CJ Shearn

Thanks Dan, edited review to reflect the info. I'm not sure that I missed that Lee is the star of the show, both of them sounded pretty good IMO, we all catch different things and I think that's beauty of it

All the accompanying promo material I received only specified Kevin Gray doing the vinyl version. It is more than likely Ian Sefchick mastered the digital versions, it's just that to me, the sonic signature which is relatively matter of fact as I said, reminded me of McMaster more than anything else. Last Ron McMaster Blue Note I heard was Evolution by Lonnie Smith. I won't have the CD mastering credit handy until my copy ships from Amazon and I'll amend the review

Thanks. I fixed a few things. I figure hey, since I'm a Blakey fanatic as many of us are here, I'd go in depth with it from the point of a serious Blakey fan. There's enough basic information there that if some friends of mine who are casually interested in jazz, they can go further. As for Eric's query, I'm not sure? Because I first heard about the session here years ago and how folks said it was mediocre, I wasn't that anxious to hear it. Around the third listen this one clicked for me. A session like say Jimmy Smith's Straight Life I'd say (and I spun it again after a long while few weeks back, it's not bad for what it is) it's pretty clear why it was shelved in favor of Plays Fats Waller, the trio is going through the motions a bit more than say Crazy! Baby.

https://bit.ly/2ZBQ5XH

That is a great set! Listening on my Focals is a joy. I never heard the 2 CD set either.

Well, I just ordered mine, so hoping for the best!

I'll be reviewing from my promo files but I ordered a physical CD, and upon further listens while the album isn't earth shaking, it's just fun, solid swinging Messengers, warts and all.

I see your point... personally I don't do vinyl, it really isn't practically for me handling wise but I can see what you mean. Wouldn't it better as you said earlier for the OP to just find a higher graded copy of the original ish copy? That's what I'd do

It may not be faulty memory, Kevin if there's a seller with an amazing memory for pressing details, or when t like if the seller is on the ASD, but that would be very rare though so your point makes sense.

I like it a lot. One of the best I've heard from him and this year.

I'm waiting on a disc from Germany, I corresponded with the seller who has a 100% seller rating and the lockdowns are preventing shipping of discs from Germany to the US. Strange, because I received a disc from Taiwan. So he asked I be patient.

I have to be honest too, my apartment is a 750 sq foot1 bedroom, and space wise, and all the power associated as you mentioned before with a IA would probably be a bit much. The positive is my walls are pretty thick so the neighbors don't hear much. Even my neighbors next door who blast all sorts of traditional Mexican music and Mexican pop the sound doesn't travel far. For me the sound is fine. I will at least upgrade my laptop DAC to a Schiit, the DAC in my HP Pavilion sucks.

Good point... it's more my friend claiming an integrated is better but I have to doubt it because we all have different tastes. Based on the advice here, I think I don't really need an upgrade at the moment, not so soon. For me, when I'm happy with something I stick with those things a long time, and I'd always rather put more money into music than equipment, but this speaker upgrade was absolutely necessary.

The 716's are discontinued so that's how I got such a great deal on eBay thru WorldWideStereo. The Chorus line (no pun intended) is replaced by the Chora and from what I can see there's not much difference other than improved cone technology, which is probably a buzzword more than anything.

Interesting. A friend of mine who is about 2 years into the hi fi thing said I'd need an integrated amp. He does have a bias against name brand stuff vs custom built stuff i.e. PS Audio, but it would save me money to not swap this out, no tinnitus yet thankfully lol, but I am enjoying the speakers. I generally have the vol at 55-65 anything else is uncomfortable.

Two weeks ago I was able to finally upgrade my awful Technics SB-A36 speakers and buy a brand new open box pair of Focal Chorus 716 floor standing speakers, for $800 a pair and I love them. Excellent midrange, excellent imaging, and the bass doesn't seem too overwhelming, actually it's dependent on the . Finally achieving my dream of entering hi-fi. Currently I'm running them with a Yamaha RS 202 stereo receiver which is 100w per channel, it replaced my 12 year old dead Onkyo last summer. The speakers go from 40-200w I believe. I think I'd definitely get more from the Focals with an integrated amp, and I have a budget that I'd eventually like to spend no more than $500 on one-- any suggestions? I've looked at the PS Audio Sprout which is $100 out of my price range, the Denon PM NE600 and Emotiva TA-100, the latter two were reccomended by Steve Guttenberg the Audiophiliac

Man... this sucks

RIP Mr. Cobb, thank you for that unyielding cymbal beat

I love these albums, I'm a drum nut though. Blakey said he never liked these discs much, but I've dug the ritual like aspect of them and the modal vamps to frame drum solos. Is an album like Drums of Passion more authentic? Maybe so, but the Blakey drum albums were my first exposure to that type of thing.

Damn... that sucks. He was so talented on organ, vocals and keys and did a Jimmy Smith tribute recently

I hear you Lon, me too. Streaming for me serves as a way to test things I wanna buy. Amazon HD Music outside of hi res and more recent CD offerings is full of upconverted poorly encoded MP3's and that's really a drag but to be expected.

Glad you finally got it. The infamous package from Dusty Groove arrived last week. Two more packages one from Taiwan and somewhere else.

Definitely Cecil ish

What about Yosuke Yamashita's Chiasma as a choice for a free blow out? My friend brought it back from Japan for me, and my limited understanding is it's a Japanese free jazz classic in terms of being pivotal to that scene. It's a great wild ride when I'm in the mood for it.

Finally some movement in my package. Says estimated delivery next week