neveronfriday Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 (edited) I'm looking for some comments on this box set (especially sound quality). I think I might have a chance of picking this up relatively cheap (this would be the EmArcy Nippon Phonogram Co.Ltd.1989 10-CD release). Thanks for your input. Cheers! *ooops* Just noticed that this should've gone into the box thread. Sorry. Edited January 12, 2004 by deus62 Quote
Brad Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 I can't comment on the sound quality vis a vis more recent Japanese reissues of some of this material but this is one of my best pickups. The music is sensational and to have it all in one package is fantastic. It's got all the classics, plus the sensational recordings with Dinah Washington. Don't hesistate. You'll never regret it. Quote
jazzbo Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 As Brad points out, this is an amazing assemblage of music. The sound holds up very well, for early remastering it is quite good, though there are better remasterings of the material out there in the last half a decade or so. At quite an expense however for Verve "Master Editions" and imports from Japan. If you can get a good price for this, you'll not regret having the music to hear and explore. Quote
neveronfriday Posted January 12, 2004 Author Report Posted January 12, 2004 How does about $70 sound for the whole set? Quote
danasgoodstuff Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 $70 is quite good, I paid $37.50 (record store employee price) for a used set and consider it one of the best purchases I ever made both for the music and the deal. Quote
neveronfriday Posted January 12, 2004 Author Report Posted January 12, 2004 Thanks for the comments. I'm not sure if I shouldn't go hunting for newer remasters (at a much higer price, I know). I'm gonna sleep over it. Cheers! Quote
Claude Posted January 12, 2004 Report Posted January 12, 2004 It also depends if you are only looking for the Brown/Roach Quintet stuff or if you also want the singers sessions, the strings album and the jam sessions. Not all the quintet sessions are available as domestic remastered CDs. "At Basin Street" and "Brown/Roach" have been reissued in the Verve Master Edition series, but the other albums (Brown/Roach Inc., Study in Brown) are still the same CDs from the late 80's. Quote
chris olivarez Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 At that price it sounds like it's worth pulling the trigger on it. Quote
brownie Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 Deus, had to step in on that one. Will be brief. GET THE BOX! The music is brilliant, the sound is good, the price looks right. Quote
brownie Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 Deus, when you get that box, make sure it has the small CD disc that came with the original set. That disc was not listed in the accompanying booklet. It has a wonderful early take by Brown, Rollins and the Roach quintet of 'Flossie Lou'. Quote
couw Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 Deus, when you get that box, make sure it has the small CD disc that came with the original set. That disc was not listed in the accompanying booklet. It has a wonderful early take by Brown, Rollins and the Roach quintet of 'Flossie Lou'. FWIW my bonus disk (disk 11) was regular size. Quote
king ubu Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 Deus, when you get that box, make sure it has the small CD disc that came with the original set. That disc was not listed in the accompanying booklet. It has a wonderful early take by Brown, Rollins and the Roach quintet of 'Flossie Lou'. FWIW my bonus disk (disk 11) was regular size. Mine, too. Deus - get it! At that price you can still add one or the other VME disc, if you feel the need. I got mine for about twice the amount you could get it, I did not get any VMEs, sound never bothered me, actually. And this one is worth every cent! ubu Quote
neveronfriday Posted January 13, 2004 Author Report Posted January 13, 2004 OK already , I'll get it. If it's still available, that is. The transaction is a bit more complicated. I'll post here again ... a) ... if I did manage to get it or not and if yes, ... B) ... if it was worth it from my point of view once I have listened to it. Thanks a million for all the comments! Cheers! Quote
couw Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 when I got this set, I sat through it in a couple of days and did it again just after that. Take some days of deus, you may need them Quote
skeith Posted January 13, 2004 Report Posted January 13, 2004 well deus 62, I'll offer a conflicting opinion just to confuse you more. First of all, I love this music (most of it- as I explaint below)- so yes you should get it-but the issue is which version. Not sure how much of an audiophile you are, but I think the box, which came out many years ago, definitely has inferior sound to the japanese mini-lp version currently available in 24 bit and probably to the more recent american versions. I also think that the Brown-Roach stuff (with Harold Land or Sonny Rollins) is the best stuff and also the Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington dates are great. However, I did not care for the dates with the other vocalists and I think some of the jam session material is a bit on the weak side. Given the above, I think you could spend the same money for better sound quality but fewer sessions and come out better. Just my two cents! Quote
