nmorin

The really fast alternate take of "Hand Jive" on Miles' Nefertiti (take 2, I think).

The documentation is essentially nil. Still, they are so much cheaper than the Classics, and the sound, though not quite as good as the Classics, is fine, so Iwouldn't warn you off of it based on the liners. Anyhow, a great web sessionography like Duke Ellington Panorama will make up for the box set's shortcomings. My biggest problem with the History box was that is missed a half doxen titles here and there and then most of a couple Classics discs.

Various discographies list what must amount to at least three or four CDs of unreleased studio material from 1966 and 1967. Are the masters lost? Are there actual plans to release the music?

From the brilliant Miles Ahead website (http://www.plosin.com/milesAhead/disco.asp?id=SevenStepsCD) "Fall 2004: Columbia Legacy will release the final boxed set in their Miles Davis reissue series sometime in the fall of 2004. Entitled Seven Steps: The Complete Columbia recordings of Miles Davis, 1963-1964 (C7K 90840), the set will include music from Seven Steps to Heaven, My Funny Valentine, Four and More, Miles Davis in Europe, Miles in Tokyo, and Miles in Berlin, in some cases with additional material not included in previous releases. There will be a corresponding Mosaic LP version as well. One great bonus: the February 1964 Lincoln Center concerts complete and in performance order." Miles Ahead Discography: Seven Steps: Complete Columbia Recordings 1963-1964 Title: Seven Steps: Complete Columbia Recordings 1963-1964 Label: Columbia Legacy C7K-90840 Number of Tracks: 50 Details: April 16, 1963; April 17, 1963; May 14, 1963; July 27, 1963; February 12, 1964; July 14, 1964; September 25, 1964 NB: Only tracks on which Davis is present (426:09) are displayed below. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disc 1 Joshua (V. Feldman) [take 4/6] Apr 16, 1963 5:24 I Fall in Love Too Easily (S. Cahn-J. Styne) [take 2] Apr 16, 1963 6:43 Baby, Won't You Please Come Home? (C. Warfield-C. Williams) [take 1] Apr 16, 1963 8:27 So Near, So Far (T. Crombie-B. Green) [take 9] Apr 16, 1963 5:11 Basin Street Blues (S. Williams) [take 1] Apr 16, 1963 10:26 Seven Steps to Heaven (V. Feldman-M. Davis) [take 3] Apr 17, 1963 5:27 Seven Steps to Heaven (V. Feldman-M. Davis) [take 5] Apr 17, 1963 6:10 Summer Night (A. Dubin-H. Warren) [take 2] Apr 17, 1963 6:02 Disc 2 Seven Steps to Heaven (V. Feldman-M. Davis) [rehearsal take] May 14, 1963 6:56 Seven Steps to Heaven (V. Feldman-M. Davis) [take 3] May 14, 1963 6:21 So Near, So Far (T. Crombie-B. Green) [take 1] May 14, 1963 6:56 Joshua (V. Feldman) [take 3] May 14, 1963 6:58 Introduction [Andre Francis] Jul 27, 1963 0:59 Autumn Leaves (J. Prevert-J. Mercer-J. Kosma) Jul 27, 1963 13:54 Milestones (M. Davis) Jul 27, 1963 9:17 I Thought About You (J. Mercer-J. Van Heusen) Jul 27, 1963 11:47 Disc 3 Joshua (V. Feldman) Jul 27, 1963 11:36 All of You (C. Porter) Jul 27, 1963 15:54 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) Jul 27, 1963 16:14 By Bye Blackbird Jul 27, 1963 16:46 The Theme (M. Davis) Jul 27, 1963 6:04 Disc 4 Introduction [Mort Fega] Feb 12, 1964 2:48 Autum Leaves Feb 12, 1964 10:39 So What (M. Davis) Feb 12, 1964 9:11 Stella by Starlight (N. Washington-V. Young) Feb 12, 1964 12:53 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) Feb 12, 1964 8:07 All of You (C. Porter) Feb 12, 1964 14:40 The Theme (M. Davis) [with announcement] Feb 12, 1964 1:41 Disc 5 Introduction [billy Taylor] Feb 12, 1964 0:44 All Blues (M. Davis) Feb 12, 1964 8:52 My Funny Valentine (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) Feb 12, 1964 14:54 Joshua (V. Feldman) Feb 12, 1964 9:32 I Thought About You (J. Mercer-J. Van Heusen) Feb 12, 1964 11:14 Four (M. Davis) Feb 12, 1964 6:16 Seven Steps to Heaven (V. Feldman-M. Davis) Feb 12, 1964 7:44 There is No Greater Love (M. Symes-I. Jones) Feb 12, 1964 10:22 The Theme (M. Davis) [with announcement] Feb 12, 1964 1:44 Disc 6 Introduction [Teruo Isono] Jul 14, 1964 1:10 If I Were a Bell (F. Loesser) Jul 14, 1964 10:14 My Funny Valentine (R. Rodgers-L. Hart) Jul 14, 1964 12:45 So What (M. Davis) Jul 14, 1964 8:02 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) Jul 14, 1964 9:11 All of You (C. Porter) Jul 14, 1964 11:18 The Theme (M. Davis) [with closing announcement] Jul 14, 1964 1:19 Disc 7 Milestones (M. Davis) Sep 25, 1964 8:57 Autumn Leaves (J. Prevert-J. Mercer-J. Kosma) Sep 25, 1964 12:37 So What (M. Davis) Sep 25, 1964 10:27 Stella by Starlight (N. Washington-V. Young) Sep 25, 1964 12:53 Walkin' (R. Carpenter) Sep 25, 1964 10:39 The Theme (M. Davis) Sep 25, 1964 1:44 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Musicians: April 16, 1963: Miles Davis (tpt) George Coleman (ts) Victor Feldman (p) Ron Carter (B) Frank Butler (d) April 17, 1963: Miles Davis (tpt) George Coleman (ts) Victor Feldman (p) Ron Carter (B) Frank Butler (d) May 14, 1963: Miles Davis (tpt) George Coleman (ts) Herbie Hancock (p) Ron Carter (B) Tony Williams (d) July 27, 1963: Miles Davis (tpt) George Coleman (ts) Herbie Hancock (p) Ron Carter (B) Tony Williams (d) February 12, 1964: Miles Davis (tpt) George Coleman (ts) Herbie Hancock (p) Ron Carter (B) Tony Williams (d) Mort Fega (ann) Billy Taylor (ann) July 14, 1964: Miles Davis (tpt) Sam Rivers (ts) Herbie Hancock (p) Ron Carter (B) Tony Williams (d) Teruo Isono (ann) September 25, 1964: Miles Davis (tpt) Wayne Shorter (ts) Herbie Hancock (p) Ron Carter (B) Tony Williams (d) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

