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Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall


AllenLowe

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I'm putting this in the artist's area, though I know that some might argue that it's for audio - at any rate, thanks to Big Al, who sent me his copy, I was able to work on the much argued-about Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall CD, with Phil Schaap's purist approach to restoration. I've done a bit of work on it tonight, and even I'm surprised at how much better it sounds - interestingly enough, not only does CEDAR really remove a lot of the noise wihohut diminishing the music, I found that Phil did a very bad job at one crucial step of the re-mastering process - EQ. A major reason this CD sounds so medicre is that it's so poorly EQ'd - I boosted the bass about 6 DB, added some midrange, and voila - got the rhythm section back, heard more Benny, more orchestra. I'm putting together a CDR with three cuts: cut 1 is the original, cut two is with one step of noise reduction (de-clicking/crackling, some de-hiss) and cut 3 is with a bit more hiss reduction added -I tend to be very conservative in these things. There is nothing that will eliminate all hiss, and there is some nice ambient sound in those higher frequencies. But I figured everyone can make their own judgement. I'm happy to mail a CDR to anyone interested - email me at alowe@maine.rr.com and I'll put one in the mail -

Edited by AllenLowe
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don't worry, I'll supply the blank - just email me your address at alowe@maine.rr.com and I'll get one out this week - Chuck - I'll send you one this week - I haven't heard the re-do - does it sound like they worked from Schaap's original?

Edited by AllenLowe
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It's very rare that the first CD incarnation of a Columbia album sounds better than the re-issue, but that is definitely the case here. I'm very glad I hung onto my mid-1980s issue of Goodman at Carnegie Hall, since the Schapp is just unlistenable for the most part.

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I'm putting this in the artist's area, though I know that some might argue that it's for audio - at any rate, thanks to Big Al, who sent me his copy, I was able to work on the much argued-about Benny Goodman at Carnegie Hall CD, with Phil Schaap's purist approach to restoration. I've done a bit of work on it tonight, and even I'm surprised at how much better it sounds - interestingly enough, not only does CEDAR really remove a lot of the noise wihohut diminishing the music, I found that Phil did a very bad job at one crucial step of the re-mastering process - EQ. A major reason this CD sounds so medicre is that it's so poorly EQ'd - I boosted the bass about 6 DB, added some midrange, and voila - got the rhythm section back, heard more Benny, more orchestra. I'm putting together a CDR with three cuts: cut 1 is the original, cut two is with one step of noise reduction (de-clicking/crackling, some de-hiss) and cut 3 is with a bit more hiss reduction added -I tend to be very conservative in these things. There is nothing that will eliminate all hiss, and there is some nice ambient sound in those higher frequencies. But I figured everyone can make their own judgement. I'm happy to mail a CDR to anyone interested - email me at alowe@maine.rr.com and I'll put one in the mail -

:o So THAT'S where I put that thing! :lol:

Can't wait to hear the results, Allen. BTW, which track did you use?

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It's very rare that the first CD incarnation of a Columbia album sounds better than the re-issue, but that is definitely the case here. I'm very glad I hung onto my mid-1980s issue of Goodman at Carnegie Hall, since the Schapp is just unlistenable for the most part.

Exactly. I'm glad I held onto the original as well...

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I used the first cut - Don't Be that Way - I will add that one good thing about things being issued the way Schaap issued this is that no restoration is better than BAD restoration - with digital work, once somthing is gone it's gone - you cannot rid it of digital distortion, you cannot being back highs that have been digitally removed - so in this way, at the very least, Schaap has left us a good archival copy of the concert - I'm thinking about this because I've been listening to some REALLY bad work done by Proper - obvious distortion, that underwater gargling effect from bad hiss-reduction - this is MUCH worse than anything Phil has done -

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I rememeber picking this one up when it was first released and really looking forward to hearing it in all its restored aural glory. I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I finally listened to it. I never had the original for A/B purposes, but I know bad sound when I hear it and this was bad sound. I've always been flabbergasted that Sony considered Shaapp's restoration to be releasable.

Allen - I'd like to take advantage of your more than generous offer, but at the same time, I don't want to take advantage of you. Is there some way (PayPal account maybe) that those of us who would like to have a copy of this on CDR could compensate you for your efforts?

Up over and out.

Edited by Dave James
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Hmm - which Dylan tune?

"I Don't Believe You"?

"I Forgot More Than You'll Ever Know"?

"Ye Shall Be Changed"?

"Too Much Of Nothing"?

"I'd Hate To Be You On That Dreadful Day"?

"Idiot Wind"?

"Million Dollar Bash"?

"Neighborhood Bully"?

"Nothing Was Delivered"?

"Talking Benny Goodman Carnegie Hall Concert Massacre Blues"?

Mike

Edited by Michael Fitzgerald
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if anyone wants to paypal me about $2 that'll cover CDR, postage, and packing - (my paypal address is ammusic@maine.rr.com) - actually, Mike, I was thinking of I Shall Be Released - though Idiot Wind probably makes the most sense - or the film he made, Don't Look, Schaap -

Edited by AllenLowe
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