Claude

The Paris recordings are great, but I would have preferred getting the master takes only. Maybe Definitive will do that I currently have two CDs culled from these sessions, "Chet Baker Quartet featuring Dick Twardzik" (2003 Universal reissue) and "Chet Baker Quartet plays Standards" (Jazz in Paris). Tthe new box will be available for 80€ at JPC: http://www.jpc.de/jpcng/jazz/detail/-/hnum/9888368

The strangest thing I experienced during sleep happened to me in the night of April 13, 1992. I was studying in Brussels that year but staying at my parents' for the weekend. I was quite down because of a miserable love affair, and I could not sleep. Some time before, I had read Goethe's "Faust", the classic german drama about the scholar who selling his soul to the devil. As I was half dozing, I fantasized about what I would request from the devil if he was proposing me the deal. Shortly afterwards, my bed started to shake violently, as if someone tried to wake me up brutally. As it was completely dark in my room I couldn't see anything. I don't believe in supernatural stuff, but at that moment, the only explanation for me was that the devil himself had come to speak to me. I was scared to death and competely froze. The shaking stopped after a minute, and a few minutes later I took the risk of switching on the lights. Everything looked normal. But I was certain that I had not dreamt, because it had felt so real. I went to my parent's room and woke them up, but they hadn't noticed anything. I returned to my room and switched on the radio. In the 2 AM news they announced that there had been an earthquake in the region. Earthquakes are extremely rare here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roermond#The_...mond_earthquake

Not sure about other European countries but French labels issued most of the new stereo albums as 'Gravure Universelle' hroughout te '60s. You could play those Gravure Universelle on mono or stereo systems. Yes, but I meant the recordings themselves. Albums such as Jean-Luc Ponty's "Jazz long playing" (recorded in 1964 for Philips and reissued in the "Jazz in Paris" CD series) or Chet Baker "Chet is back" (recorded in Rome for RCA in 1962), are mono. At that time, all the US labels were recording in stereo. Already in 1958, mono recordings (such as "Burrell/Coltrane") were unusual.

Here's the source of the article (no virus warning on my side): http://www.dagogo.com/Editorials/2007-9-St...tEvolution.html The main problem of SACD is that it is an audiophile format. It is difficult to establish a new format that is interesting for hifi fans only, i.e. a very small fraction of the music buyers. Multichannel sound is already offered on DVDs, you don'r need SACD for that. Of course the industry could have established SACD as a new standard by offering the SACD bonus for free, by adding a hirez layer to CDs. But why would they do that, when CD sales are falling rapidly? Audiophile formats being a niche market, the best option would be to offer high resolution downloads (such as 96kHz/24bit PCM in losslessly compressed files), to be played on PCs connected to the hifi set or dedicated music servers such as the Squeezebox, or to be burned to DVD-A discs. They require almost no investment or production cost on the supplier side, because the files already exist and can be sold through iTunes or other download stores.

That's also the earliest I know. As has been said, one should distinguish between the recording and the release format. Some sessions were already recorded in stereo before stereo LPs were made. But when stereo pressings were finally available commercially, stereo recording really took off, at least in jazz. What surprises me is how late some european labels switched to stereo. Many early to mid 60's sessions reissued on CD in the "Jazz in Paris" series are mono (sessions produced for LP release, not radio sessions which would be mono until much later).

Thanks Reinier, I wasn't aware that some of these were digital recordings. "V.S.O.P" was recorded in 1976, "The Quintet" and "Tempest at the Collosseum" in 1977, so I guess those are analog. How about "Five stars"? This was a direct-to-disc session. Was the backup recording made on analog or digital tape? @Daniel: no there isn't. But there is always the possibility of a slightly better transfer of early digital recordings. Some of them were made in more exotic PCM formats (such as 16Bit/50kHz) and have to be converted to the standard format. Concerning these recordings, I'm actually more interested in remastering than in hi-rez benefits, because many first CD reissues by Columbia sound poor. I don't expect much from the live recordings though.

Reinier, Do you have these SACDs? If yes, ave you compared them to the domestic CD versions? Most of these live recordings don't sound that great, but maybe the mastering has improved. I'll probably get "Five stars", the japan-only studio album.

