From Anita & Ella To Nina & Sassy: Celebrated Songstresses Of Jazz & Standards

Always happy to read your interesting posts, Ridin'High
By the way, since Julie London 30 albums Mini LP CD in Japan are still in print, would you comment a little on her top 10, as you see it.
That's important to those who want/can buy only about 10 of her albums.

 

Get her first 10 albums, and you will be on your way.

 

I ordered 6 titles from Amazon Canada, and they are slowly getting shipped separately. The Canadian prices for these titles are $28, not $15. Still, worth it for Julie, especially to grab a few of her excellent albums that I've never been able to find in decent quality on vinyl (Julie Is Her Name Vol. 2, Lonely Girl, Make Love To Me). I've got a mono pressing of Love On The Rocks so I added that one to my cart, in addition to Swing Me An Old Song and Love Letters.

 

Haha, that meme you found would've been the PERFECT setting for the cover. Have June dressed in 1920s attire, with pearls, curls and lace inspired by the maja look, clutching her chest and looking surprised at the grab-bag assortment of arrangements contained within her final Capitol album. Silly, perhaps, but it would've been funny, and certainly light years more charming than having a doll and that ugly typeface on the cover.

All that said, Capitol never had enough of a sense of humour to pull off something like that. But how I wish they did and had.

 

It may worth even more, but...
You should not encourage greedy Amazon to charge people double the price.
I have parcels arriving from Japan within 2-3 days to the USA (the same to Canada). You can pay by credit card or PayPal:

CDJapan : Search result by ( julie london ) OR "julie london"

A lot of people prefer to by on eBay from Disk Union authorized dealers:

julie london | eBay

Here you have to pay eBay fees, however, you can buy directly from this dealer at the retail price, but you have to talk to me first.

 

It has more to do with exchange rate. I am not encouraging scalpers. I am buying from Amazon directly. Why don't you search for the titles at amazon.ca yourself, @toilet_doctor, and you'll see what I mean. Why don't you also review the USD/CAD exchange rate while you're at it, and then perhaps you'll understand why I can't afford to pay shipping in USD plus import fees when I can buy directly from Amazon Canada with free shipping.

Shipping from Japan is even more prohibitive. With some careful research, you'll see that I've shopped around. I never give money to the highest offer. Hopefully once you've checked yourself it will become clear that I'm complaining out of necessity, not convenience.

 

Shipping fees are killing off sales from other nations all over the world, in all directions. Once most governments started adding taxes to on-line orders, the cost went up even further, especially where they also tax the shipping costs on top of taxing the product. This can hurt even more in some areas.

This was not a consumer choice. It was the choice of some with power over consumers.

 

Exactly. In my location, the cheapest price I can find for any of these mini-LP CDs on eBay is more than what Amazon Canada is charging, even without shipping factored in. And the cheapest shipping to Canada from CDJapan is via airmail, which works out to roughly the same final cost as the higher sale price but free shipping from Amazon CA. Sure, these titles are only $15 at CDJapan, but there's an additional $12.50 added for the airmail package, which brings us to the same grand total, whether I buy it from Canada or Japan.

I suspect that Amazon CA is actually ordering their own stock from CDJapan or somewhere similar, and then marking the unit price up to recover their own cost of shipping from Japan, as a means of providing easy stock to Canadian shoppers who may not be aware of online stores like CDJapan. There's nothing shady about what Amazon is doing in this case, they're actually making it far more likely that Canadians will purchase these new Julie releases by making the stock available within our country. It's just unfortunate that shipping has increased so much worldwide. Also, since Canada is primarily an export country, it's not as cost-effective for its residents to shop US given the difference in exchange rate. Very rarely is our dollar at par, but when it is I can you that it makes my shopping experience much easier.

