Sonny Rollins - Night at the Vanguard

[AmirBagachelles]

My stalwart '87 CD editions vol. 1 & 2 are not too shrill on Sonny's horn, though pretty lifeless on the rhythm section. Headphone listening reveals what a horn-only affair this recording was meant to be... So my guess is that the various remasterings over the past fifteen years (U.S. and Japan) have not provided much improvement in dynamics and clarity, but perhaps warmed up Sonny's tone a bit. Is that right? Thanks, Dan

[Chuck Nessa]

If you really care for these recordings get the RVG. Long discussions earlier.

[AllenLowe]

do those RVGs have Jewel boxes?

[Chuck Nessa]

depends on where you get 'em.

[AndrewHill]

I have the Japan TOCJ's vols one-three and they sound really really good. Look even better in their shiny new jewel boxes.

[Tony Pusey]

My RVG jewel box is no longer shiny.

[Nate Dorward]

The original CD version sounded kind of dim, the RVG is a significant improvement. It's still a mid-1950s mono live recording, but it's a lot better in the new version.

Maybe this has been discussed here elsewhere, but any idea why so little of the material with La Roca was released?

[Niko]

If you really care for these recordings get the RVG. Long discussions earlier.

here

http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=24112

[Cliff Englewood]

If you really care for these recordings get the RVG. Long discussions earlier.

I would agree with this, I actually bought it twice, one regular version and the Japanese version, it has a larger booklet with some pretty groovy extra photos. This is the cover;

[JSngry]

Holy shit! All this time I thought that that photo was taken "in action" at the Vanguard.

Another illusion shattered...

[Late]

Cliff, thanks for posting that cover! Who's the person on the sofa?

The RVG, besides having better sound, also adds some stage banter (kinda interesting) that the original version doesn't contain.

I've also wondered about the LaRoca material, and if there was more.

[captainwrong]

Holy shit! All this time I thought that that photo was taken "in action" at the Vanguard.

Another illusion shattered...

So, you're saying there wasn't a couch on the stage at the Vanguard?

[JSngry]

Neither couch nor music stand.

At least not then.

[Late]

The photo, I think, is from the Newk's Time session. Is that Wynton Kelly on the sofa?

[Cliff Englewood]

Cliff, thanks for posting that cover! Who's the person on the sofa?

The RVG, besides having better sound, also adds some stage banter (kinda interesting) that the original version doesn't contain.

I've also wondered about the LaRoca material, and if there was more.

Yes there are some good photo's of Sonny, Wilbur Ware and Elvin at the V.V. and a great one of Rudy and Al Lion at the gig in front of that huge, mad looking recording console. Also a few from the "Newk's Time" session, as Late mentioned. I hadn't seen most of the photos before though. The banter before "Woody 'N You" and "Old Devil Moon" is pretty cool. He was and indeed still is, such a hipster.

[Late]

We're all in agreement: it's Wynton Kelly.

[Cliff Englewood]

We're all in agreement: it's Wynton Kelly.

It's hard to tell as he's not wearing a hat, Kelly always wore a hat, even indoors.

I'll give it a very, very, very close look later tonight.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

We're all in agreement: it's Wynton Kelly.

It's hard to tell as he's not wearing a hat, Kelly always wore a hat, even indoors.

...well, there is that one cover photo on one of his lesser known dates.

Kelly

[Cliff Englewood]

I don't think the mystery couch person is Wynton, if you have the RVG of "Newk's Time", you'll know why.

[Cliff Englewood]

I think it might be Curtis Fuller.