Kevin Bresnahan

This is sad to hear. I have used AI many times in the past and they have never let me down. In fact, the LPs I have received from them were packaged for shipment about the best I have ever seen. They were not late and their prices have been pretty fair... where else can you get an oop Mosaic box for under $30 per CD? Anyway, I hope their slippage is temporary. I had planned to use them in the future. Later, Kevin

Well, here I am on my third day over in steamy Manila. I can't wait to go home. Sooo tired. Anyway, here I am, 4 hours by plane from Japan, and I go into some CD shops, including Tower, and they all carry US versions! Weirdest thing. I've bought a lot of Japanese CDs in Taiwan and I figured this place would be like that. BTW, I'm being told that most CDs in the stores around here are probably bootlegs. Since I just saw a DVD of "Finding Nemo" and it's still playing in the movie theaters, I suppose that shouldn't surprise me. In the Tower around the corner from me, they have two copies of the US version of "Little Johnny C". Is that as hard to find as it used to be? Later, Kevin

John, I am staying at the Shagri La at Makati... "Shangri La"... what a name! I hear it's the American hotel in the area. I don't know about you, but right now, staying in a place that screams American might not be the best thing. I'll just keep my fingers crossed. Thanks for the tip about your friend's club. I'll definitely check it out. A Tower Records too?? Now that's good news! They must have a lot of Japanese CDs in there. Now, I just gotta find a used CD shop. Later, Kevin

That's great! If you hear from them, let me know. I leave Tuesday but I hope to have access to the 'net throughout the week. I hope there's at least one Jazz club so next weekend isn't a total loss. Later, Kevin

I've spun this one a couple of times this week. The CD I have this session on is called "Midnight Soul" and it's a gold CD issued on the French Vogue label in 1992. The other session on the disc is Lou's "Possum Head". In listening to this CD again, I was once again reminded that "gold CD" does not equal "good sounding CD". Sometimes, it sounds the band is playing underwater. Crappy sound quality for sure. Since I have several Argo CDs that sound fine, I have to think it's this CD and not the master tape. As for the "Signifying" session, it's OK. I wouldn't rank it ahead of any of Lou's Blue Note dates. Good boppish soul Jazz. Is it me, or does anyone else think "I Dream of Jeannie" when "Si Si Safronia" starts? Montrell might not be well known, but he plays very good here. Quite frankly, I prefer his playing to Grant Green's. Grant's tendency to get stuck on his pet triplet could and has driven me crazy. Later, Kevin

Well, after trying to avoid it for the last few months, I am finally going to have to fly over to visit a manufacturing facility over near Manila next week. I had to plan it over a weekend but I have no idea what the scene is like over there. Anyone on the board know the Manila scene? Are there any Jazz clubs? Any good used CD shops? Good place for Japanese CDs? I'm leaving 6/24 and returning 7/3. I better bring a lot of books. Hey, at least I can bring that new Harry Potter book. Later, Kevin

This is a truly great disc. I remember when this CD came out. My buddy Rob bought it and played it for me "blind". I was guessing all these trumpeters but I could never really pick up enough to nail it down to one. After several guesses, Rob dropped the CD into my lap. "Tony Fruscella"?? I had no idea. I picked the CD up myself and I play it often. I have thought about that Fresh Sounds/Jazz Factory set a few times but I never got around to it. This thread has me wondering again.... man, so many CDs, so little $$. Later, Kevin

You know, I could have sworn I saw "Ivory Hunters" stuck in Michael's "research pile" when I was there last week. I'll see if I can find out if it's in or out. Later, Kevin

A simple math equation seems to indicate that 179 tracks would be a hell of a lot more than 4 CDs. Even assuming an average length of 2 minutes and factoring the CD mediums "max playing time" of 80 minutes, you get 4.475 CDs. I cannot imagine these tracks would average 2 minutes... not with late 40's/early 50's stuff in there. I bet it would average out nearly 3 minutes per track which would put the CD count up to 6.7 CDs, much more in line with Chuck's estimate. Later, Kevin

Speaking of another pianist whose life was tragically cut short, isn't Carl Perkins the "crab" in "A Crutch For the Crab"? Later, Kevin

