Incredible Jazz Sale At Concord/OJC - Not Necessarily Good News

So what do you think the point of this sale is? Is every title in the sale either A) about to be replaced by a remastered version (RVG) or B) about to simply go out of print? I can't imagine any other reason you'd put titles on sale for $3/ea.

Speaking of which, what's Concord's cost on these? What are the contracts for most of these jazz releases like? Do the artists (or they estates, in most cases) get any royalties, or are Concord's costs mostly limited to publishing mechanicals, plus pressing, packaging and distribution?

 

Which of these are the definitve masterings? Are these all the remastered versions (20-bit, later K2, etc.)?

Roland

 

The ones with the round OJC labels were remastered in 1999.
http://store.concordmusicgroup.com/...CCD-1823-2&Category_Code=BLOWOUT-JAZZ&Offset=
The ones in the slipcases - the album cover is shrunk and there is a large border around the picture - are the k2 remasters.
http://store.concordmusicgroup.com/...RCD-9433-2&Category_Code=BLOWOUT-JAZZ&Offset=

 

They're selling both 20-bit K2s and regular limited-edition OJCs.

I had hundreds of Japanese 20-bit K2s and a few domestic (U.S.) ones, and sold most of them; I found them too bright and some of them were too loud to my ears. I liked the 20-bit K2 XRCD variant better, though not all of them; those aren't included in the sale, though.

 

The regular OJCs, including the limited editions, were mastered in the late 1980s and the 1990s, not just in 1999.

 

As far as I know many domestic (U.S.) K2s were mastered by the same Japanese engineers who did the Japanese K2s. They might even be the same masterings.

 

Although arguments could (and will be) made about the relative strengths and weaknesses of the various K2 issues, it is indisputable that these are a steal for $3, and that if you are buying one of these titles for the first time, you can't go wrong at that price. Also, some of these have unique liner notes that make the K2 issue worthwhile.

The answer to the "Should I buy the K2 issue [of a title I don't have on CD] or should I wait" question is emphatic and unreserved: Buy the K2 for $3 now. If you like the music enough, and if the K2 sound somehow bothers you (and it probably won't, but if it does), then you can rebuy the title later on at retail (for a lot more) and you can surely sell off the K2 at your local used CD store for at least as much as you paid for it.

Kwad

 

It should be noted that they're only $2.98 if you buy 30 or more.

These are the quantity discounts:
less than 10: $7.98
10-19: $5.98
20-29: $3.98
30 or more: $2.98

 

I just got the shipping confirmation for my 2nd order. The order was from last Thursday, and it was considerably smaller than my Wednesday order (no shipment confirmation on that yet).

 

Got my shipping notice for the Bill Evans box.

 

Shipped!!!!

Life is good now

 

I also received a shipping confirmation for my 2nd order, placed on Friday the 14th. I had received an order confirmation on the 14th saying that my order would ship on the 18th, but it actually shipped today, the 19th. That suggests to me that they are indeed very busy filling orders.

Still no shipping confirmation for my order placed on Wednesday the 12th, though. And it was a much larger order.

Hmm...

Chris

 

I have had very good experiences with K2's. I do not find them bright, and I appreciate the better detail that they bring to the table than some of the earlier masters. I own a bunch of K2's already, and snapped up a ton in this sale.

Also, fwiw, if you were to wander over to the organissimo forum (which is a jazz haven), certain K2's are considered to be the definitive versions of certain albums. Monk's Music for example.

Bottom line, ymmv, but I also agree that at $3 or thereabouts, these K2's truly are a steal.

 

I am a K2 fan here too.

In my order, there was nothing but K2.

 

Can someone post the 1-800 number for Concord's order/shipping department?

Thanks,
Craig(VC).

 

Beverly Hills, CA 90209
Phone (800) 551-5299

Just curious... Did you folks who claim to have received verification and fedex tracking order as a member (sign in), or did you order without registering? Also did you pay for shipping or was it "free"?

 

I see a pre-authorization on my credit card's website for the total amount of my purchase at the time I placed the order. The pre-auth has been there for several days (since at least last Friday), but the charge has not been credited.

So it appears that Concord has at least paid enough attention to my order to see if my credit card will cover the purchase amount.

I'll try to call that 800 number soon to get more information.

Craig(VC).

 

I placed 4 orders, 3 as a non-member, and on the 4th order I registered as a member. For my first 2 orders shipping was free, and for my 2nd 2 shipping was $15 for each. My first 2 non-member orders have shipped.

 

That's pretty interesting. I find Monk's Music to be really bright on my system. I think I only managed to sit through the disc once as it was so fatiguing. I think that the OJC version sounds pretty good, but the 45rpm Vinyl slabs mastered by Steve & Kevin really take the cake. I've probably got about a dozen of the K2 remasters and I can't really say that I'm knocked out by any of them. But for $3.00, they are a steal.

I'm pretty bummed out that this deal isn't extended to customers outside of the USA. I'd love to place a large order at these prices.

 

What is this "2.99" jazz sale from somewhere in Europe that I keep seeing allusions to in these threads? Is this still going on? Was it as good as this sale?

Kwad

 

I ordered without registering, and finally got my shipping confirmation for my 1st order (Wed. 7/12) order last night. Everything I ordered except one item (OJC of John Coltrane - Lush Life) was shipped. Hopefully it was only held up to try to get the order complete.

Both orders were over $100, and when I checked out, it didn't give me shipping options, it just said "free ground shipping". I didn't complain.

 

The K2 titles are almost certainly going to be replaced by Concord's remastering/repackaging. They're not going to delete Creedence Clearwater Revival, Sonny Rollins, Chet Baker, Bill Evans or Thelonious Monk, since those catalogs represent most of the value of their Fantasy acquisition. The boxes may likewise be due for an overhaul.

My guess is that the non-K2 titles are being deleted, period.

 

Still no shipping confirmation for me. I ordered Thursday, 7-13-06, a week ago.

 

I registered and paid for shipping

 

I have called several time but never get an answer, so I finally left a message this morning. I've also sent three emails requesting information about the status of my order, but no responses yet.

I guess I'll just wait now and see if they want to take my money.

Craig(VC).