Kevin Bresnahan

I can call them about it someday when I get a chance but didn't I read somewhere that these non-Mosaic Farlow sets are from Europe? If this is true and they are from Europe, then sure, they're technically illegal in the US because Mosaic holds the exclusive rights to sell this set here. BTW, Mosaic still makes money off those sets too. I think the only reason they are cheaper here in the US right now is because of the strong Euro. This scenario is nowhere near what's happening with these LA-area dealers. The European Farlow sets are legit, just not being sold where they're supposed to be sold. Not apples to apples. Kevin

This is not related to my reasons for not buying these sets. As I said, these sets are taking revenue from Mosaic. Sure, someone else will probably buy the set that I decide not to buy but then if Mosaic goes out of business, I won't have to wonder if I was "part of the problem". Look, I can only do what I think is right for me. You do what you want. My only reason for posting to this thread in the first place was simply to let people know that these are not legit. People can choose to buy them or not. Kevin

I just looked at the ebay link again and noticed that the seller lists the quantities available of each title. He has multiple copies of each. 15 copies available of the Pullen Select! 5 copies with no box/booklet for the Sarah Vaughn? No way a dealer buys that many without Mosaic knowing (and Mosaic does not sell without box/booklet). They'd probably even negotiate a discount for a big sale like this. It wouldn't be enough of a discount to allow them to sell it for $32 and still make a profit, though. I just can't see how this seller can be legit. Kevin

Mosaic has been trying to plug this leak for years now. It's more than just a few promos. According to what I've been told, Mosaic thinks someone is grabbing full boxes of CDs. They are getting access to them before the get to EMI, and definitely before Mosaic gets them. That's why there is no box or booklet: Mosaic inserts the CDs in CT. Selects are shipped directly from the plant sealed. That's why these Selects are complete. As to why these CDs are on the docks at the corporate offices of EMI, yes, it is for EMI to do with them as they will (which likely includes giving out bunches as promos). But these particular sets never seem to make it into EMI in the first place. Mosaic can't account for them. My guess is someone on the docks at EMI's LA office is dropping them out the back door. Kevin

Someone over on the Jazz Corner Speakeasy says the cause of death was a heart attack. I don't know where the poster got the info. Kevin

The way this thread is going is exactly why I didn't post on it until today. I figured there would be some disagreement. Listen everyone, I posted what I posted for information only. Readers are free to do whatever they want with this information. I am making no value judgements, only stating facts. There's no need to start a big brew-ha-ha over it. As for how to know if these sets (and yes, this dealer responded to an E-mail saying he has mulitple copies) are legal, I can only report what I was told. Fact: Only Mosaic is licensed to sell this set now. Fact: Mosaic would have a record of this sale and for this particular dealer, there is no record. Yes, anyone could buy a bunch of sets from Mosaic and re-sell them, as Collector's Choice does, but if they want to stay in business, they would likely sell them at a higher price than Mosaic. If this dealer wants to sell these at a loss, hey, different story. I would also add that these dealers are certainly damaging Mosaic. Every set they sell is one less set that Mosaic sells. For this reason alone, disregarding the legalities, I wouldn't take advantage of this deal. I just could not screw my favorite record label like that. As for financial reasons, well, I am sympathetic to this... however, if you can't afford something, the best bet is to not buy it until the funds are available. That's how it works in my house. There are a lot of things I'd love to buy right now too. Kevin

These Los Angeles area dealers are all getting their Mosaic CDs illegally. Someone in EMI's LA office is leaking them out by the box-full. It's been going on for years now. This dealer will probably say he got them from a legit wholesaler, but that wholesaler didn't acquire them legally because they're not available legally. Currently, only Mosaic has the license for these box sets. Just like Batvano of days passed, these sellers are picking up these sets that "fell off the truck" and selling them as legit copies. Mosaic tells me they are not legit. For the extra $7, my money's still going to Mosaic.

Someone at another website has posted a link from a Danish news agency that Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen has died. RIP to the Great Dane. So young at only 58! 58 and yet it seems like he played with everyone. Kevin

He's a guy who always typed with the "Caps lock" on. Basically, on the Internet, all caps is supposed to be the equivalent of shouting. Don't worry, Tom, they're just playing around. But you might want to take the caps lock off. Kevin

Well, it's beginning to look like Sun Music isn't the best when it comes to customer service. I E-mailed them Monday to ask what was the status of my order. They replied that they haven't received payment. I forwarded the E-mail I got from BidPay telling them that payment was made. Since then, nothing. I wish they would just cancel the order so I can move on. Kevin

I wonder why they say "Holland"? I guess the distributor may be out of Holland, but if they're the discs I have, they say, "Made In Germany" right on them. Lon, Mike, you'll like these. They did a nice job with these reissues. Kevin

