sidewinder

I've got the Liberty LP of Millman's 'Shades of Things To Come'. A good excuse to dig it out again - very typical West Coast fare of the time. He's listed as being on flugelhorn on this disk..

I operate a NAC82 pre in combination with NAP250 power amp and can recommend it. Lots of detail and good dynamic range (there's nothing like it for playing Big John Patton Blue Note vinyl cranked up B)) . I've always had very good experience with Naim back-up too (in fact if you want details of build standard, servicing etc. on any of their amps you can give their UK servicing department a call and they check the records for the unit). Not sure what the support is like over in North America though. I had a chat with a very knowledgable Naim dealer recently though who advised some caution re: the more recent 'integrated' components. Not sure about the model details but I guess he was referring to some of the stuff intended for the home cinema market.

'Nuff said. Thanks !

The 'British' series is excellent and there's some particularly good stuff by Bax, Delius and Holst. I've picked some of these up for £1-£2 and they are exceptional value for money.

Pick up the MCA twofer LP set if you can find it. Sounds just dandy. Both sessions excellent, some superb Bill Evans and with Jon Hendricks showing the rap guys a thing or two. Talk about ahead of its time ! B)

I think they are 180g. They look comparable to the Mosaic Analog Masters Q-XLs.

I've checked the booklet and also the back of the box of my set but there's no indication as to whether or not it's an analogue or digital master. The set in my posession is from the second pressing (1 of 3,000) issued in 2000. The first pressing was a numbered edition released back in 1995. I'll have a listen to 'Equinox' sometime over the weekend to check that 'botch job' issue.

'Powerhouse' - Jazz Crusaders I've got my eye on a nice World Pacific LP copy of this one and was wondering if there were any opinions/thoughts from the board membership regarding the quality of the session. I'm hoping that it's along the lines of 'Uh Huh', which I like a lot and is also from around this vintage (1968). Looking at the list of tunes, it would appear that Buster Williams' 'Firewater' is on there so the omens are good.. B) Thanks in advance !

Yes, I remember mention of that too. I'll check the box in a wee while..

Better not mention that 'Bardot' thread...could be messy

I have the set on vinyl and it sounds pretty nice - recommended. $200 sounds about the right ball-park for a mint set (I saw another one advertised here in the UK for £120 this week, about the same amount). Not sure on the source of the mastering at present time - don't have the set in front of me but will have a check later tonight. I view this set as a 'Rhino Does Mosaic' - certainly a nice one to have.

email sent !

I would recommend the vinyl set of this if it's in good condition. $150 is a very fair price - I've seen it go for much more. From my recollection, I don't think there's anything in this set which wasn't in the individual Candid CD releases of 'Jumpin Pumpkins', 'World Of' etc

Most recent was, I think, Andrew Hill with his UK/US band. Saw a lot of touring bands in the late 70s/early 80s though including Woody H, Buddy Rich (about 3 times), Louis Bellson (with Don Menza leading the sax section), Gil Evans UK Orchestra (with the likes of John Surman), Maynard Ferguson and Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy. Other bands seen in more recent years have been Gerald Wilson (absolutely phenomenal - the greatest !), Sun Ra (incredible stamina - best part of 4 hours high octane stuff), Bill Holman's Orchestra (highly impressive LA-based band) and the Italian Instabile Orchestra (total anarchy). Buddy Rich was just incredible. One of the times I saw him the BBC were filming the show live and apparently my right shoulder featured on many of the shots (I'm assuming the tapes were wiped after transmission). The banter between Buddy and Ronnie Scott was hilarious and the power and precision of the band - just phenomenal.

Aha - I didn't have the LP in question in front of me at the time, being chained to the ol' workdesk so I stand corrected. One gull it is ! B) Any idea where the blue stuff was photographed?

Incredible blue ocean seascape with a couple of gulls zooming over it. Taken by a Japanese photographer, I believe. One of my fave ECM covers.

I have to say that every bit of King or Toshiba vinyl I've received from him has been in absolutely A-1 condition. Recommended and service absolutely first rate! Small package rate (limited to about 4-5 LPs each) usually works out best for shipping of LPs to Europe. Usually they are from Japan to UK within 5 days !

Wasn't there something written somewhere about these sessions being listed amongst those for which the master tapes were probably in too rough a shape for transfer to CD? I've got both on German ECM vinyl and they sound excellent. 'Love, Love' is very much in the Mahavishnu/Eddie Henderson Capricorn vein and highly recommended. 'Polarisation' is probably my favourite of the two - fine playing by Priester in a quartet and superbly recorded. Great cover on 'Love, Love' too ! Groovy - for sure !

Wasn't he a stickler for food etc. in the studio? In which case, he must have been following them around with a turbo-charged extractor fan !

There's a wonderfully atmospheric one of Melvin Lastie which has the same effect - ciggie in hand as he plays, taken at the 'Alligator Boogaloo' session.. Yes, I have the big book of Wolff photos. Invaluable, IMO

Amen, brother !

I've seen Elvin quite a few times over the years, from about 1980 onwards (when he was truly phenomenal in terms of firepower) but the most memorable has to be back in 1989. The band at that time included Ronnie Mathews, Cecil McBee and Sonny Fortune ( ) and was on tour up in Toronto, playing the now-defunct 'Bermuda Onion' club on Bloor Street. I was accompanied by both of my parents that night, who were visiting me from the UK, and by some fluke of chance my mum ended up seated right in front of Elvin's bass drum and hi-hat location ! After the set Elvin came over to the table, most graciously apologised to my mother for the loud racket and then sat and chatted a while, talking about the band and mentioning his time with the Coltrane quartet (of course at times like this your mind goes blank as you try to think of questions to ask ). Oh - and he also signed a copy of a flyer with 'love and peace - Elvin Jones', which I have sinced had framed and hangs pride of place on my wall. Ever since that night, this guy can do no wrong.. . I wish Elvin the very best of health and speedy recovery from the current ailment.

There has been an excellent exhibition of original Francis Wolff prints at one of the London galleries during the past few weeks. Lots of great shots on show - Mobley, Dexter, Wayne, Coltrane/Morgan/Fuller, Herbie and Elvin, to name a few. Now showing over at the 'Spitz' gallery in Spitalfields, I believe.

Sorry to hear this - I can truly sympathise and hope that some of this is salvageable.

Here's a colour miniature of the front sleeve of 'Cleopatra's Needle'.