobim 2:05 19 Saudade Fez Um Samba Bôscoli, Lyra 1:50 20 Amor Certinho Guimaraes 1:50 21 Insensatez DeMoraes, Jobim 2:25 22 Rosa Morena Caymmi 2:02 23 Morena Boca de Ouro Barroso 1:55 24 Maria Ninguem Lyra 2:20 25 A Primeira Vez Bide, Marcal 1:52 26 Presente de Natal Noronha 1:52 27 Samba de Minha Terra Caymmi 2:19 28 Saudade da Bahia Caymmi 2:15 29 Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars) Jobim 1:57 30 Só Em Teus Braços Jobim 1:45 31 Meditation (Meditação) Gimbel, Jobim, Mendonca 1:43 32 Você E Eu DeMoraes, Lyra 2:30 33 Doralice Almeida, Caymmi 1:25 34 Discussão Jobim, Mendonca 1:48 35 Se É Tarde Me Perdoa Bôscoli, Lyra 1:44 36 Un Abraço No Bonfá Gilberto 1:35 37 Manha de Carnaval Bonfa, Maria 2:31 38 Medley: O Nosso Amor/A Felicidade DeMoraes, Jobim 3:07

I have taken part in discussions about this elsewhere, and the picture I'm getting, IMHO is that the legal implications are too difficult to clear up and thus litigation is not an easy option, either because the labels cannot afford it, or because (the majors) can take the possible losses due to the dodgers, who sometimes are well-known people, not too difficult to reach. The only solution seems to take a personal stand against certain labels (or in the case of JSP, certain releases, which would required some sort of informed black list), and sometimes that's even more difficult when they release material not readily available. The other one is as easy as when someone reviews a Lonehill Jazz CD stating that they contain "collectors' items on CD for the first time ever" and it is not true, do say so. Reading Allen Lowe's post, the other question is that, if you enter this fight and try to uncover the dodgy labels, who you're fighting for? The musicians or the owners of the masters, who sometimes couldn't care less? (there are plenty of examples, but Woody Herman-Blowin' Up A Storm by Sony/Legacy is up there with the worst) My two cents. F U PS In all honesty, when I got my copy of the Early Mingus CD by Definitive, I didn't even know about the Uptown CD (was in Spain or UK then) PPS I agree with what "neveronasunday" said about the "hollier than thou" attitude.

Top of my head, and sorry if I'm too vague but I think I read somewhere (Avakian?, Bill Crow?) that some of the tapes from the concerts are much better than the "official" album itself. Releasing those might be another possibility. This was also the famous tour where Phil Woods shouted "F*** you, King" in the balcony right above BG's, who heard him perfectly. One other related album is "Jazz Mission to Moscow" (Colpix SCP 433) by men from the BG Orchestra (Jimmy Maxwell, Marky Markowitz, tp; Willie Dennis, tb; Phil Woods, cl,as; Jerry Dodgion, fl,as; Zoot Sims, ts; Gene Allen, bs; Bill Crow, b; Mel Lewis, d; Al Cohn, arr, cond), plus Eddie Costa on piano in his last official recording. This was planned by Jack Lewis (formerly with RCA) who was waiting for the men at the airport in order to release the record before RCA's. Colpix seems to be currently owned by EMI... F U