Duke Ellington 40-CD set

I saw this at HMV here and it made my mouth water. It's on the History label and claims to have EVERY recording, regardless of label, from 1924 to 47. Sells for $107. Anyone have this? There's another set on the same label only sounds half enticing, a Louis Armstrong 30-CD set, but half it is recent recreations of his material. Echhh!

 

BTW, saw the Steve-mastered Duke Ellingon 2-CD Beyond Compare comp on Buddha at a used record store. How is it? (I'm assuming, superb of course)

 

Given the current state of listening coverage, I would love to be ABLE to listen to 20 of those 40 CDs in my lifetime.

 

You're so right! I sometimes look at my massive music & film collections and wonder how many lifetimes would it take to watch/listen to every title I own. Sometimes I really see the sickness behind all of this and get concerned....

 

I have read in other boards that is not really complete, but comes close. Also, it doesnt include the best sound possible and the packaging is shameful. I have seen it for a lot less than 107 dlls. I almost bought it for around 30 bucks once, but then again, when was I gonna listen to the whole thing?

 

or: alternate reply

er... you're not serious, right? Did someone muck with your work?

 

Anyway *I* can get it for 30 dollars?

-Tom

 

I woulda grabbed it!

 

Yikes!!!

 

... and thanks for the warning.

 

Right now for 50 dlls. They used to have it for 30 at one time

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=2316486&style=music&frm=lk_jzmtz

 

They have it for A$50 here in Sydney (about US$38).

 

That set will probably fill in some gaps (while still leaving a few), but, I'm afraid that's its primary attribute. Maybe some (not on this board, I suspect) will appreciate the steamroller "let's just cut out all of the high frequencies" approach to "noise reduction" involved in this thing, but I can only JUST stand to listen to it. EVERY last recording has the same dull high end, regardless of recording company or date of recording. I don't know that much of the BMG Centennial collection remasterings, but for all the flaws of say, that version of the Blanton Webster stuff, it sounds like MUSIC, at least --- this set sounds FAR worse than the (rather overfiltered but decent) French Jazz Tribune LPs I have. So... it's a cheap way to say you own a good portion of the earlier half of Duke's discography, but it's just not pleasurable, and makes Duke's various bands sound colorless, which does nobody any good.

It's a good size & weight for a door-stop though....

 

tatifan,

Thanks for the warning about that 40-CD set. It seems as though the company which issued that set used tape dubs from 78s, and then EQ'd out the highs when making the tapes themselves. In other words, they're no better than many of the LP compilations of 78-based material.

Steve Hoffman,

Which compilation of early Duke Ellington (1926-1947) - LP or CD - do you like best (even though they're all flawed in one way or another)?

 

I have a 24 CD Duke Ellington set, "The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition" which I think is quite good. It is the complete RCA Victor Recordings from 1927 - 1973. It is a bit pricey, it was about $350.00.

Scott