Worst Mosaic Decision?

[ASNL77]

My worst Mosaic decision was to buy the first one! Now I have 96 sets!!

[Matthew]

I'm one of those who regret that I bought so many. I sold over forty of my sets at one go, and now I'm down to just eight Mosaics. Most of the time I think that even that is too many. In terms of their mistakes, I think right now, the sets are overpriced.

Edited November 14, 2007 by Matthew

[Stereojack]

Generally I've got a pretty high opinion of Mosaic, but they have dropped the ball a couple of times. The sound quality on the Art Blakey set was poor, and I can't understand the reasoning behind the Duke Pearson Select, which contains some of his weakest material.

[Chuck Nessa]

I think the Pearson set was caused by "demand" from potential customers. Most of them didn't know what they were asking.

[Stereojack]

I think the Pearson set was caused by "demand" from potential customers. Most of them didn't know what they were asking.

Kinda like the George Braith Blue Note 2-fer? Looked good on paper, not very happening.

[Chas]

I think the Pearson set was caused by "demand" from potential customers. Most of them didn't know what they were asking.

Kinda like the George Braith Blue Note 2-fer? Looked good on paper, not very happening.

Well Braith may be the poor man's Roland Kirk , but there is some pretty happening music in that set . The first album is pretty duff , save for that version of Mary had a little lamb which is a corker . The second album is more consistent , while the third album may be Braith's best ( the later Prestige sides are a lot less happening ) .

As to the worst Mosaic decision , count me among those who find it difficult to square Mosaic's commitment to give you 'the whole enchilada' , with their refusal to reprint original liner notes and cover art in their full-size boxes .

[Van Basten II]

Not being around to buy their earlier stuff.

[Teasing the Korean]

Not utilizing original cover art (so I've been told).

[BruceH]

The smartest Mosaic purchase for me? All three volumes of The Complete Commodore Jazz Recordings,

while they were still available.

If you ever get tired of them, I'll take them off your hands for, oh, say $10 each.

[sidewinder]

The sound quality on the Art Blakey set was poor,

Interesting - I'm pretty happy with the sound on the LP set.

[Stereojack]

The sound quality on the Art Blakey set was poor,

Interesting - I'm pretty happy with the sound on the LP set.

I was referring to the CD set. I would expect that the vinyl set was better.

[David Ayers]

Given that Cuscuna is a major influence in what appears on both Mosaic and Blue Note, my major regret is his apparent extreme dislike of the Three Sounds and Les McCann, which has kept their catalogs conspicuously out of print in the US while other Blue Note and Pacific Jazz titles get continually reissued over and over again.

Hm. I never fully understood the claim that 3 Sounds are kept OOP. I think that at least seven BN titles have been released in USA and at least another six in Japan only. I count 13 plus a Best Of.

I know that people want things to be 'in print' and 'cheap', but isn't 'still findable' and 'not costing a fortune' good enough for those who are interested (as opposed to those who just want to hoover up a cheap 'collection'? I thought the older Sounds reissues didn't sell very well - they aren't popular - and that has been the reason for dropping them.

Edited after a recount!

Edited November 15, 2007 by David Ayers

[bertrand]

That Jim Nabors set turned out to be a dud - who'd have thunk it?

[Ron S]

That Jim Nabors set turned out to be a dud - who'd have thunk it?

One of my favs. Especially the Sergeant Carter sessions.

[mikelz777]

That Jim Nabors set turned out to be a dud - who'd have thunk it?

One of my favs. Especially the Sergeant Carter sessions.

Yes! And Goober was a nice surprise as a sideman on those.

[Ron S]

That Jim Nabors set turned out to be a dud - who'd have thunk it?

One of my favs. Especially the Sergeant Carter sessions.

Yes! And Goober was a nice surprise as a sideman on those.

Dude, Goober isn't even on those sessions--he's on the Mayberry sessions.

[Ron S]

That Jim Nabors set turned out to be a dud - who'd have thunk it?

One of my favs. Especially the Sergeant Carter sessions.

Yes! And Goober was a nice surprise as a sideman on those.

Dude, Goober isn't even on those sessions--he's on the Mayberry sessions.

Furthermore, if you had bothered to read the booklet that came with the set, you'd have seen this rare Francis Wolff color photo from one of those sessions:

Edited November 16, 2007 by Ron S

[mikelz777]

That Jim Nabors set turned out to be a dud - who'd have thunk it?

One of my favs. Especially the Sergeant Carter sessions.

Yes! And Goober was a nice surprise as a sideman on those.

Dude, Goober isn't even on those sessions--he's on the Mayberry sessions.

Furthermore, if you had bothered to read the booklet that came with the set, you'd have seen this rare Francis Wolff color photo from one of those sessions:

Ah, my mistake! I stand corrected.

[Ron S]

Ah, my mistake! I stand corrected.

Too late! Goober has already demanded that you return the personally inscribed photo:

[mikelz777]

Ah, my mistake! I stand corrected.

Too late! Goober has already demanded that you return the personally inscribed photo:

If Goober thinks he's getting that photo back he's (pea)nuts! He'll only get it back when he personally pries it out of my cold dead hands.

Edited November 16, 2007 by mikelz777

[Brad]

Given that Cuscuna is a major influence in what appears on both Mosaic and Blue Note, my major regret is his apparent extreme dislike of the Three Sounds and Les McCann, which has kept their catalogs conspicuously out of print in the US while other Blue Note and Pacific Jazz titles get continually reissued over and over again.

Hm. I never fully understood the claim that 3 Sounds are kept OOP. I think that at least seven BN titles have been released in USA and at least another six in Japan only. I count 13 plus a Best Of.

I know that people want things to be 'in print' and 'cheap', but isn't 'still findable' and 'not costing a fortune' good enough for those who are interested (as opposed to those who just want to hoover up a cheap 'collection'? I thought the older Sounds reissues didn't sell very well - they aren't popular - and that has been the reason for dropping them.

Edited after a recount!

I gave up on the Three Sounds campaign awhile ago. When I visited Mosaic several years ago and talked to Michael for a few minutes, he said he was trying to find a way to get some Sounds into circulation. Too bad it never happened. Maybe he's still working on it.

[Bluerein]

"Maybe he's still working on it." No he isn't.

[Ken Dryden]

Michael Cuscuna is running a business. There is no conspiracy to keep music out of print. If he thinks their is sufficient interest to produce a boxed set, the music can be reasonably obtained through licensing, plus he is likely to make a decent profit, he will set the gears in motion.

Frankly, I can't imagine a huge demand for a Les McCann set. And while I enjoy the Three Sounds okay, I like Gene Harris' later work for Concord better (minus the CDs with that awful singer).

[mikelz777]

In response to the topic, the only Mosaic I obtained and subsequently got rid of was the Buddy Hackett set. I love Hackett's sound (his performance certainly wasn't lacking on the set) and thought I'd love this one but it was a little too much on the "easy listening" side for me so it wasn't worth keeping.

Edited November 21, 2007 by mikelz777

[Ted O'Reilly]

In response to the topic, the only Mosaic I obtained and subsequently got rid of was the Buddy Hackett set. I love Hackett's sound (his performance certainly wasn't lacking on the set) and thought I'd love this one but it was a little too much on the "easy listening" side for me so it wasn't worth keeping.

Umm, you mean "Bobby" Hackett. BUDDY Hackett was funny listening, not easy listening...