Why no hi-Rez Charlie Parker?

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mindblanking, Nov 17, 2014.

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  1. mindblanking

    mindblanking The Bourbon King Thread Starter

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    I'm sure those of you with more an understanding of how that stuff works will easily be able to answer this question but I thought I'd throw it out there. I would think any fan of jazz would want to get their hands on 96/24 or 192/24 versions of Parker's work and wondered why none has been released. I know most of his stuff was recorded in the 40s and maybe that has something to do with it but if anyone can offer an answer that would be great. Thanks
     
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  2. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    Much of his best work was done without surviving tape; just Dial and Savoy sides that used tape that got wiped almost immediately. During the end of the war, recording almost completely came to a halt, and so did tape stock.

    The Verve material is decently recorded, but I don't hear dynamic range (ever) where HiRez would be nearly as desirable to later recordings of let's say Sinatra and Nat Cole at Capitol. Some of which, is only starting to come out in such formats.

    The Verve box is huge and mastered decently. I strongly believe, although I'm no tape and Parker historian, that extra bits would yield any revelation in listening.
     
  3. mindblanking

    mindblanking The Bourbon King Thread Starter

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    Thanks for this. I really appreciate it
     
  4. mindblanking

    mindblanking The Bourbon King Thread Starter

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    So if I'm understanding you part of the issue is that most of the cd stuff we listen to was taken from the records and not directly from tape. Is that right?
     
  5. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    No.

    Parker had a short life, but his artistic span crossed over both during and post war times. For what it's worth, if you've not had the time yet, I would seriously look into his music on CD first if you haven't. His Dial and Savoy sides he did with Miles, Dizzy, himself - all very beyond brilliant work, but little (if any?) was preserved on tape for prosperity. Back in '40-45, tape stock was precious. It made sense to record to mono, cut sides, wipe, repeat.

    The GOOD news is, most who are looking into Bird as newbies, the CD format is cheap, box sets are plentiful in material, and his best mastering yet has been done only recently (in the past 15 years). Most libraries in your city are going to have tons of Bird, for those who want to try before buy. There's even a Rhino 2CD that's quite good for the barely initiated.

    Reference to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Parker_discography

    It's only Verve he recorded for that has any decent high fidelity presentation. I've heard a Koko '78 from a HiFi playback that sounded really nice, but it's still a shellac disc with some technical problems. Dial sides are notorious for some problems. True historians have done the best they could in preserving those sides (and no tape survived!), so I doubt 192/24 is going to be any better.

    For Verve, slightly better, but..... /shrug
     
  6. mindblanking

    mindblanking The Bourbon King Thread Starter

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
    I have all, or most of his best stuff that's available on cd. Just trying to understand why some of it can't be mastered for hi res. There's great hi res stuff available from the mid 1950s on but not before. That's really my question I guess.
     
  7. Sckott

    Sckott Hand Tighten Only.

    Location:
    South Plymouth, Ma
    I hear ya. I just wouldn't understand why UNi WOULD spend money to release Parker on HDTRACKS, to be honest. I don't think there's something to be heard there, better than what's been.

    However, if it did make such project, be aware you might not get what you wished for. :(
     
  8. Walter H

    Walter H Santa's Helper

    Location:
    New Hampshire, USA
    IMO it's a question of costs and benefits. As we go back to the pre-tape era there's less to be gained with hi-res vs. CD quality, and there's a lot of work involved in going back to the disc sources.
     
  9. Tribute

    Tribute Senior Member

    I don't get this. No one recorded commercial records on tape during the war. None of Parker's Savoy or Dial were recorded on tape
     
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  10. Fastnbulbous

    Fastnbulbous Doubleplus Ungood

    Location:
    Washington DC USA
    It's hard for many to believe, in an era when the guy in the subway can be recorded on a cellphone in 16-bit stereo, that the vast majority of Bird's performing output (and that of his contemporaries) wasn't recorded at all. And what little did make it was often recorded haphazardly, or with jerry-rigged equipment, or saved on substandard media. The consolation is that for all the low-fi distortion, hiss and pops, Bird's genius is still there in every track.
     
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  11. action pact

    action pact Music Omnivore

    Right, the technology was essentially unknown outside of Germany until after the war. Tape didn't become commonly used in USA studios until around 1950 or later.
     
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  12. deadcoldfish

    deadcoldfish Senior Member

    Location:
    Santa Rosa, CA
  13. Claude

    Claude Senior Member

    Location:
    Luxembourg
  14. mindblanking

    mindblanking The Bourbon King Thread Starter

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
  15. mindblanking

    mindblanking The Bourbon King Thread Starter

    Location:
    Baltimore, MD
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