I don't know about the "bitch(ing) out" part, but Cuscuna did say that he "got a call" from a distributor saying he had been offered these titles. I don't know if the call was from the one who eventually got them or if it was from a competitor. I told Michael they should just leave them alone. I didn't see what the harm was. In fact, I told him that I thought he should see if True Blue could get them in since their core customers would love a shot at these titles. He said True Blue couldn't touch these. Only Time/Life was supposed to have them and that it was wrong for them to sell them off in violation of their license. Not knowing the ins & outs of this industry, I can't say why Michael was so upset about it. Maybe Chuck Nessa can enlighten us? Although with Mosaic being partially owned by EMI, we may have an answer right there. BTW, I also told him I picked up the Freddie Roach title and that I was loving it. He was not happy but he didn't hold it against me for taking advantage of the situation. I wonder if Tomatbluenote would have reacted the same? As for the ebay thing, since these titles as configured are totally legit, and only their means of sale are in question, I don't see how Blue Note could stop someone from reselling them wherever they wanted. Are you gonna start an ebay business, shrugs? If you do, let me know if you got an extra copy of the Chick Corea's "Early Circle". Intergrity ran out and he says he can't get any more. Later, Kevin

I agree 100%. I think it sucks that these titles are not available here in the US. I remember many years back when True Blue was considering carrying re-packaged Japanese BN CDs and they decided it wasn't financially viable. As much as I hate to admit it, the music-buying public doesn't seem to be buying Jazz. The numbers just aren't there. In a way, Time/Life's "failure" here is as disappointing as Blue Note's efforts to stop the illegal sales. Who knows... if these things had sold the way Time/Life thought they would, maybe they would have extended this program to the US? Now that their Spanish program flopped, they are probably writing off this program and the losers are us Jazz fans. Later, Kevin

Brad, according to what I was told by Michael, the contract was pretty explicit: these CDs could only be sold by Time Life from some special kind of kiosk and only in Spain. Time Life cannot sell these CDs in any other way. Also, the only reason BN is "going after them" now is because they have started showing up in the US. In fact, their whole investigation into the thing started when they got a call from a large US distributor asking them if they were legit. I bet if this had stayed on the Planet Records web site, nobody would have ever noticed. It took a large batch showing up over here to get their attention. Later, Kevin

Just a heads up on these Spanish CDs: I did get a chance to talk with Michael Cuscuna about these CDs and they were only licensed for sale in a very specific way for Time/Life in Spain and only Spain. That is why BN is upset that they are showing up at Planet Records. The deal they got was a very good one, better than Michael could have gotten for Mosaic/True Blue. That's also why they are so cheap. Apparently, Time/Life is "big enough" to get a deal. Since they are in violation of their contract, I imagine it won't be long before these things dry up. Time/Life is probably just as full of lawyers as Blue Note. Betcha two phone calls, tops, and these things will disappear. BTW, I asked Michael why he can't get a deal like this one going for True Blue and he said he could never make the sales needed to get this done. That sucks. Why the heck can't BN do this right? They license these hard-to-find titles to a company that doesn't even meet their sales expectations so they sell their stock off? That's just plain stupid. If they would get a deal like this together for True Blue, it would be handled in a win-win fashion.... Actually, a win-win-win (BN-True Blue--and US ) Later, Kevin

Sadly Jim, all indications are that the one track found on "The Lost Sessions" (and the DG box set) are all that we're going to hear from that session... Unless of course a couple of obviously inebriated guys playing saxophone is a "fit" for the smooth Jazz that Manhattan was known for! Later, Kevin

I don't really understand this question. I suppose the simple answer would be to tell you to order the Blue Note discography from the True Blue web site and go through it as I have. There are far too many "unissued" and "rejected" sessions listed in this book to summarize here. Suffice it to say, there are probably plenty still lying around that could be combined into another "The Lost Sessions" CD. BTW, you did pick that CD up right? "The Lost Sessions" is a very nice CD. The great Tadd Dameron tracks alone are worth the price. Later, Kevin