neveronfriday Posted January 13, 2004 Author Report Posted January 13, 2004 It's the old dilemma (which I have solved by buying the box ... ). Still, I often find myself in that old trap of wanting the music and having an audiophile's ears. Case in point. I love the music on that 24-CD Ellington box I'm selling a copy of (actually have sold) elsewhere. It's just mesmerizing to do the crazy thing and listen to the whole thing in four or five very long sessions. And Ellington is not really one of my faves (woud take too long to explain, so don't flame me, please). And right in the middle of listening to this fascinating set, some truly awful sound hits your ears. And they cringe. I have gotten very careful when it comes around to buying vintage stuff, just because some of the mastering is just so bad that one could cry (BTW ... some of the RVG stuff is really not all that good either, sorry). I also remember (many, many years ago) having an old stereo and playing K-tel records on it, not giving a rat's ass about the sound, just dancing around my room having fun. The loss of innocence. Apple from the tree. That kind of stuff. Sad. Quote
king ubu Posted January 14, 2004 Report Posted January 14, 2004 I also think that the Brown-Roach stuff (with Harold Land or Sonny Rollins) is the best stuff and also the Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington dates are great. However, I did not care for the dates with the other vocalists and I think some of the jam session material is a bit on the weak side. (heavily edited) Could not disagree more about the "other vocalists" part! The sides with Helen Merrill are some of the best vocal jazz I EVER heard! ubu Quote
neveronfriday Posted January 14, 2004 Author Report Posted January 14, 2004 Well, for better (I assume after having tallied the votes here) or worse, the box will be on the way to me on Friday. I'll post at some other time what my first impression is, what the sound was like, etc. Again, kudos to everyone who helped me make a decision. Cheers! Quote
EKE BBB Posted January 14, 2004 Report Posted January 14, 2004 I also think that the Brown-Roach stuff (with Harold Land or Sonny Rollins) is the best stuff and also the Sarah Vaughan and Dinah Washington dates are great. However, IÂ did not care for the dates with the other vocalists and I think some of the jam session material is a bit on the weak side. (heavily edited) Could not disagree more about the "other vocalists" part! The sides with Helen Merrill are some of the best vocal jazz I EVER heard! ubu Could not disagree more (with skeith) B) Could not agree more (with king ubu) The Merrill-Brown date is one of my desert island discs, for sure! Quote
jazzbo Posted January 14, 2004 Report Posted January 14, 2004 I certainly agree, that Merrill is an amazing work! BUT. .. it took me a long time to realize that and really appreciate it! Quote
king ubu Posted January 14, 2004 Report Posted January 14, 2004 I certainly agree, that Merrill is an amazing work! BUT. .. it took me a long time to realize that and really appreciate it! That's true, Lon! I did not want to jump a skeith, by the way, just clearly express my feelings about that wonderful date. ubu Quote
jazzbo Posted January 14, 2004 Report Posted January 14, 2004 (edited) Oh I'm sure we all understood that Ubu! It took me a long time to appreciate Helen Merrill, but when I did finally. . . it was akin to falling in love! RCA should (if it doesn't) DEFINITELY add a Merrill to their "Falling in Love With. . . " series if they have any of her material at all! Edited January 14, 2004 by jazzbo Quote
king ubu Posted January 14, 2004 Report Posted January 14, 2004 By the way, jazzos (here) has some Merrill on sale. Go to their Bargain section to find "Music Makers" and "No Tears... No Goodbies" (both OWL) and the wonderful "Shade of A Difference" and "The Feeling Is Mutual" (Emarcy), for Euro 10.90 each. Totally off topic, by the way, sorry, but the last two of these CDs are becoming rare, I think. ubu Quote
mmilovan Posted January 15, 2004 Report Posted January 15, 2004 This is a bit offtopic but someone knows something about material Hellen recorded in early 1970's Japan tour - she sung with Teddy Willson and there is beautifull photo of Merill, willson and Thelonious Monk who admired Willson! Quote
king ubu Posted January 15, 2004 Report Posted January 15, 2004 Lon (jazzbo) posted this picture in this thread. And maybe it would be appropriate to continue our discussion there, too. ubu Quote
_forumlogo.png.a607ef20a6e0c299ab2aa6443aa1f32e.png)
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.