My suggestion (it's easy to spend someone else's money for them!) would be to purchase both the Verve Master Takes set and the recent 5 CD (and VERY inexpensive--less than $30) JSP set, "A Studio Chronicle: 1940-1948", the latter covering all the master takes up to the Verve sessions. Then you'll have, except for about a half dozen sides, all the master takes of the studio recordings on which Charlie Parker appears, his sessions and as a sideman. Then, if you get hooked, down the road you can pick up the Full Monties of the Complete Savoy and Dials and the Complete Verves. If I remember right, the remaining studio sides--all inexplicably left of the Verve Master Takes set, unless they just wanted to squeeze the set onto 4 CDs--are Repetition; No Noise, Pts. 1 & 2 ; Mango Mangue; Celebrity (Celerity); Ballade; and the Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite

Thanks, Lon. I was always curious about the differences between the two boxes. I'm going to try to find the Columbia version. I think the sound of these recordings definitely turn some people off, especially if their ears are used to RVG's and the like. I initially couldn't get past that "old" sound, but I remember quite clearly the moment when I could finally hear beyond the limitations of the recording technology, and really hear the music. It took some time, but it was well worth the effort! I have both the JSP and Columbia sets, and the Columbia set is brighter and (here's where I stretch my memory) has a larger soundstage. The JSP set is warmer. I think which is better is a matter of taste, and, as Lon said, audio system. The frustrating thing is the differing non-Hot-5-and-7's material; moreover, if I recall correctly, each has tunes here or there that are not in the Classics sequence--and vice versa. The life of a completist can be maddening... I very much enjoy his 50s-60s work, if not *love* it. His albums with Ella, and the sides with Duke and with Oscar Peterson are very nice.

