Freedom Suite

[Late]

One of the great Rollins records, though the recording seems not to be as great, at least on compact disc. I had a friend in high school, however, who had an original mono copy of this LP, and it sounded pretty good (if I can remember that far back).

What edition sounds best to you?

[Late]

[porcy62]

Frankly, I don't know, I am happy with my japanese pressing. Never heard something else.

[Chuck Nessa]

I replaced my crappy Jazzland pressing with a Japanese Victor lp years ago and live with that.

[mikeweil]

I have a German ZYX pressing of the OJCCD and think the sound is okay. If you have the US OJCCD, turn up bass and treble by 10% each and you might be fine. My new Marantz SACD 7000 ki player coaxes great sound out of this CD - no need to complain.

Edited June 16, 2007 by mikeweil

[porcy62]

I replaced my crappy Jazzland pressing with a Japanese Victor lp years ago and live with that.

I went straight for the Victor, but I am younger then you.

[Stereojack]

I replaced my crappy Jazzland pressing with a Japanese Victor lp years ago and live with that.

If I remember correctly, the Jazzland edition (which is how I first heard it as well) was retitled "Shadow Waltz". I replaced it with the Japanese edition in the late 70's. Also have the session on the Riverside/Contemporary Rollins box that Fantasy issued a few years ago. This is one of my favorite Sonny albums, especially the extended title track.

[Chuck Nessa]

I replaced my crappy Jazzland pressing with a Japanese Victor lp years ago and live with that.

If I remember correctly, the Jazzland edition (which is how I first heard it as well) was retitled "Shadow Waltz". I replaced it with the Japanese edition in the late 70's. Also have the session on the Riverside/Contemporary Rollins box that Fantasy issued a few years ago. This is one of my favorite Sonny albums, especially the extended title track.

Correct on the Jazzland title. Never picked up the box.

[Late]

Porcy — are you talking vinyl or CD? (I'm assuming CD.) Which Japanese pressing do you have? I have the VICJ pressing, and it's acceptable but not great.

I wish this session were reissued in total. Every reissue has always left off the duo track (Pettiford-Roach) that was recorded before Rollins showed up to the studio.

Have also read that, a la Stan Getz, Rollins put something (staff sheets?) in the bell of his horn to record the track "Shadow Waltz." Can't remember where I read that now.

[clifford_thornton]

Didn't Kofsky have a field day with the title change?

Either way, I should get the Victor (or something), as I haven't seen my cassette copy in ages...

[Late]

Sonny digs deep on this one. The way he sculpts a line — he can bring fairly mundane standards alive, as if much was at stake. I guess that's one of the reasons he's so great.

[Chuck Nessa]

Sonny digs deep on this one. The way he sculpts a line — he can bring fairly mundane standards alive, as if much was at stake. I guess that's one of the reasons he's so great.

I don't think Sonny chooses material 'cause they are "fairly mundane standards". He finds stuff other folks missed.

[porcy62]

Porcy — are you talking vinyl or CD? (I'm assuming CD.) Which Japanese pressing do you have? I have the VICJ pressing, and it's acceptable but not great.

I wish this session were reissued in total. Every reissue has always left off the duo track (Pettiford-Roach) that was recorded before Rollins showed up to the studio.

Have also read that, a la Stan Getz, Rollins put something (staff sheets?) in the bell of his horn to record the track "Shadow Waltz." Can't remember where I read that now.

I am talking about vinyl. I had a Riverside Twoofer, an italian pressing from a series called "Jazz è bello" (Jazz is beautiful), lots of great Riverside and Prestige sessions coupled togheter at a single price, not the best audiophile stuff, but a very effective and cheapway to get Monk, Dolphy, Davis, Evans, Rollins, ecc. Later I found a mint Japan Victor vinyl at my local store for 10 $ or so. I am probably wrong but the duo track you named was on the italian twoofer. Sadly I lost it in one of my move, or I borrowed it to some "friend".

[Kalo]

I've got the Japanese Victor LP, too, which always sounded good to me.

Haven't ever really compared it to other versions.

One of my favorite Rollins sessions.

[brownie]

I once had the original Riverside vinyl original. The sound was excellent.

I have no problem with the sound of the Japanese Victor reissue from the 70s I have.

[mikeweil]

I wish this session were reissued in total. Every reissue has always left off the duo track (Pettiford-Roach) that was recorded before Rollins showed up to the studio.

That's why I made my own CDR adding that track (which oddly was added to the CD reissue of Max Roach's "Deeds Not Words").

Maybe this is on the list for the Orrin Keepnews collection? Remember that this was recorded at three separate sessions, including the movements of the Suite, and thus had to be assembled from those tape reels. Maybe the best sounding master is already second generation - or did they splice the session tapes? I agree that it sounds fine but not top-notch, and I hear sound differences from track to track and from part to part of the Suite - could be that's all there is, sound-wise. (They didn't even manage to replicate the same stereo spread from session to session ... why didn't they take notes, i.e. why didn't Keepnews take notes, or did he,and the engineers couldn't get it done? I dunno ...)

It sounds better when I boost up the volume. This is music not to be listened to at background level. Turn up the volume as if they were in front of you in a small club, then it's okay, at least in my living room. Listening to this right now. No treble or bass boost, and it rocks the room!

Edited June 17, 2007 by mikeweil

[mikeweil]

I am probably wrong but the duo track you named was on the Italian twofer.

You're not, and you are: The added track on that twofer was a sax/bass duo take of "Till There Was You" - that twofer was the Italian edition of the Milestone twofer M-47007 - and latter added to the OJCCD-067-2 reissue of "The Freedom Suite".

The bass/drums duo of "There Will Never Be another You" so far only appeared on OJCCD-304-2, which is the CD reissue of Max Roach's "Deeds Not Words".

Edited June 17, 2007 by mikeweil

[porcy62]

I am probably wrong but the duo track you named was on the Italian twofer.

You're not, and you are: The added track on that twofer was a sax/bass duo take of "Till There Was You" - that twofer was the Italian edition of the Milestone twofer M-47007 - and latter added to the OJCCD-067-2 reissue of "The Freedom Suite".

The bass/drums duo of "There Will Never Be another You" so far only appeared on OJCCD-304-2, which is the CD reissue of Max Roach's "Deeds Not Words".

Thanks Mike, I feel a bit younger now.

[Claude]

The remastering of this session in the "Freelance Years" 5CD box set sounds fine, but I haven't compared it to the OJC.

[AndrewHill]

I have a Japanese Victor CD issue from the mid-eighties and the sound is pretty good on that one; or at least I'm satisfied with the sound. I have a couple other Japanese Victor CD's (Rollins' Contemporary Leaders which has a different cover of Rollins from the same photo session! and Wynton Kelly's Kelly's Blue) and these sound just as fine. I've never heard the OJC's of these titles. I also don't know the availability of the Japenese CD's, but I found my copies used years ago.

[Late]

Anyone else read that — about the paper in the bell of the horn for "Shadow Waltz"?