 

One of the two other Capitol female artists is Jo Stafford, though she did so for another label:





I couldn’t find a music sample on YouTube, but I did find an audio clip from the third singer. “Do I Hear a Waltz” opens Peggy Lee’s concert date on this album:





There’s more that I’d like to say about June Christy’s full album, but I guess that I will have to postpone it for a few weeks, when I’ll hopefully have more time.

T_D, thanks for the nice words, as always. If I’m going to be honest, I do like Julie London’s singing, and I have listened to all of her albums (& several singles collections), but the only album of hers that has ever made a strong impression on me is About the Blues. Most of the others make for pleasant listening but do not end up being particularly memorable for me. When it comes to her, I am more excited about particular songs than full albums -- “Cry me a River,” of course, but also “Come on-a ma House” and some of her other mid-tempo, slow-burning-sensual numbers. In any case, I think that you and several other members have covered the pros and cons of the Japanese re-re-re-re-reissues of those albums, with very reasonable recommendations -- so, we’re happily well covered!

 

I believe that Japan has only reissued the complete Liberty recordings of Julie London, including the singles, once.

This latest edition, missing the singles, is only the second time that all of her LP recordings have been reissued on CD.

All other reissues were partial editions.

 

Just received mine today. So far, they sound wonderful!

 

Shipping from Japan

I don’t consider Airmail shipping as it has no tracking number.
Shipping only one Mini LP CD from Japan by Registered Airmail is expensive - $12-13.
But for multiple items, it’s cheap:

1 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 150g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2389 yen / 1500 yen / 3889 yen (US$ 33.78)

FedEx Priority/ 2860 yen / 1500 yen / 4360 yen (US$ 37.87)

EMS / 2530 yen / 1500 yen / 4030 yen (US$ 35.00)

Registered Airmail / 1400 yen / 1500 yen / 2900 yen (US$ 25.19)

Airmail / 990 yen / 1500 yen / 2490 yen (US$ 21.63)


2 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 265g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2389 yen / 3000 yen / 5389 yen (US$ 46.81)

FedEx Priority / 2860 yen / 3000 yen / 5860 yen (US$ 50.90)

EMS /2530 yen /3000 yen /5530 yen (US$ 48.03)

Registered Airmail / 1400 yen / 3000 yen / 4400 yen (US$ 38.22)

Airmail / 990 yen / 3000 yen / 3990 yen (US$ 34.66)

The shipping cost of 2 Mini LP CDs and 1 Mini LP CD is the same (1400 yen).


3 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 380g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2389 yen / 4500 yen / 6889 yen (US$ 59.84)

FedEx Priority / 2860 yen / 4500 yen / 7360 yen (US$ 63.93)

EMS / 2530 yen / 4500 yen / 7030 yen (US$ 61.06)

Registered Airmail / 1540 yen / 4500 yen / 6040 yen (US$ 52.46)

Airmail / 1130 yen /4500 yen / 5630 yen (US$ 48.90)


4 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 495g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2389 yen / 6000 yen / 8389 yen (US$ 72.87)

FedEx Priority /2860 yen /6000 yen /8860 yen (US$ 76.96)

EMS /2530 yen /6000 yen /8530 yenv(US$ 74.09)

Registered Airmail / 1690 yen / 6000 yen / 7690 yen (US$ 66.79)

Airmail /1280 yen /6000 yen / 7280 yen (US$ 63.23)


5 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 610g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2910 yen / 7500 yen / 10410 yen (US$ 90.42)

FedEx Priority /3161 yen / 7500 yen /10661 yen (US$ 92.60)

EMS /3050 yen / 7500 yen / 10550 yen (US$ 91.64)

Registered Airmail / 2120 yen / 7500 yen / 9620 yen (US$ 83.56)

Airmail / 1710 yen / 7500 yen / 9210 yen (US$ 80.00)

6 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 705g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2910 yen / 9000 yen / 11910 yen (US$ 103.45)

FedEx Priority / 3161 yen / 9000 yen / 12161 yen (US$ 105.63)