I have pretty much all the "officially released" live Miles, but there just aren't any domestically available Columbia live sets between the Plugged Nickel and the Fillmore East "It's About That Time" shows. If I were to put my toe into the grey market waters for live releases from the 1966 to 1970 period, what would be the canonical dates to look for?

"Circle" from Miles Smiles is, for me, perfectly realized. If I had to pick one spot it would be the transition from the end of Miles' melody statement/solo to the first phrase or two of Wayne Shorter's solo. Ye Gods. From Hill's Point of Departure, the first minute or so of "Refuge" and the whole "Dedication".

Miles has that same monster tone and attack and display of chops that I mostly remember from 1970 -- like the Fillmore West or the Jack Johnson recordings. It just goes to show those folks who disparage Miles' chops, it appears much of the deal is that he didn't choose to play that way most of the time. In the 10/60 recordings Miles sounds entirely different from 6 months earlier when Coltrane was still in the band. Wow.

"Soft water-based marker..." So, seriously, the fact that I write on my CD-R's with a Sharpie means my discs are going to die on me? #$&^%#&!!!

When I've set off the beeper I've always stopped, no problem. Wesbed asked, but I didn't see an answer--and it's a question I've wondered about: What, legally, is the situtation--not morally, or what is right or proper for a right thinking citizen, etc--just strictly legally. Certainly if I am in the store, it's open season on me, but if I am in the parking lot, walking to the car, how is the security guard any different from John Q. Public? Why, legally, do I need to satifsy his curiosity any more than I am required to please a random stranger? If I said, "Sorry, pal, I ain't showin' you Jack Shit", what's the legal deal? Just curious (really!).

I was listening to My Funny Valentine / Four and More the other day and as Miles' shattering solo on My Funny Valentine was nearing its end I thought to myself that if I were in George Coleman's shoes that night I would have said "Uh, take it away, Herbie!" George played a nice solo, but good grief, that would have been a very tough one to follow. Any other solos come to mind for which you would not have wanted to be the next guy to stand up to the microphone?

The fast alternate take of Davis' Hand Jive from the Nefertiti sessions.

If someone has their "Monk Alone - The Complete Solo Studio Recordings 1962-1968" handy, could you give the recording dates (and master numbers, if available) for the tracks on the second disc? Thanks SO much!

Puh-leeeeze. It's still X + Z because you KNOW that X is going to be paid by credit card and you got Y in cash from the used CD store, so now you have Y burnin' a whole in your pocket, and you'll spend it on CDs in a brick-and-mortar store somewhere. It's X+Z, man, it's ALWAYS X+Z

Oh, I doubt very much I would buy it just for those few studio cuts, unless it practically falls in my lap. Is the additional live stuff on the Complete Riverside mainly from the '61 European tour when Monk in Paris and Monk in Italy were recorded? 5 by Monk by 5 does have all three takes of "Played Twice", and Mulligan Meets Monk has the three takes of "I Mean You".

You guys are gods! Thanks. Let me make sure I have these right: The 1957/1958 session w/ Thad Jones, Charlie Rouse, John Ore, and Billy Higgins -- LRC [J] 32C38 7683 -- is a live set? And the 2/65 Well You Needn't on the Columbia Misterioso CD is live, too? Is that the Well You Needn't from Brandeis University? Not that there's anything wrong with live Monk sets (if I thought there were, my wife'd beat on me for having spent so much scratch on them)--I am just trying to fill out my studio Monk. So, if I want to get the "Crepuscle with Nellie" from the day before the Monk's Music session; Coming on the Hudson from 2/58; and San Francisco Holiday, Just You Just Me, and Round Midnight from 4/60, it appears I'll need to pony up for the Complete Riverside, no?

