As Dr. J mentioned you can find these in the used bins in good shape for cheap so if your looking fill gaps in your collection it's a good way to start. I have a few I cherish because it opened my ears to some great stuff. I discovered Wes Montgomery via the Verve twofer of Smokin' at the Half Note, I discovered the great Mulligan and Konitz set via the twofer that also has Mulligan and Getz. Best of all I bought the twofer that has the Getz and Bill Evans recordings which is ok but it the second slab of vinyl contains one of my favorite albums of all time in Stan Getz - Sweet Rain.
Wayne Shorter - Wayning Moments CD reissue on Koch. Recently picked up Shorter's first three Vee-Jay releases (as well as The Young Lions) through CD reissues on Koch and Collectables. Surprised these four albums don't get mentioned as often as his classic Blue Note releases. I understand why they might not (his Blue Note leader dates are obviously a high mark), but wonder if it's also because they seem to be less ubiquitous. Exciting to hear some early compositions of his.
Those Vee Jay albums, Introducing Wayne Shorter, Second Genesis and Wayning Moments, were recorded early in Wayne Shorter's career (1960-1961), before he went to Blue Note. They are included in the now OOP Mosaic set The Complete Vee Jay Lee Morgan-Wayne Shorter Sessions, which also included Lee Morgan's albums Here's Lee Morgan, Expoobident and The Young Lions.
Currently reading and thoroughly enjoying Ray Celestin's excellent book Dead Man's Blues which is set in 1928, Chicago. The book very cleverly incorporates King Louis into the storyline. This prompted me to revisit all those amazing and historic Hot Five & Seven recordings, many of which were cut in 1928... Hot Fives and Sevens - Louis Armstrong (JSP) / 4CD Box
Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus on Candid CD With Curson, Dolphy & Richmond. Folk Forms no. 1 is pure blues funk, at least to my ears, with no chick-boom from Richmond and some fiery exchanges between Curson & Dolphy. I think the sound here is way ahead of its time.
Could you please elaborate (see bold)? I had the Candid CD and the sound wasn't good, the stereo mix is awful. I'm glad I got the Mingus Candid Mosaic set years ago, which has the mono mix and sounds much better.
Oh, I mean "sound" as in the music being played, not the sound quality. SQ ain't good on the CD and certainly isn't ahead of its time. You're absolutely correct about the hard-panned stereo but I missed the Mosaic set and I've yet to find one I can afford.
Soultrane, it's what's for breakfast........ Trane's last 'official' Prestige release. Three days earlier he was at The Church laying doiwn tracks for "Milestones".
I can recommend the Pure Pleasure LP of this title. Those Candid CD's can be atrocious. It's stereo but it's a vast improvement over other versions I've heard.
One of my favorite McLaughlin titles, I love hearing Tony Oxley playing it 'straight', one of the last times we'd hear him playing in this style, before developing his own M.O. along with Paul Lovens, Paul Lytton, John Stevens. etc.
Grant Green - Green Street Grant Green, guitar; Ben Tucker, bass; Dave Baily, drums. New arrival and my second Grant Green after Grant Stand. I continue to explore jazz guitarists including Jim Hall, Kenny Burrell and George Benson. (Music Matters 33.3) Lou Donaldson - Lou Takes Off Lou Donaldson, alto saxophone; Donald Byrd, trumpet; Curtis Fuller, trombone; Sonny Clark, piano; George Joyner, bass; Art Taylor, drums. Also new and my third Donaldson album. This one seems to be more seriously hard bob than Blues Walk and Sunny Side Up which are the other two I have but it still has a streak of blues running through it like those two especially on the song Strollin' In. (Music Matters 45)
Duke Pearson - The Phantom from Disc 1- Session (A) of Duke Pearson: Mosaic Select Bass – Bob Cranshaw Congas – Victor Pantojo* Congas, Guiro – "Potato" Valdes* Drums – Mickey Roker Flute, Flute [Alto] – Jerry Dodgion Guitar – Al Gafa, Sam Brown (2) Piano – Duke Pearson Vibraphone – Bobby Hutcherson
GRANT GREEN / GREEN STREET / BLUE NOTE / 1961 / JAPANESE BLUE NOTE WORKS TOCJ-4071 CD PERSONNEL: GRANT GREEN (GUITAR); BEN TUCKER (BASS); DAVE BAILEY (DRUMS) TECHNICAL: PRODUCED BY ALFRED LION. RECORDED BY RUDY VAN GELDER AT VAN GELDER STUDIOS, NEW JERSEY ON APRIL 1, 1961. COVER PHOTO BY FRANCIS WOLFF. COVER DESIGN BY REID MILES. Don't know any other edition (MM or AP), but this Blue Note Works CD sounds just 'right' to me.
Just scored a VG+ copy of what according to discogs is a 1st press. One thread mentioned these c. 1974 Impulse pressings w/"neon" label as sounding not so good. This one says "KENDUN" in deadwax, both sides, a good sign. Looking fwd to hearing it for 1st time after cleaning!
John Coltrane - Settin' The Pace John Coltrane, tenor sax; Red Garland, piano; Paul Chambers, bass; Art Taylor, drums.
Hank Mobley: Mobley's Message Hank Mobley - tenor saxophone Donald Byrd - trumpet - except track 5 Barry Harris - piano Doug Watkins - bass Art Taylor - drums Jackie McLean - alto saxophone (#4 only) Recorded at The Sack on July 20, 1956 but released around this time in early January 1957. It may be Mobley's message but Byrd has the word too, some really fine playing by "Don", and all involved of course. We're trying to catch up on some seasonal libations after being away for the Holidays so pairing the Message with a Belgian dark imperial Wit (!?) brewed with 10 spices of the season including corriander, cinamon, mace, orange peel, clove etc. Appropriately smooth, lively and warming.
Man I love the title track on this, Hutch lays down some adventurous vibes that just take the track to another level.
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Meet You at the Jazz Corner of the World CD reissue, RVG Edition, disc 2 (just played disc 1). Spectacular music, but the sound is… unique. Anyone here ever heard both this RVG and the 2 earlier 1993 TOCJ reissues? I'm wondering if the TOCJs compare favorably to this version.
I'm biased because I don't like RVG remasters. The "Blue Note Works" TOCJs from the 1990s are OK, though the highs are rolled-off. I have these two discs in the long OOP Art Blakey Mosaic.
Thank you — I appreciate the response. I lately have found myself in the predicament of owning most-to-all of a Mosaic set on various McMaster CDs, yet there often seems to be at least one (or more) studio or live session that cannot be accounted for in a "decent" mastering anywhere but the OOP Mosaic. I'll keep an eye out. I've only heard a small amount of RVGs (on CD and streaming) but the "deficiencies" on some of those reissues — subjectively to my ears — have seemingly destroyed the audio beyond repair. There are a few I've enjoyed (Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers Moanin' and Clifford Brown Memorial Album, though for both of them I also own/prefer the McMasters) and a couple I own where I haven't found any non-RVG reissues (Grant Green Goin' West and Andrew Hill Compulsion!!!!!). I couldn't make a blanket judgment against them, but they definitely are a mixed bag.