I like the first album, because of the second disc with Mwandishi and Headhunters material. It was just reissued in Japan as a hybrid SACD, but I couldn't find a a track list. With japan reissues, new bonus tracks a very unlikely though. http://www.sa-cd.net/showtitle/4816

Are you logged in? My basket at Amazon.co.uk is ok. What is the makeover format? I can't see such an option on the front page or my account settings.

My box has been shipped by amazon.de yesterday (60€)

There's a review of Jarrett's recent solo concert in Frankfurt on the german Spiegel website http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/musik/0,1518,512796,00.html It's very positive as far as the artistic side is concerned, but also mentions that Jarrett interupted his performance three times, not because of flash photographers but because of coughing in the audience. The first time he lectured the public not to make any noise, then two times he briefly left the stage to "punish" it. He also stated that he's been doing these lectures for the past 35 years and expects some learning effect, and played a short "bar piano" parody to show what he thought of the situation.

I don't think I would buy a lot more music than now. With $1M, I would buy a house. But it would not be a very luxurious one here in Luxembourg.

Hi Durium, When it comes to Mingus' 1964 european tour, the new Jazz Icons DVD is also worth mentionning. It contains the TV studio performances from Norway (April 12), Sweden (April 13) and Belgium (April 19). 2 hours in much better picture and sound quality than previously available bootlegs. http://www.jazzicons.com/ji2_mingus.html

When I ordered from UK Amazon (earlier this week) 17.5 percent VAT was added during the check-out process. I was surprised; thought they had to include VAT from the start. That's strange, EU Amazon prices always included VAT before check-out - I just remembered that during the check-out process prices were adjusted to include the VAT percentage of the EU country the customer lives in. Maybe they've changed it and just add VAT at the end. No, you're right! I checked my order and the VAT was not added, only adjusted during check-out. I was confused because in the order summary each item was listed with final VAT included, but the items subtotal just below was without VAT. Except from books, Sweden has the highest VAT rate in the EU... There is a special regime for items that are being sent from Jersey (some of their DVDs are). UK buyers don't have to pay VAT, but non-UK EU buyers have to. It's a bit confusing. http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005LDBG/ (check the "Why?" link)

The big labels will die anyway. Bands could record their albums with their own production company and then sell it through iTunes, which would do the promotion work.

Thanks Brownie! I wasn't aware of that project. That must be the greatest gathering of free jazz legends in Luxembourg ever. Here's some more information from Henry Grimes' homepage: http://www.henrygrimes.com/schedule.html More info (in french): http://www.mocom.lu/detail.php?ID=459 Tickets: http://www.e-ticket.lu/v2/entered.php?pg=main&lang=en

I didn't know Emusic had a specific european service (it was launched last year). I get redirected to the european site automatically. Are the Gambit releases available on the US site as well?

If it's the regular box set (LP-sized with full booklet), that's an incredible bargain. The reduced box set sold by Zweitausendeins was never availalable through other channels AFAIK, so chances are high that the Amazon offering is the regular box set.

I've heard the expression in English, and also noticed it applied most frequently to automobiles. I believe it's a nearly archaic expression at this point. "rendre l'âme" in french (= "hand back the soul"). It is also mainly used with technical equipment.

I hope they are not printed in yellow text on orange background, as in one of the previous Miles box sets (don't remember which one)

Last week I received a lottery scam by letter, from Spain.

Well, it doesn't look like it's available in the US today ... http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?...24605&BAB=B ("Backordered") http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Corner-Sess.../dp/B000TLMWMO/ ("Usually ships within 4 to 6 weeks")

This looks like a clueless marketing section, since the albums have already been reissued "restored and remastered and in digipak packaging", and those reissues are still available. What is there to make these reissues more interesting? The logical risk-free step would have been to start an "Impulse! RVG" series remastered by Rudy.

The spanish Wes DVD was dubbed from TV re-broadcasts, while the Jazz Icons DVDs are made from TV archive tapes, which explains the big difference in picture and sound quality.

The studio recording sounds completely dry, but for the film version a lot of reverb was added to the recording to create a different atmosphere. The CD reissues usually have both the film soundtrack and the raw studio recording. http://www.plosin.com/milesAhead/Disco.aspx?id=AscenseurNew