Cuscuna told me a while back that "Blue Train" would be stereo. I agree with Claude that the Blue Note web site is most likely in error. Later, Kevin

I never picked up the Columbia Hot Fives because all indications I read seemed to say that the JSP CDs with John R.T. Davies' work are still the best. Isn't that so? BTW, I would love to get "Something New, Something Blue" on CD, especially if there is additional stuff in the vaults. This various artists LP gets lots of playing time on my system, even if the vinyl is all scratched up. 4 tracks with Art Farmer, Frank Rehak, Phil Woods, Al Cohn, Eddie Costa, Bill Evans, Addison Farmer and Ed Shaughnessy and another 4 with Donald Byrd, Bob Brookmeyer, Hal McKusick, Frank Socolow, Teddy Charles, Mal Waldron, George Duvivier and Ed Shaughnessy. Great blues playing by all. Later, Kevin

I hung with Doug in recent years. We went CD shopping a couple of times and out to lunch at a brewery once too. Impossible, were you with us then, or was that the time you were away?? I thought I met a fellow named Cary and.... damn, I'm forgetting the other name. Wait was it Sean I met? Maybe Doug can refresh my memory. Funny thinking about this, I just e-mailed Doug to tell him I won't be down that way any more as my sister-in-law is moving back up to CT. I'll miss hangin' with Doug. During the early days of the Blue Note board, several of us met at a show in NYC. I remember "hardbop" Heaney, Bertrand, Dmitry, Morgan Fan(?), me, Rob and few others. Anyway, there were quite a few of us. I'll never forget that ride in Dmitry's car!! Later, Kevin

Like Claude, I have yet to be blown away by many SACDs I've bought with the exception of a couple of them from Analogue Productions (like Adderley's "You Know What I Mean"). However, I am very happy with the sound of nearly all the SACDs I've bought, something that cannot be said for nearly all the CDs I've bought. True, I did buy Peter Gabriel's greatest hits SACD, "Shaking the Tree" and it doesn't sound all that great, but it is really the only dud I've encountered in about 50 SACDs so far. I have many crappy-sounding CDs that I've been forced to re-buy and, in some cases, re-buy again... sometimes for a slight sound improvement. If you are faced with having to buy a new CD player, I would recommend looking into a CD/SACD combo unit. There is a possibility that Sony may start releasing hybrids for some of their product (like ABKCO has done with their Rolling Stones' catalog) and it doesn't make sense to exclude yourself from being able to access that extra, great-sounding layer. If you aren't seeing a need to buy a new player, wait until you old one dies. With any luck, Sony will follow through and get a bunch of hybrids into your CD collection so that sometime in the future when you do get to hear the music on that extra layer, you can see if it is better. Later, Kevin

This is an exceptional cd, I can agree with everything DrJ says. Don't miss this it's a real treat in every way. Here here! This is a great disc. I haven't played this one in a while... I'll have to pull it out tonight. Later, Kevin

Danny Gatton & Joey DeFrancesco - "Relentless" is a "must have" for everyone on this board. It just smokes! BTW, it is back in print (for how long, who knows?) at: Big Mo Records. Later, Kevin

Pick up David Murray's "Ballads For Bass Clarinet"! That's a great one to introduce someone who likes the sound of clarinet (abeit lower in tone) to the inner & outer aspects of its sound... and John Hicks plays great on it too. Later, Kevin

It was in the early morning hours when I fell into a phone call. Believing I had supernatural powers, I slammed into a brick wall. I said, "Hey, is this my problem? Is this my fault? If that's the way it's going to be, I'm going to call the whole thing to a halt."

Hmmm... I guess I'll have to pull this one off the shelf again. I can't remember too many drum solos. In fact, I seem to remember thinking how few drum solos there were coming from a set led by a drummer. I guess the last two discs, the "Live At The Lighthouse" stuff, probably has a few but that's not too bad for a live gig where the leader is the drummer, right? BTW, I agree that the Mobley set is one that should catch your fancy. I play parts of it often. About the drawback I could think of is that there is a "sameness" to the sessions... a common problem with a few of my Mosaic boxes... great in pieces but repetative if you try spinning the whole thing. Later, Kevin