wesbed Posted October 15, 2003 Report Share Posted October 15, 2003 (edited) Does anybody have this Sonny CD? I purchased the New York Jazz CD last week and just opened it this week. The sound is crisp and includes lots of quick, bluesy, and soulful playing by Stitt. How does the New York Jazz CD compare to the Mosaic box? I've been interested in the Stitt Mosaic for several months but I never puchase it due to the cost of the box. Edited October 17, 2003 by wesbed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted October 15, 2003 Report Share Posted October 15, 2003 Many sessions within the Mosaic are not too different than this Verve cd; this format and this style of recording session was a staple of Stitt in the fifties and sixties. If you like this, there are many hours like it in the Mosaic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted October 16, 2003 Report Share Posted October 16, 2003 (edited) What Jazzbo says is true, nevertheless this album is good. If you see it on sale don't be shy about grabbing it. You'll be glad you did. Edited October 17, 2003 by BruceH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrdlu Posted October 16, 2003 Report Share Posted October 16, 2003 Yet another Verve Minnie LP! I love those covers, and they all seem to have great sound. Surprising that Jo Jones was used on this session, not that there's anything wrong with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 Jimmy Jones, who appears on this cd also appears in a lot of the music in the Mosaic box, which I highly recommend and love. Not all of it is like Lon says. There are some interesting sessions with Johnny Richards and Quincy Jones. Even if you're not a Stitt fanatic now, if you get the box, you will be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphie_boy Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 I concur - the Mosaic is wonderful. As Brad mentions there are some larger ensemble sessions featuring arrangements by Quincy Jones and Johnny Richards which are excellent, as well as the standard Stitt solo horn fare. It's well worth the investment IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 Just to clarify, what I said was "Many sessions within the Mosaic are not too different than this Verve cd." That means that I was pointing out that there were also different sessions in the box. So in fact, rather than "Not all of it is as Lon says" I maintain that it IS as I say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 Just to clarify, what I said was "Many sessions within the Mosaic are not too different than this Verve cd." That means that I was pointing out that there were also different sessions in the box. So in fact, rather than "Not all of it is as Lon says" I maintain that it IS as I say! Didn't mean to mangle your words. You are correct. There are many wonderful sessions of all kinds on this set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 'Salright! B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesbed Posted October 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 (edited) Not all of it is like Lon says. There are some interesting sessions with Johnny Richards and Quincy Jones. Even if you're not a Stitt fanatic now, if you get the box, you will be. I understand and appreciate that Mosaic attempts to provide the complete sessions per a given box set. Of course, I want all the sessions I can get my hands on. Sometimes, however, the 'interesting' sessions are good and sometimes the 'interesting' sessions are, well... not quite as good. I like core Stitt very much. How good/bad/interesting are the 'interesting' sessions in the Stitt box? Edited October 17, 2003 by wesbed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted October 17, 2003 Report Share Posted October 17, 2003 (edited) I was pleasantly surprised with the Stitt Mosaic. I got it for a good price or I probably would have waited until it was threatened with extinction. Prior to my exposure to the Mosaic, my overall impression of Stitt was something less than sunny. I thought he wielded a good, workmanlike, lunch pail alto, but not much more. The Mosaic has completely changed those initial impressions. This set is filled with top-of-the-line, no-questions-asked hard bop. Count me among those who was attracted to the set by the sometime presence of Jimmy Jones, who I think is a vastly underrated player. I don't think anyone who counts themselves among the fans of this music, could possibly be disappointed with this collection. Up over and out. Edited October 17, 2003 by Dave James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesbed Posted January 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 (edited) I've been in a Sonny Stitt mood, like, real bad, lately. Time to get the Sonny Stitt Mosaic? Edited January 17, 2005 by wesbed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted January 17, 2005 Report Share Posted January 17, 2005 I've been in a Sonny Stitt mood, like, real bad, lately. Time to get the Sonny Stitt Mosaic? It is a great set. You will enjoy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 You know how I feel about this set Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgraham333 Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 (edited) I have the above mentioned album and the more recent Personal Appearance both are very enjoyable and both helped put the Mosaic on my wish list. But 9 discs....whew.... I think JJ Johnson and Johnny Hodges might find their way to me before the Stitt. Of course all that could change if something else hits the endangered species list. Edited January 18, 2005 by mgraham333 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tranemonk Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 I lean toward getting the Stitt set myself.. but here's my dilemma... The larger Mosaic boxes seem to have much more variation in them than the smaller sets.. (e.g., albums that could have been left out and were of questionable quality...) For