Eric Dolphy - Complete Prestige Recordings

[Head Man]

Does anyone know whether the recordings on this boxset have been remastered or whether they are still the same as the individual CDs? In particular I'm interested in knowing whether the album "Straight Ahead" with Oliver Nelson has had an upgrade over the version that I have which was remastered by Kirk Felton in 1989.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Head Man

[jazzbo]

Yes, the material was mastered in 1995 by Joe Tarantino.

[John Tapscott]

Nothing to do with your question but I must say that this is a fantastic set (and I'm not even a huge Dolphy fan). This is one of those sets where each individual session sounds even better as part of the whole than they do on their own. I can't explain why that should be, but it happens sometimes. The Elvin Jones Mosaic set is like that, too.

[7/4]

Both great boxes.

[Head Man]

Yes, the material was mastered in 1995 by Joe Tarantino.

Thanks, Lon. I guess now it'll have to go on "The List"!

[sidewinder]

This is a magnificent box set and I am always stunned as to how good the sound is on the CDs - Fantasy did a very good job. Totally agree with the comment re: 'the whole is better than the sum of the parts'. Dolphy was a genius, for sure.

[BFrank]

Too bad it's OOP now. I wouldn't mind having it myself.

I did see that there's going to be a "Complete 5 Spot" set coming out soon (although it might be an import)

[J.A.W.]

I did see that there's going to be a "Complete 5 Spot" set coming out soon (although it might be an import)

Correct. It's on one of the "Andorran" labels, Disconforme - the recordings are PD in Europe, but not in the United States.

Edited December 3, 2011 by J.A.W.

[six string]

There is a three lp box set of the 5Spot recordings titled The Great Concert of Eric Dolphy on Presige that was remastered in 1974 by Brian Gardner. I'm not sure if that is the original release date for this particular box or just that it used that remastering and released later. I bought it used. It is the green Presige label. I have the Complete Prestige box too but being the vinyl junky I am I bought it anyway. I had seen a copy a few years ago at the same store and it disappeared so when a copy showed up again I decided to get it.

[sidewinder]

There is a three lp box set of the 5Spot recordings titled The Great Concert of Eric Dolphy on Presige that was remastered in 1974 by Brian Gardner. I'm not sure if that is the original release date for this particular box or just that it used that remastering and released later. I bought it used. It is the green Presige label. I have the Complete Prestige box too but being the vinyl junky I am I bought it anyway. I had seen a copy a few years ago at the same store and it disappeared so when a copy showed up again I decided to get it.

That 3LP 'Great Concert of Eric Dolphy' was my first copy of these recordings, on the Prestige green label vinyl. Still have it !

[J.A.W.]

Pity we don't have a time machine to go back to the Five Spot on that date and retune that awful sounding piano...

[sidewinder]

Pity we don't have a time machine to go back to the Five Spot on that date and retune that awful sounding piano...

In the annals of badly tuned pianos that one is right up there with Don Schlitten's Prestige piano of circa 1968 !

[Clunky]

Pity we don't have a time machine to go back to the Five Spot on that date and retune that awful sounding piano...

In the annals of badly tuned pianos that one is right up there with Don Schlitten's Prestige piano of circa 1968 !

I'm sure I recall some wit suggesting that the piano hadn't been tuned between Monk's and Dolphy's appearances at the Five Spot ( Penguin guide??)

[BFrank]

Pity we don't have a time machine to go back to the Five Spot on that date and retune that awful sounding piano...

In the annals of badly tuned pianos that one is right up there with Don Schlitten's Prestige piano of circa 1968 !

Or Stanley Cowell's piano on Charles Tolliver's Slug's set.

[J.A.W.]

This is one of those sets where each individual session sounds even better as part of the whole than they do on their own.

Well, that's not quite what I think of this set. Some of the individual sessions are spread over two discs in the set and I'd rather have them on one disc as issued on Original Jazz Classics (except for the Five Spot sessions, of course), and I don't like the Caribe date at all, I think it's far below par compared to the other sessions. I'm not too fond of the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis date either, it's indifferent at best, and the European sessions suffer from mediocre sidemen.

Edited December 9, 2011 by J.A.W.

[jazzbo]

Or the crappy piano at Nola's Penthouse sometimes, there are lots of bad pianos recorded out there. But. . . in the right hands I forget about it.

[John L]

Pity we don't have a time machine to go back to the Five Spot on that date and retune that awful sounding piano...

I may have a warped ear, but I really like the piano on these recordings. Mal Waldron plays exceptionally well, and the out-of-tuneness gives it a certain unusual edge.

OK, fire away...