Looking at a couple web discographies for Monk, there are a few studio sessions I appear to be lacking, and I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction (as my obsessive/compulsive disorder slips into a higher gear). 1951: Especially for You; Nobody Knows. Frankie Passions (?) on vocals June 25, 1957: Crepuscule with Nellie. Is the Complete Riverside the ONLY place for this one? I have 90+ percent of the box set from single CDs. 1957/1958: Blue Monk; Light Blue; Evidence: w/ Thad Jones (tp) Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) John Ore (b ) Billy Higgins (d) LRC [J] 32C38 7683 No idea what this one is. February 25, 1958: Coming on the Hudson. Donald Byrd (tp) Johnny Griffin (ts) Pepper Adams (bars) Thelonious Monk (p) Wilbur Ware (b ) Philly Joe Jones (d) Is the Complete Riverside the ONLY place for this one? 28-Apr-60: San Francisco Holiday; Just You, Just Me. 29-Apr-60: Rund Midnight. Joe Gordon (t) Harold Land, Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) John Ore (b ) Shelly Manne (d) Is the Complete Riverside the ONLY place for these two dates? February 27, 1965: Well, You Needn't. Charlie Rouse (ts) Thelonious Monk (p) Larry Gales (b ) Ben Riley (d) on the old Columbia LP Misterioso. Is this on CD anywhere?

This might betray my ignorance of SACDs, but here goes... Using something like Easy CD Creator or Nero, can one copy the CD layer of an SACD hybrid? If I bought, say, the SACD hybrid of Monk's "5 by Monk by 5", could I make a CD copy for my walkman or for the CD player in a car?

I've only been able to compare the K2 version and previous version of "Plays Duke Ellington" while at work and fairly superficially. The K2 had a bit more bass and was a tad clearer, but the difference wasn't revelatory -- I always thought the older version was one of Monk's better sounding Riversides, anyway (I'd love to hear a K2 version of "5 by Monk by 5"). If I had a long list of CDs on my wishlist and already owned the OJC of "Plays...", I might hold off on getting it for awhile. The difference between the new vs. previous versions of Evans' "New Jazz Conceptions" was much, much more impressive.

For all the attention RVG's get, I've found the Fantasy Jazz K2's in the last few years to be, more often than not, a better sonic upgrade than the RVG's. Today I picked up two of the new ones -- Evans' "New Jazz Conceptions" and Monk's "Plays Duke Ellington". MAN, OH MAN, does "New Jazz Conceptions" sound great -- a monster improvement.

I voted for the 2nd Quintet box. But, if the poll was for "Which Box Most Exceeded Your Expectations", I'd pick the Jack Johnson box. Amazing.

About $4. And the number of CDs made -- I suspect RVGs have a substantially larger print run.

I picked up the 40 CD box set from History. My two cents: The sound is acceptable, if not first rate, but certainly not the quality of the RCA box. The sound is of a similar quality as the Classics CDs. The 40CD set is largely, but not quite, complete--at least compared to what is on the discs in the Classics sequence. It misses a couple tunes here and there (e.g., compared to Classics 1928-1929, 1938-1939, 1939 Vol 2), and misses essentially all of Classics 1939-1940. It gets spotty in 1946-1947. Like the Classics sequence, it skips a bunch of the early sides in which Duke was accompanying vocalists--these are on the first couple Masters of Jazz CDs. Still, for under $90, and another couple dozen bucks patching up the misses relative to the Classics CDs, I am thrilled having an essentially complete set of Ellington master takes from 1924 to 1947. By the way, a VERY nice online Ellington sessionography can be found at A Duke Ellington Panorama

An off-the-cuff calculation suggests at least five CDs of the material listed on the Miles Ahead website-- and there's assuredly other material from that period lurking about. It sure would be a shame not to have that material presented as meticulously and wonderfully as the other Miles Columbia boxes.