example... I have the... Sarah Vaughn set (8CD's)... several of those records could have been left out... (even Mosaic in their liner notes admits that some of the material is not great... "Not every track will be to every taste – Roulette was a label built on hits and chased them with material that ranged from cotton candy to near-legit.") To me they could have left out at least 2 or 3 CD's worth of material and had a MUCH more consistent set of excellent material... Similar complaint on the Complete Roulette Live Count Basie (8CD's).... How many versions of "One O'Clock Jump" can I hear??? (I know this is as much Basie's repetition of his repetoire as anything else...) However, Mosaic could have been more selective... Yet on the opposite side... The Blue Note Elvin Jones Sessions (8CD's) I find absolutely marvelous... I wouldn't delete one track!!!!!!!!!! So my experience is that Mosaic's smaller sets (4-5 even 6Cd's) tend to have a more consistent high quality with few "questionable" tracks included, whereas the 8 or 9 CD sets are hit or miss in that category... Which all brings me to say - that this is why I've hestitated on the 9CD Stitt set... Your thoughts??? (Particularly about this issue of their larger vs. smaller sets...) I may just beg my wife to buy it for me.... thanks for the feedback. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted January 18, 2005 Report Share Posted January 18, 2005 It is possible that you may be right. However, Mosaic's approach is complete and that's what they adhere to. Also, while not everything may be of interest to you or me, it may be of interest to others, especially researchers and teachers. Since this is probably the only time when the original Roulette masters may be available, it was a good idea to include everything in one issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesbed Posted January 20, 2005 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 My experience with Mosaic sets is that certain items may not be of interest at all times. As soon as I label certain material as being of no interest to me, however, I discover something new about jazz and said material becomes very much of interest. It never fails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgraham333 Posted January 20, 2005 Report Share Posted January 20, 2005 My experience with Mosaic sets is that certain items may not be of interest at all times. As soon as I label certain material as being of no interest to me, however, I discover something new about jazz and said material becomes very much of interest. It never fails. I know the feeling. About the time that I write something off as non-essential (to me). Someone posts a rave about certain material and it gets me thinking...maybe I need to check it out after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etherbored Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 matt - surely you've been listening long enough to understand the inherent cyclical nature of our fickle ears. what we're jonesing for and hopped-up on today we may find boring as white bread tomorrow. but i think what's really telling is what happens the day-after-tomorrow when we're going the disatance with our respective collections when we take a break from frenzied collecting and cool out long enough to really focus on what we have. are we happy with what we have? do we seasonally return to what we have to listen anew to something that's been on the shelf for 5 or 10 years? with that having been said, this is just where i find the crowning glory of a mosaic box set to be. to me, these are document monuments for the ages. my mosaics are pieces that i may or may not be so high on initially, but eventually i can't think of any i have that i don't in one way or another find something to treasure more with each passing year. with this stitt package, i can't think of a set that a listener would be more prone to grow into and treasure for seasons to come. lastly, the thing of beauty about any mosiac set is that it's a sound financial investment. how often have you seen an out of print set sell for less than its initial cost? i dare say rarely. anyhow, sorry to ramble but it seems the things i find most rewarding in my own collection are the things that i've had to grow into and rediscover over the years. can one really have too much sonny stitt or roy eldridge or johnny hodges or donald bryd/pepper adams? these are the time proven stalwarts of the genre... peace, -e- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgraham333 Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 E: Yeah, I think you nailed it - especially about the Mosaics. There have been some that were really easy to jump right into, Mobley, Fuller, Mitchell but others took a little while like the Elvin Jones. But you're absolutely right - each time I break it out there's more and more that I find appealing. The large sets are like that. There's so much to discover. Most of my listening occurs at work - with the music taking a back seat - even at home sometimes I'm doing other stuff. But on occasion I'll really sit down, focus and LISTEN to the music. It's then that things really starty to stand out and I begin to appreciate just how amazing it all is. I'd love to grab the Hodges, JJ, and the Stitt. Based on what others here have said I think I'd enjoy them. It's not that I need to be told what to like - it just helps to have a guide to make it through the jazz wilderness. I've learned a lot here and I hope that I can pass along that to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etherbored Posted January 21, 2005 Report Share Posted January 21, 2005 thanks... for me, the challenge is avoidig lazy-ear and (this may sound bad) making myself spend time with sets i've not listened to in awhile. invariably, i find myself rewarded times two for taking the time. anyway, all the best, -e- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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