Those are the ones I have. They have showed up in some stores over here but I haven't looked in a while. I see where Crazy Jazz, out of the UK, has both for around $15 each, but I think I paid less than that. Kevin

Mike, I'm looking at the liners now (I was at work when I typed my post above) and you're right, they didn't find out until after. It still must've been weird that day for them. They just finish recording basically a tribute album and the honoree happened to die just before they started recording? That'd give me the willies. The info on the CDs I have is: Sphere - Four In One - Electra Masters - Warner Jazz - Made in Germany Catalog Number: 7559-62601-2 UPC code: 75596 26012 1. Four In One (Monk) 6:53 2. Light Blue (Monk) 3:38 3. Monk's Dream (Monk) 5:58 4. Evidence (Monk) 5:59 5. Reflections (Monk) 5:58 6. Eronel (Monk) 6:53 Sphere - Flight Path - Electra Masters - Warner Jazz - Made in Germany Catalog Number: 7559-62602-2 UPC code: 75596 26022 1. If I Should Lose You (Robin/Rainger) 10:31 2. Pumpkins' Delight (Charlie Rouse) 6:40 3. Played Twice (Monk) 4:30 4. El Sueño (Kenny Barron) 5:27 5. Christina (Dedicated To Buster William's Niece) (Buster Williams) 4:47 6. Flight Path (Kenny Barron) 4:45

The first two Sphere dates on Electra are in print from Europe in digipaks. I was able to pick up both. According to the liner notes, the first was recorded on the day Monk died. They were in the studio recording when the word came in that Monk was gone. That must have been surreal. Kevin

Status update?

I talked to Cuscuna about this a few years back and I seem to remember that Lester's LRC reissues have gotten him in legal trouble with EMI. It doesn't seem to stop him from continuing releasing stuff on LRC that he no longer has the rights to. I agree that the Benny Golson date is a good one. FWIW, Blue Note put out a live 2 CD set (now oop) listed under Dizzy Gillespie's name that LRC still has in print, I think, called "Live at the Village Vanguard". It may be under Chick Corea's name on LRC. It's a pretty nice date. I'm pretty sure the Blue Note set had extra material but it's still worth picking up the edited LRC. Kevin

My order status still says "Pending" and has since the day I placed the order. So, Reinier, if this order doesn't go through, what'll take to get that? Kevin

Caveat Emptor with West Wind. Every time I've bought one of their releases, it turned out to a repackaged date I already had. They got me with Sonny Clark's "Blues Mambo" and another time with a Pepper Adams (?) date. I would look at the tunes and personnel carefully. You may have this on another (more legitimate) label. BTW, if I recall, sound quality wasn't stellar and since this is a live date, I would expect less. Kevin

Mike, I came very close to mentioning this date myself but it isn't reall easy to find these days. I have it on Charly two-fer. I do like that one a lot. Is the Japanese 24 bit version of this still in print? Kevin

I didn't know Rouse played with Rollins or Coltrane?

Good choices. The live stuff from Stockholm is currently available from the Monk family's private label. That DIW set is impossible to find... believe me, I looked! I really like this set and I thank John Litwack for turning me onto it. I'm a huge Charlie Rouse fan. I actually prefer his work away from Monk where he gets to do his own thing. Make sure you get that sampler of his Epic label output. I think it's called "Oh Yeah!". If vinyl is your thing, this material was recently reissued. On CD, the Japanese Epic's released in their "Mastersound" series sound phenomenal. Kevin

I had to bump Ellington's "Piano in the Background" up to the top of my queue last month because they were deleting it from their catalog. I still have "Piano in the Foreground" in my queue and I haven't gotten any notices on that. Kevin

I picked up a copy of this for a fellow board member. He still has it. I'll let him know you're looking for this. Kevin

Just so everyone knows, all of Renee's CDs, with the exception of the first two, are available at her website. Some of them are oop in the US. $16, including shipping and it's autographed. I highly recommend "For the Moment". Joe Henderson plays beautifully on this. I think my favorite leader-date of her's is "As We Are Now". As a sideman, or sidewoman in this case, she shines on JJ Johnson's "Heroes". I also like her on a little-known Soul Note CD from drummer Klaus Suonsaari called "Inside Out". Walt Weiskopf's "Anytown" (Criss Cross) is also worth seeking out, although more so for Weiskopf than Renee... it's just a very good CD with Renee's contributions. Looking at Renee's discography, I see several CDs on my want list. I should look to fill those one of these days. Kevin

Edit: Not a good thing to post someone else's mug on a "Show Us Your Face" thread. My mistake.