Strange Definitive reissue titles

[Claude]

I just saw the announcement of a new Definitive collection on jazzmatazz:

Duke Ellington - Complete Prestige Carnegie Hall 1946-1947 concerts

It seems like Definitive put the two 2CD sets by Fantasy (initially issued by Prestige) onto a 3CD set:

http://www.fantasyjazz.com/catalog/ellington_d_cat3.html

But why do they add the word "Prestige" to the title, when this concert has nothing to do with Prestige (they issued the recordings years later). When Definitive reissues recordings made by Prestige (Monk, Miles) they avoid the word "Prestige" on the cover, for whatever reason.

The "Centennial Edition" on the cover is also odd. What are they referring to?

Edited December 15, 2004 by Claude

[EKE BBB]

That collection (alongside their "Complete Prestige Carnegie Hall 1943-44 concerts") was released at least three or four years ago.

Maybe this is a new re-reissue, but with no new tracks (I´ve checked it). In fact I don´t remember having seen that Centennial Edition mark on cover.

Or Maybe it´s just the retail availability at US stores, as it´s usually announced by jazzmatazz.

[EKE BBB]

The "Centennial Edition" on the cover is also odd. What are they referring to?

Probably it was originally released in 1.999, but I´m not sure.

[EKE BBB]

From the DEMS Bulletin (02/1 April-July 2002), a few comments (not very positive, of course! ) on some Definitive Records EKE releases:

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Definitive Records (3CDs) DRCD 11196 Duke Ellington Complete Original American Decca Recordings

02/1 DEMS 17/1

This set is copied from Steven Lasker's 1994 release titled "Early Ellington". Steven's 3CD set was discussed in DEMS 97/1-10. The only "improvement" is the fact that Definitive Records has put the alternate takes at the end of each CD. A rip-off all the same. Sjef Hoefsmit

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Definitive Records (3CDs) DRCD 11199 Duke Ellington Complete Studio Transcriptions

02/1 DEMS 17/2

This set contains the same selections as the Hindsight set, HBCD 501-1, -2 and -3. See DEMS 93/1-4. The same 5 selections are missing from these Capitol transcriptions sessions as were missing on the Hindsight CDs, although the sequence of the remaining 64 tracks is somewhat different, maybe to simplify the mention of the personnel. The dates in 1946 are 28Mar, 11Jul, 16Jul and 17Jul; in 1947 7Jan, 9Jun and 10Jun. The 5 missing selections are released on a very valuable LP, Jazz Supreme 102. Embraceable You is not from 10Jun47 but from 28Mar46. Kay Davis should have been mentioned in the listing for 28Mar46 (she did two numbers). Also Wilbur De Paris was in the band on 9 and 10Jun47 and it is remarkable that Duke had six trumpet-players at the same time. DEMS

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Definitive Records (2CDs) DRCD 11207 Duke Ellington - The Complete Legendary Fargo Concert

02/1 DEMS 17/3

This is the same as Vintage Jazz Classics VJC 1019/20-2 (DEMS 91/1-6) and Storyville STCD 8316/7 (00/4-29). DEMS

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Definitive Records (3CDs) DRCD 11210 Duke Ellington Complete Prestige Carnegie Hall Concerts 1943-1944

02/1 DEMS 17/4

A combination of the 23Jan43 and 28Jan43 concerts was originally released on a Prestige 3 LP set and later on the double CD 2PCD 34004-2. A great part of the 19Dec44 concert was originally released on a double LP and later on the double CD 2PCD 24073-2. All these recordings are now squeezed onto this 3CD set.DEMS

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Definitive Records (3CDs) DRCD 11211 Duke Ellington Complete Prestige Carnegie Hall Concerts 1946-1947

02/1 DEMS 17/5

A great part of the 4Jan46 concert was originally released on a double LP and later on the double CD 2PCD 24074-2. A great part of the 27Dec47 concert was originally released on a double LP and later on the double CD 2PCD 24075-2. All these recordings are now squeezed onto three CDs. In the 1946 concert Al Killian was not in the band. It was Taft Jordan. Also Fred Guy is missing from the personnel listing. We believe that the last selection in the 1947 concert Blue Skies is also from 27Dec47. DEMS

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Definitive Records CD 11215 Duke Ellington Complete Musicraft Recordings 1946

02/1 DEMS 17/6

With Shorty Baker, Taft Joran (sic !), Shelton Hemphill, Harry Carney, Johnny Hodges, Wilbur De Paris, Billy Strayhorn, Ray Nance, more 1946, 1950 Studio recordings for the independent Musicraft label, plus the little-known quartet session with cellist Oscar Pettiford and drummer Jo Jones. According to a statement by a website record dealer, the booklet includes "complete documentation of recording dates and personnel. USD $10.00" Carl Hällström

This CD contains the same 13 selections from the sessions of 1946 on 23oct, 25Nov, 5Dec, 11Dec and 18Dec, which were released on the Musicraft CD MVSCD-52 and the 4 selections of 13Sep50 for the Mercer label. These 17 selections were once available together with 8 other Mercer recordings on the double LP Prestige P-24029. (The 4+8=12 Mercer recordings were also on Riverside CD CA/802/98.969 "Great Times". DEMS 85/1-3 and 88/1-4) DEMS

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[EKE BBB]

Some more comments, from DEMS Bulletin [03/1 April-July 2003 ]:

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Definitive Records CD 11215

Duke Ellington Complete Musicraft Recordings 1946

03/1 DEMS 21/2

See DEMS 02/1-17/6

I purchased "The Complete Musicraft Recordings" on Definitive Records from Spain for 2 reasons: In hopes the sound quality would be the best ever and for the hard to find Oscar Pettiford recordings tacked on to the end.

