Nat King Cole box, "His Musical Autobiography," October 2015 from Universal*

Hello everyone,

A reviewer in Amazon Italy says that there are problems with CD 9 and DVD 2. I checked my copy and I got the same.

CD9, #6: there's some digital skipping from 1:07 to 1:15 (loudest at 1:15) , of the kind you get when the disk or the lens are not clean. My disk is clean, but it has a tiny black spot embedded in the plastic (definitely not on the external surface).

DVD 2: mine jumps back to the main menu when the film gets to 1:19:01, right when Cole says "... at home, and that coun[cut]".

Has anyone had the same problems?

Thanks!

F

 

I got those digital clicks (about one per second, or 8-9 of them, on that CD track. But at least it is a Carolyn Richard vocal, and not a Nat Cole vocal or piano solo. That track is also issued on the JATP box, haven't checked my copy of that. It is a minor distraction, though with respect to Nat himself. Reminds you of an old record with a few clicks.
Not enough to discourage a sale of this incredible set.

I'll report on the DVD next.

 

For convenience, I played the DVD on my computer using VLC media player. That weird jerk back to the menu did happen at that Nat clip (though a few seconds later in timing, but at those words).

But all is not lost. I decided to "rip" the DVD using the freeware program "DVD Shrink". I just selected the documentary film only, deleted the various subtitles, and was able to copy the entire documentary film "Afraid of the Dark" with no video compression at all (i.e. 100%). The copy plays perfectly with no blip or other defect at all. Nice.

A malfunction in the DVD menu structure, but all the bonus features play perfectly on the original DVD. The main documentary plays perfectly on the DVD copy.

 

I can confirm the glitch on CD9 - seems to be an error in the source - ripping quality is 100%..

I have yet to check the DVDs - I remember having problems ripping them and then giving up. Maybe for the very same reason you mention

 

Did you use DVD Shrink? If not, you should get it. Though now many years old, it works perfectly on nearly all DVDs.

That Carolyn Richards vocal is Track #11 on CD#1 of the Complete JATP Box. It plays OK there. However, it still is not too critical on the Nat Cole box, and no click in any Nat portion

 

Thanks! The faulty track also plays well on Cole's Hip-O Select 3-CD set (CD2, #6).

Will keep the DVD-Shrink solution in mind.

F

 

Anyone got any more feedback on this set?
I see its on offer in the Uk £29.99



Peace and love✌

 

There is the advantage of having the rare stuff on this set, but I wouldn't expect the sound on everything else to be demonstration quality. Some of things have fine sound but for a few - I have heard better elsewhere.

It is a fine looking box set with a good LP-size book. However I have taken some of the credits with a grain of salt. For example where they list 2 or 3 conductors for one song.

Overall, I am glad I collected it. Your mileage may vary.

 

I want to get my hands on the booklet, but that's it.

 

the video material is good, the session material is good

 

Thinking of getting this set.

Btw, has anyone heard from "apileocole"? Is he still around?

 

What is the SQ like?

 

Mishmash - a copy&paste job from earlier releases - I think one track even has the CD skips in it (see earlier in this thread)

 

@dale 88, does the booklet make any claims about which, if any, of the 13 takes of "Thank You, Pretty Baby" is the master?

 

They say Take 13.

 

Thanks a lot, Dale!

 

Haven't done a thorough comparison of the session material with the released take that appeared in 1967, so I can't yet confirm if 13 is the take used for that LP (fwiw, take 13 is cited in the Ruppli and Bear Family discographies), but this acetate should dispel the notion that only 13 takes were attempted.

 

I just compared session Take 13 with the overdubbed version that appears on the Thank You, Pretty Baby LP from 1967, and those are not identical. Possible, though, that the overdubbed master is pieced from multiple takes.

 

Hm -- wish I could hear # 17

 

Right. As far as I know this is the first time that "Capitol" has released these Davis & Schwegler sides. In the listing for these tracks on CD 1 from the set His Musical Autobiography, it shows a "capital P circled 2015 Capitol Records LLC".

 

I was disappointed that the set His Musical Autobiography did not include Oscar Moore's tune "Beautiful Moons Ago". I would love to hear a modern corrected source of this great side. The issues that I have heard all have to much wobble in the sound. Also, someone needs to verify the correct speed on this one.

 

Matt on the back cover of the box it says "Made In the Czech Republic "

 

I have had this box set for roughly 2 years. It is a beautifully made set, compared to some of the Sinatra Box Sets, which,
as we all know, are cheaply made. This set is a "spare no expense " set.