sidewinder

Is it my imagination or did the price of vintage Blue Note LPs in particular go exponential in 2005 ? I suspect that it is more economical being a cocaine addict than a Blue Note vinyl addict ..

This will be a good set. I think I've got most of the material apart from 'The Cool World' on vinyl or (in the case of 'Jambo Caribe') on CD so will probably pass on this one. Some of the 'Cool World' material I have on a Diz anthology set. Particular thumbs up to the Lalo Schifrin arranged 'New Continent' - released on Limelight (as mentioned above). 'The Chains', in particular, is a real good arrangement and the whole thing is well recorded. Sounds like it won't be on this set though.

I'll add the 47W63rd Horace Silvers to the list of great sounding originals. Just listening to the DG 'Horace-Scope' after a bit of a vinyl clean and it is wonderful. Superb presence ! Still can't work out why they screwed up with 'The Connection' though..

Absolutely ! Very pleasing, neutral sound quality and very quiet in terms of background noise. You can't go wrong with these.

Again, starting the Xmas hols with a dollop o' Horace: Horace Silver 'Horace-Scope' (BN 47W63rd DG mono) 'The Cape Verdean Blues' (BN NY USA mono) 'The Jody Grind' (BN Liberty mono) 'Further Explorations With The Horace Silver Quintet' (BN 47W63rd mono, No DG no ear)

Have a fine birthday !

Good move ! That's a pretty scarce King LP and, indeed, a gem.

This one has been a past AOTW: Oblique

Joe Henderson 'Inner Urge' (BN NY USA mono)

They can be variable. I've had some (e.g. Lee Morgan 'The Sixth Sense') that are as good as NY USAs in terms of sound. The later ones can be a bit iffy though. As for originals, the best sounding one I've heard to date is the 47W63rd DG of Johnny Griffin 'The Congregation'. The similar vintage DG of 'Sonny Rollins Vol 2' and slightly later Art Taylor 'AT's Delight' are also amazing. Anything 47W63rd is usually great (single exception in my experience being Freddie Redd's 'The Connection' - not a great recording). Most of the NY USAs are also pretty fine, particularly early monos.

Mal Waldron et al 'Sweet Love, Bitter' soundtrack (Impulse, mono)

A reissue!?! I see Bernard Stollman wasn't very impressed with the vinyl from these guys on that AAJ interview (nice interview, BTW, Clifford )

Particularly fine work from George Coleman on the bonus tracks. 'Free Flow' was a tune he featured extensively on his live quartet gigs in the late 70s. Nice playing from Julian Priester also on this session. One of my favourite TOCJs.

Pat Metheny 'Zero Tolerance For Silence' or...... Miles Davis 'Agharta'

Mention of 'Siete Ocho' always invariably reminds me of what must have been the hippest in flight entertainment jazz tape ever compiled by American Airlines (or was it United?) which featured this track and selections from a whole bunch of other Conns of the time. Best flight I ever had ! They also had great Eddie Jefferson on that tape.. Makes a change from the usual Yellowjackets/SpiroGyra muzak on those flights.

Just the job for authentic playback of Lexingtons and 47W63rd deep grooves !

The following have been spun quite a bit this year: Big John Patton Mosaic Select Jazz Crusaders Mosaic Rendell/Carr reissues ('Shades of Blue/Dusk Fire' and 'Phase III/Live') and 'Change Is' LP Neil Ardley 'Symphony of Amaranths' and 'Will Power' LPs Gordon Beck 'Gyroscope' LP Harry Beckett 'Flare Up' Jackie McLean 'Bluesnik', 'Capuchin Swing' and 'It's Time' LPs Sam Rivers 'Contours' LP Various Electric Miles LPs ('Decoy', 'We Want Miles', 'Dingo', 'Aura' etc) All of the Blue Note Dexter Gordon LPs (these get better and better IMO as the years pass) Of course there are loads more but these are the ones that initially come to mind.

'Miles Davis & Sonny Stitt Live in Stockholm, 1960' (Dragon 2LPs) Doug Carn 'Infant Eyes' (Black Jazz Reissue)

Basie Clef/Verve disks 7 and 8

Sonny Fortune 'Awakening' (A&M Horizon) Sonny Rollins 'Volume 2' (BN 47W63rd DG mono) Cannonball Adderley 'Somethin' Else' (BN 47W63rd DG mono) Philly Joe Jones 'Advance !' (Galaxy)

Are you 'subbing' for Mosaic themselves this year?

For me, it's Elvin Jones' playing which stands out on 'Siete Ocho'. Starts off reasonably subdued (for him) but some amazing sonic fireworks kick in about a minute into the piece. Awesome !

With regard to Tracey, if you are referring to his Columbia Lansdowne material this would now possibly come under the control of Universal, although some of the material (e.g. 'With Love From Jazz') has been given recent issue by Stan and Clark Tracey on their own issue. 'The Complete Columbia Lansdowne Sessions (Various Artists)' would make one HELL of a Mosaic box though, I'd buy it in a jiff..

Lee Morgan 'Delightful-Lee' (BN Liberty,stereo)

Nice tribute to the late, great flautist/saxist Harold McNair from the BBC 'Jazz Legends' series now online... McNair Tribute Show Some nice recordings here from the LPs 'Harold McNair', 'The Fence' and 'Flute & Nut'