sal Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 (edited) Hi everyone, Can anyone tell me about the following box sets from Proper: Sidney Bechet - The Sidney Bechet Story Louis Armstrong - Satchmo in the Forties Coleman Hawkins - The BeBop Years Fats Navarro - The Fats Navarro Story Lester Young - The Lester Young Story I know the price is great for all the Proper sets, but I was wondering more about the quality of tune selection, sound quality, and just overall if the sets are worth picking up. Thanks! Edited November 4, 2003 by sal Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnS Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 (edited) Propermusic's web site lists full details of all their issues. Can't lay my hands on the url at the moment. Sound quality is pretty decent I understand. Edited November 4, 2003 by JohnS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 I have the Bechet (which I was playing today as it happens) and the Navarro. I'm no audiophile but I do get upset by excessive distortion or undue wooziness. Given the age of these recordings they cause me no problems whatsoever. I've no doubt there are more perfect reproductions and if you're an expert you might look out for them. But if you are just wanting a general collection you can't go far wrong. Website: http://www.propermusic.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Weil Posted November 4, 2003 Report Share Posted November 4, 2003 Hi everyone, Can anyone tell me about the following box sets from Proper: Sidney Bechet - The Sidney Bechet Story Louis Armstrong - Satchmo in the Forties Coleman Hawkins - The BeBop Years Fats Navarro - The Fats Navarro Story Lester Young - The Lester Young Story I know the price is great for all the Proper sets, but I was wondering more about the quality of tune selection, sound quality, and just overall if the sets are worth picking up. Thanks! The general view seems to be that Proper boxes have sound that varies with source material. It's generally alright if you're not an audiophile (I'm not). I have the Bechet, Navarro and Hawkins. I think the Navarro is the best - for me an outstanding box. The Bechet and Hawkins I have as resources to listen to bits. The Lester Young I don't have, but won a Jazz Journal record of the year. It's supposed to be very good. Tune selection is pretty good to good on Proper (in my experience). Simon Weil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 I also like the Navarro box the best. The Hawkins box is a good resource too, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reg Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 another for the Navarro box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 Navarro Wardell Gray ( lots of airshots) Tristano Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKE BBB Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 The Bechet is a good overview (from Clarence Williams group with Satchmo, to his Jelly Roll sides, Blue Note, RCA-Victor...). The Hawkins is a good chance to have some otherwise hard to find 40s sessions. I have the Anita O´Day as well. The Tristano, the Stitt and the Warne Marsh are on my wish list. Any tips on the Navarro? Many duplication with the Complete Fats Navarro-Tadd Dameron sessions? BTW: booklets are superb, with some interesting rare (or, at least, unknown for me) photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Gray Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 Warne Marsh? is there a Warne Marsh proper box? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKE BBB Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 Warne Marsh? is there a Warne Marsh proper box? My mistake! I wanted to say Wardell Gray! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphie_boy Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 I have the Wardell Gray, Nat King Cole and the Bebop compilation. All good! Next will be the Hawkins, Navarro and Tristano. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 They sell for $22 at Amoeba Records, and $22 or 23 at Rhino Records in LA. Each has a very good supply, although I have obtained only the Sister Rosetta Tharpe and teh Ploughboys, Cowboys, Doughboys Western Swing box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzbo Posted November 5, 2003 Report Share Posted November 5, 2003 Here's a review of the Slim Gaillard Proper box set I did for AAJ; there are reviews there of the Tatum and other boxes as well. . . . http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/review.php?id=10872 I've had this one, and I have the Wills, Milton Brown, Hillbilly Boogie, Wynonie Harris and Swing Tanzen Verboten boxes. I haven't listened to them much. . . .They're cool though. I wasn't crazy about Proper at first, because with artists such as Pres and Hawk they weren't putting entire sessions into the boxes and I was just worried that material would become orphaned and forgotten, or that people would pick up the Pres box and think they didn't need to get anything else. . . . I've been won over by the boxes they have released that are more complete, such as the Harris and Brown and a few others. . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 I have the Navarro and the Coleman Hawkins set and recommend them. One caveat, however, on the Fats box. He did a fair bit on Savoy and there are the BN session so if you have those, you'll be duplicating a good portion of this box. Regarding the Hawkins, a portion is Keynote, which is very hard to get on LP and not that easy on CD either. Mercury reissued them both in Japan. So you should definitely get this one. You didn't ask but I'll recommend the Bebop box. Outstanding. I also believe that people on this board and the old BNBB liked Hitting on All Six, a history of jazz guitar. For the price, you can't do too much wrong with these. I'd like to get the Stitt but unfortuanately, I have more than half on separate cds. Also on my wish list are the Wardell Gray and the Johnny Hodges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 (edited) I think the Bebop box is a marvellous primer for that music. I play it frequently. Hitting on all Six is a great compilation too. Anyone heard the Gospel set? Proper do make error - a Louis Armstrong track crops up on the Lionel Hampton box; and there's an irritating jump back on one of the Sarah Vaughan tracks on the Powell set. But at the price I can live with those! Proper do make error And so do I! Edited November 6, 2003 by Bev Stapleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 Another vote for the Bebop box. Some of the tracks in it are almost impossible to find anywhere else. I'm with Bev---the occassional mistakes and aural blemishes of the Properboxes are made up for by the cheap price and generous playing-time. If the major record companies were releasing all their CD's for about $5.25 per disc, maybe they wouldn't be singing the blues now about poor sales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 6, 2003 Report Share Posted November 6, 2003 I've been thinking of getting the Gospel box as well, but haven't yet, so I am also curious if anyone has it. Also the Bob Wills set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted November 7, 2003 Report Share Posted November 7, 2003 I've been thinking of getting the Gospel box as well, but haven't yet, so I am also curious if anyone has it. Also the Bob Wills set. Heartily recommend the Proper Gospel. All the important figures of Gospel are on that one. It's the best introduction to this music I have seenor heard so far. I love that box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted November 12, 2003 Report Share Posted November 12, 2003 I've been thinking of getting the Gospel box as well, but haven't yet, so I am also curious if anyone has it. Also the Bob Wills set. I have both of these. In a word: Good! In a symbol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clifton Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I've got the Hawkins box and recommend it without reservation unless you're a Hawk completist and you want the alternate takes. Sound is very good and the music is glorious. I passed on the Navarro box because it duplicates what I've got. BTW CD Universe has the Hawkins, Tristano, Stitt, and Wardell boxes, $23 except for wardell who is $22. I'm getting the Tristano and Stitt boxes for XMas/Chanukah so I can't honestly report on them yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted November 20, 2003 Report Share Posted November 20, 2003 I've been thinking of getting the Gospel box as well, but haven't yet, so I am also curious if anyone has it. Also the Bob Wills set. I have both of these. In a word: Good! In a symbol: Most of the Proper boxes I have are the jazz-related ones, but I admit to having purchased the Bob Wills. I played in a country swing band in my Austin days, and have to admit I had a great time! They played a lot of bop tunes, albeit to a different groove, but it was a blowin' gig! A couple of the original Bob Wills guys were on the gig, steel guitarist Herb Remington and guitarist Eldon Shamblin. These guys were some heavies in the genre. You should have heard Herb blow on Scrapple! I became a believer! I enjoy the Bob Wills box, I guess Texas got to me (in a good way)more than I want to admit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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