Jump to content

Rollin' with Leo

Johnny E

By Johnny E
in Re-issues

 Share

Recommended Posts

Johnny E Newbie

Johnny E

Posted
Posted

I just discovered "Rollin' with Leo" at a used CD shop for $20. I put it on hold. I've never seen this disc before, and I believe it is one of the rarest of US Bluenote CD reissues. No one has put it up for sale on ebay in a long time so I have no idea of its street value. I usually don't spend $20+ on a single used disc - so my question is this: Is it worth it - in terms of musical and monetary value? Should I go back and get it?

Stereojack Rookie

Stereojack

Posted
Posted

I just discovered "Rollin' with Leo" at a used CD shop for $20.  I put it on hold.  I've never seen this disc before, and I believe it is one of the rarest of US Bluenote CD reissues.  No one has put it up for sale on ebay in a long time so I have no idea of its street value.  I usually don't spend $20+ on a single used disc - so my question is this:  Is it worth it - in terms of musical and monetary value?  Should I go back and get it?

Musically, it is definitely worth it. Monetary? Couldn't say.

Johnny E Newbie

Johnny E

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I do have Let Me Tell You 'Bout It and dig it a lot, but it doesn't knock my socks off. $20 is a lot for a used disc, plus Washington state sales tax is almost 9%. Maybe I'll hold off...but then what if I never see it again?!?! I do have almost every Bluenote...urrrgh! :angry:

spinlps Newbie

spinlps

Posted
Posted

If you have  Let Me Tell You 'Bout It and want more, go for it. If not forget it. They are of equal quality and one is in print.  :)

DG had the Spanish version of Let Me Tell You 'Bout It last week for $6 or $7. Euclid has Rollin' With Leo on Jap. CD for $20 as well.

Check out The Baritone Great on Chess... mostly cuts by Parker along with a few with Sahib Shihab on bari. Fun stuff. Not sure if that's on CD though.

felser Veteran

felser

Posted
Posted

If you have  Let Me Tell You 'Bout It and want more, go for it. If not forget it. They are of equal quality and one is in print.  :)

DG had the Spanish version of Let Me Tell You 'Bout It last week for $6 or $7. Euclid has Rollin' With Leo on Jap. CD for $20 as well.

Check out The Baritone Great on Chess... mostly cuts by Parker along with a few with Sahib Shihab on bari. Fun stuff. Not sure if that's on CD though.

Some classic era Blue Notes even we can live without. Off the top of my head: Dodo Greene - My Hour of Need, Jimmy Smith - Plays Fats Waller, Donald Byrd - I'm Trying to Get Home, Freddie Roach - All That's Good. The Parker is OK, I can think of better uses of $20 if you're CD buying is on a budget. Those two Parker dates always have sounded a little like amateur hour to me compared to the vast majority of Blue Note's output in that peak period. I also agree with Chuck's assessment of the Parker date, and Blue Note saw fit to keep it in the can for 15-20 years, even though they only had the one other Parker release.

Kevin Bresnahan Mentor

Kevin Bresnahan

Posted
Posted

If I didn't have it, I'd buy it in a second for $20. This sucker never shows up in the used bins! And I must say, it's one of my favorite Blue Notes... well, both Parkers are up there for this bari sax fanatic.

If you decide not to buy it, yes, it will eventually get reissued. However, it won't be for many months in the least.

$20 is cheap for a rarity like this when you consider that many new releases sell at a $17.99 list. Heck, I once paid $32 for a Japanese Blue Note that I really, really wanted. :)

BTW, the Japanese CD will be missing a bonus track.

Kevin

wolff Newbie

wolff

Posted
Posted (edited)

Instead of the Spanish CD burn of a digital master they ripped off, I'll sell sell you a stunning burn of my original LP for US $7.99. Buy me a scotch and I'll drop it off to you. Wolff...in Newcastle....

Edited by wolff
felser Veteran

felser

Posted
Posted

And I must say, it's one of my favorite Blue Notes... well, both Parkers are up there for this bari sax fanatic.

Kevin, I was shocked to read you having such a high evaluation of this. I respect your ears greatly, so I'm open to the possibility that I'm somehow missing something on these Parker's. Can you expound a little on what you like so much about these? Is it strictly Parker's playing? The writing? The loose feel? thx. I sincerely would value your thoughts here.

Kevin Bresnahan Mentor

Kevin Bresnahan

Posted
Posted

As I sit here typing, I'm listening to mp3's of "Rolling With Leo" off my PC. Hey, I had to have these tunes at work. They lift me up when I'm sick of work. These Leo Parker Blue Note dates swing like mad. My foot starts 'a tappin' from the opening beat and by the end, I'm smiling.

Parker's affinity for the blues helps a lot. The slower tunes don't come across as funeral dirges but real head-nodding blues vehicles. Play "Talkin' The Blues" and tell me your head ain't bobbin'! :D Play it, Leo, play it!

Of course, it could be that I just love Leo's bari sound. He plays a bit like Hank Mobley plays tenor... just a hair behind the beat. Yeah, that's it... Leo's the "Hank Mobley of baritone". :)

"Rolling With Leo" didn't sit in the can because it was a bad date but because Leo Parker died shortly after it was recorded, at least according to the liner notes. It even had a Reid Miles cover designed and it appeared on other LPs' inner sleeves showing upcoming releases.

Later,

Kevin

Oh, I just love "Talkin' The Blues". Blow them blues, Leo!

Stereojack Rookie

Stereojack

Posted
Posted

"Rolling With Leo" didn't sit in the can because it was a bad date but because Leo Parker died shortly after it was recorded, at least according to the liner notes. It even had a Reid Miles cover designed and it appeared on other LPs' inner sleeves showing upcoming releases.

It bears repeating that this was planned for release, so Blue Note was satisfied with the date. Parker's death, and possibly poor sales of the previous release, may have been the factors that cancelled the release.

It's easy for many to assume that unreleased material is not up to snuff, but we have to remember that Blue Note was a small company, and couldn't afford many releases that didn't turn a profit. There are numerous sessions that are of a very high caliber, but which weren't released strictly for commercial reasons.

Parker's music may have not been at sufficient a creative level to satisfy all the critics (he has been dismissed on more than one occasion as an R&B player), but it is good strong blowing, and I love it.

dova Newbie

dova

Posted
Posted

Hey:

Don't laugh but I got caught in a bidding war 2 1/2 years ago on e-bay and paid $53.00 :blink: but it was sealed and in a Long Box like they used to put out in the late 80's. The thing swings like crazy and the Baritone sax raises the hair on the back of my neck. I guess this justifies my expense and it is extremely rare in the domestic version.

Dova

Rosco Newbie

Rosco

Posted
Posted

If you have anything like my luck with these things, you'll buy it and then discover it's in the next batch of RVGs! :rfr

Say... where are the next batch of RVGs?

bertrand Collaborator

bertrand

Posted
Posted

Johnny,

If you get it and don't like it, I'm sure someone on this forum will gladly take it off your hands for what you paid plus shipping. It's a bird in the bush kind of thing.

Bertrand.

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...