EMS / 3310 yen / 9000 yen / 12310 yen (US$ 106.92)

Registered Airmail / 2330 yen / 9000 yen / 11330 yen (US$ 98.41)

Airmail /1920 yen /9000 yen / 10920 yen (US$ 94.85)


7 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 800g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2910 yen /10500 yen /13410 yen (US$ 116.48)

FedEx Priority / 3161 yen /10500 yen /13661 yen (US$ 118.66)

EMS / 3310 yen /10500 yen /13810 yen (US$ 119.95)

Registered Airmail / 2330 yen / 10500 yen / 12830 yen (US$ 111.44)

Airmail /1920 yen /10500 yen /12420 yen (US$ 107.88)


8 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 895g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2910 yen / 12000 yen / 14910 yen (US$ 129.51)

FedEx Priority /3161 yen /12000 yen / 15161 yen (US$ 131.69)

EMS /3570 yen /12000 yen /15570 yen (US$ 135.24)

Registered Airmail / 2550 yen / 12000 yen / 14550 yen (US$ 126.38)

Airmail /2140 yen /12000 yen / 4140 yen (US$ 122.82)


9 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 990g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 2910 yen / 13500 yen / 16410 yen (US$ 142.53)

FedEx Priority /3161 yen /13500 yen /16661 yen (US$ 144.71)

EMS /3830 yen /13500 yen /7330 yen (US$ 150.53)

Registered Airmail / 2950 yen / 13500 yen / 6450 yen (US$ 142.88)

Airmail / 2540 yen / 13500 yen / 16040 yen (US$ 139.32)


10 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 1085g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 3087 yen / 15000 yen / 18087 yen (US$ 157.10)

FedEx Priority / 3618 yen / 15000 yen / 18618 yen (US$ 161.71)

EMS /4470 yen /15000 yen / 19470 yen (US$ 169.11)

Registered Airmail / 3250 yen / 15000 yen / 18250 yen (US$ 158.52)

Airmail /2840 yen /15000 yen / 17840 yen (US$ 154.96)

Shipping to Canada by Registered Airmail 10 Mini LP CD:
$159 – ($13 x 10) = $29 – $2.90 per CD
However, forget about Registered Airmail, because for 10 CDs DHL (Express Airmail) is even cheaper:
157 – ($13 x 10) = $27 – $2.70 per CD and it’s the best service, 2-3 days from Japan.


12 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 1275g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 3087 yen / 18000 yen / 21087 yen (US$ 183.16)

FedEx Priority /3618 yen /18000 yen / 21618 yen (US$ 187.77)

EMS /5030 yen /18000 yen / 3030 yen (US$ 200.03)

Registered Airmail / 540 yen / 18000 yen / 21540 yen (US$ 187.09)

Airmail /3130 yen /18000 yen / 21130 yen (US$ 183.53)


Shipping 12 Mini LP CD by DHL:
$183 – ($13x12) = $27 or $2.25 per CD


15 Mini LP CD

Country CANADA

Order Weight (Item + Packaging) 1560g

Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total

DHL / 3263 yen / 22500 yen / 25763 yen (US$ 223.77)

FedEx Priority / 3769 yen / 22500 yen / 26269 yen (US$ 228.17)

EMS /5670 yen /22500 yen / 28170 yen (US$ 244.68)

Registered Airmail / 3830 yen / 22500 yen / 26330 yen (US$ 228.70)

Airmail / 3420 yen / 22500 yen / 25920 yen (US$ 225.14)

DHL Shipping to Canada of 15 Mini LP CDs:
$224 – ($13 x 15) = $29 ($1.94 per CD)

Shipping to the USA is the same.

I ordered a whole set of 30 Mini LP CD, plus I added 9 more Mini LPs (3 were double albums) and shipping cost me $38 – less than $1 per CD.

Now is the best time to buy Julie London Japan Mini LP CDs:
I paid $ 13.52 for each album, now the price has dropped to $13.03 - it's a sin not to buy them, even if you only like some of the songs from each album.