The good news is that the Musicraft recordings are presented in the best audio quality I've heard.

There's one serious problem though; the 2 parts of Happy-Go-Lucky Local are joined together in reverse order; you hear part 2 then part 1! Also, the Pettiford tracks have since surfaced in much better sound quality on Classics 1949- 1950 (#1191).

There is also an interesting version of these Musicraft recordings on Laserlight. There are actually 2 different versions of this release, both having the same catalog number: 15 753. Both versions have 12 of the Musicraft recordings. Additionally version #1 has the following: Green, Pink and Plaid; Janet; Hum Drum and Dark Dawn; while version #2 omits these 4 tracks & has a very nice 9 minute live version of Satin Doll. There are no recording dates given for any of the 5 tracks. Geff Ratcheson

The four additional titles on the first release were played by the Bobby Freedman Orchestra. The correct title for Janet is Jane. Jerry Valburn

The two additional titles on the revised edition were on track 1 Satin Doll from Toronto, 22Jun72 and on track 14 Glory, which is the same as Happy Anatomy, played by the Ellington quintet and recorded between 2 and 7Jun59, not used for the soundtrack and also not released anywhere else.

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[Harold_Z]

Maybe the "centennial edition" is a tip off that they used the remasterings from the RCA box? They want to let the consumer know that they are "providing" the best mastering "availalble".

[EKE BBB]

Maybe the "centennial edition" is a tip off that they used the remasterings from the RCA box? They want to let the consumer know that they are "providing" the best mastering "availalble".

[Claude]

As more Blue Note session go into public domain, Definitive will start it's own "RVG" series ("remastered by Randy Von Gulden")

[neveronfriday]

Some more comments, from DEMS Bulletin [03/1 April-July 2003 ]:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Definitive Records CD 11215

Duke Ellington Complete Musicraft Recordings 1946

03/1 DEMS 21/2

See DEMS 02/1-17/6

I purchased "The Complete Musicraft Recordings" on Definitive Records from Spain for 2 reasons: In hopes the sound quality would be the best ever and for the hard to find Oscar Pettiford recordings tacked on to the end.

The good news is that the Musicraft recordings are presented in the best audio quality I've heard.

There's one serious problem though; the 2 parts of Happy-Go-Lucky Local are joined together in reverse order; you hear part 2 then part 1! Also, the Pettiford tracks have since surfaced in much better sound quality on Classics 1949- 1950 (#1191).

There is also an interesting version of these Musicraft recordings on Laserlight. There are actually 2 different versions of this release, both having the same catalog number: 15 753. Both versions have 12 of the Musicraft recordings. Additionally version #1 has the following: Green, Pink and Plaid; Janet; Hum Drum and Dark Dawn; while version #2 omits these 4 tracks & has a very nice 9 minute live version of Satin Doll. There are no recording dates given for any of the 5 tracks. Geff Ratcheson

The four additional titles on the first release were played by the Bobby Freedman Orchestra. The correct title for Janet is Jane. Jerry Valburn

The two additional titles on the revised edition were on track 1 Satin Doll from Toronto, 22Jun72 and on track 14 Glory, which is the same as Happy Anatomy, played by the Ellington quintet and recorded between 2 and 7Jun59, not used for the soundtrack and also not released anywhere else.

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Sigh.

Why does collecting have to be so damn difficult, confusing, and convoluted?

Release 1 has tracks two and three, but not four, release 2 has track four but omits two, release 11 has Ellington with belly dancers in the background (listen to the skirts twirl) and release 23 has all of the above in mediocre sound quality (but tracks 6 and 8 were dropped in favor of tape hiss after track 16).

I think I'll start collecting Britney Spears. Everything sounds the same, there's no need to remaster anything, and she's only got two songs.

The fast one and the slow one.

Cheers!

[brownie]

Be careful, Deus! Britney stinks... Definately

From a recent story:

SPEARS STINKS OUT PLANE WITH FEET 

Pop beauty BRITNEY SPEARS' smelly feet upset her fellow airplane passengers recently.

The TOXIC singer was flying from Los Angeles to New York with her husband KEVIN FEDERLINE and decided to make herself more comfortable by removing her shoes.

Unfortunately for her fellow passengers, Britney's feet caused such a stink it wasn't long before they were forced to complain to a stewardess.

One says, "The smell was unbelievable. One woman had a word with the air hostess, then three or four others complained.

"She looked pretty embarrassed as she tapped Britney on the shoulder and asked her very politely to put her shoes back on.

"Britney went red, laughed and said her shoes made her feet stink. Thankfully she put them on. There's no way we could have put up with that."

[couw]

the things you read on this board, simply amazing