How can I afford it? How can you not...

 

I think I ordered 13 of them from cdjapan. It was $21 shipping, and took about a week to arrive. Very happy.

 

It's $1.62 per CD - international shipping. I always accumulate my orders to cut shipping cost, that's how it works.

 

I want 6 of these titles, so I've consulted your figures above for shipping 6 mini LP CDs from Japan via airmail. Please explain how international shipping is only $1.62 per CD, since in your previous post you quoted $94.85 USD for 6 CDs via airmail.

Sure, CDJapan's prices for the discs themselves might only be $15 CAD versus $28 CAD at Amazon, but $28 CAD x 6 + free shipping is still cheaper than $13 USD x 6 + $94.85 USD airmail.

 

Ah, ****.
Never mind, I just figured it out.
I did overpay. By a LOT.
Amazon really is evil, @toilet_doctor , and certainly every bit as greedy as you said.

I was not reading the CDJapan pricing guide properly. The way it is laid out is very confusing, at least to me. It looks like the total order cost (US$ 94.85) was the total cost of shipping via airmail.

Thankfully 3 of the albums never arrived (the courier seems to have "lost" them in transit), so I already got a full refund on those titles. I will be promptly returning the other 3 and will gladly become a CDJapan customer instead. I may actually indulge in a few additional titles, since I can justify it with the lower price.

 

If you choose Airmail Shipping:
Shipping Method / Shipping Charge / Item Price / Order Total
Airmail/1920 yen /9000 yen / 10920 yen (US$ 94.85)
94.85 USD is the last number which is corresponding to Order Total, meaning: items price + shipping charge.
Shipping charge is the first number - 1920 yen. How much USD is it? Subtract cost of the CDs from the total:
$94.85 - (13 x 6) = 16.85USD - it's a shipping cost 6 CDs to Canada, and it's $2.81 per CD. ($1.62 per CD was counted for 13CD shipping).

After putting CDs in the shopping cart, you will see Shipping Calculator button. Press it to calculate shipping cost in Canadian dollars.
You have no obligation, you can always remove CDs from the cart.

P.S.
Airmail shipping goes without Tracking Number, Registered Airmail does.

 

I was thrown off by the order of pricing as well. Most retailers usually list the item cost first, then shipping, then total. Here it is shipping cost first.

Thanks for helping me figure this out!
Amazon will never get my money again.

 

It was a good idea to give them the CDs back. The money you literally saved can be used to buy more of her Mini LPs - there are many more great albums that you left behind.

 

Well, there's an $11 fee to complete the refund, but I'll still be saving lots of money in the end. I will definitely be adding a few more titles to my order from Japan.

 

When it comes to imports from Europe or Japan, the Amazon is no good. But for domestic CDs, they always have compatible prices that we should check before buying anywhere else.
They are also good for their wide marketplace for used and new CDs. These are the guys from the marketplace who are pushing Amazon to lower prices, otherwise they have no limits.

 

I think they transferred Julie's CDs from US, and that's why they put this fee.

 

I placed my Cyber Monday order with CD Japan and got the 1,000JPY discount. I ordered the initial 6 Julie CDs I wanted, plus I added About The Blues, Around Midnight and Easy Does It to my order, and Rootin' Songs by Blossom Dearie. Shipping by DHL. Thanks for your help, @toilet_doctor

 

I was very excited about new release of Blossom Dearie Sings Rootin' Song:

But it sounds not so good:

Then I bought Mini LP version of 2008 by Think! Records, it's very nice looking and fine crafted Mini LP CD:









But this is not Japan made disc and it doesn’t sound good either.

 

Yeah, I listened to samples before I bought it. I know that it was transferred from a copy of the original vinyl pressing so I don't expect much in terms of sound quality. It's definitely a historically relevant release though, and certainly a curiosity having been made for a root beer company!