LAL

You missed the point about CD-Rs in the article you posted... CD-R longevity has a lot more to do with the dye than the reflective material. Gold vs. silver is more for the CD-ROM application. When buying CD-Rs, it's the dye that's important not whether it's gold or aluminum. Both metals have very high reflectivity and both will last as long as the lacquer (label-side coating) does. Yep. Guess I did. Thanks for pointing that out.

Frankie Trumbauer's name is missing from the list!!

I'm surprised the J J Johnson set is not even on the running low list (yet), granted it probably has a longer sell-by date. This has to rank as one of their current top low sales sets just by the length of time it's been around. There's a great deal of excellent music on this set though.

The Clifford Brown-Max Roach box is just incredible and worth every ¢ spent. The jazz material on the Sarah Vaughan sets more than compensate for the commercial ones, IMO - even then, the latter has some good moments with Sarah's singing. The only drawback is some of the sets were produced back in the mid to late eighties and hence are about 15-16 years old. A concern if you're thinking of preserving them for at least the next 35-40 years. . Could always make duplicates I suppose.

And is (Keith) Jarrett pronounced as Jare-rett or Jare-ray (or is it Jar-rett, Jar-ray)?

A few more for the list: "Hawk Flies High" an OJC essential IMO. Vogue's "Coleman Hawkins and Johnny Hodges in Paris". For early Hawk up to the pre-bop years, outside of Fletcher Henderson's band, there was/is a 6 disc collection issued by Affinity which collects his music with Red McKenzie (Hello Lola, One Hour - beautiful!) and his tour of Europe from '34 - '39. The set is OOP but contains fantabulous music and in pretty good sound - absolutely essential. Not forgetting also Hawk was right up there when the bop movement was in its infancy, encouraging the new players in their new music. For a one disc sampler I would single out the Delmark release "Rainbow Mist" and for a larger collection Proper's "The Bebop Years". Too bad Mosaic can't do a comprehensive set for this period.

Here's hoping they release all the Duke Treasury Show material before any sale happens!

All of the above, except for the cellphone bit.

Yep agree with using quality CD-Rs, gold ones would be the ideal. Just wondering if anyone has used the services of companies who specialise in reproducing CDs, DVDs (only for backup purposes)? Would the quality and longevity of discs be the same as or fairly similar to the original discs? I assume they use similar machinery as CD producers. Perhaps such services are illegal in the U.S and Europe or just not available? I have seen such services advertised where I am and contemplating using them rather than burning CD-Rs on the PC.

Another recommendation: Au Club Saint-Germain - a live Dec '58 date. Released on a 2 CD French RCA set and more recently on 3 Japanese CDs). Lineup - Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, Benny Golson, Bobby Timmons and Jymie Merritt.

Some more information, from a website on ancestry & genealogy: (May be a good idea to backup favourite discs manufactured in the 80s in case they are the 'defective' ones) Issues Affecting Physical Longevity Because they are sturdier than floppy discs and magnetic tape, most people tend to think of CDs (CD-ROMs) as inert objects. Barring scratches, they should last forever, right? Maybe not. CD-ROMs made when the technology was new in the early 1980s had problems with the protective lacquer coating not fully covering the disc. Aluminum can easily oxidize and when the lacquer did not cover the entire disc, the oxidation would eventually cause the disc to be unusable (except as a coaster). The early CD-ROMs also were labeled with inks that eventually reacted with the aluminum, which also caused the discs to fail. Fortunately, CD manufacturers realized what was happening and made changes in the manufacturing process to ensure better lacquer coverage, and stopped using chemically reactive dyes. (CD-Rs use metals such as gold that do not oxidize.) But there continue to be issues affecting the physical longevity of a CD. According to the technical pages of several CD manufacturers and trade associations, estimates vary widely as to the expected longevity of the media: CD-ROMs are estimated to last anywhere from 30 to 200 years. CD-Rs, before they are recorded, have an estimated shelf life of five to ten years. CD-Rs, after recording, are estimated to last between 70 and 200 years. CD-RWs are expected to last at least 30 years. Because CD technology is only about twenty years old (and recordable technology is younger than that), these expected life spans are estimates based on accelerated aging tests. As the testers at Kodak put it, chances are that if there is a significant error, the disc won’t work. Either it works or it doesn’t. How the discs are handled and stored can greatly affect their longevity. CD-Rs, with their dye layer, are especially prone to light. Leaving them on a desk can lessen the dye’s reactivity when passed through the recorder’s laser beam. The dye’s chemical state also makes for the shorter life span before they are recorded. As time goes on, the dye loses its ability to change from transparent to opaque. In other words, if you are only going to use one every six months, do not buy the 50-pack at your local warehouse club. CD-RWs have a similar problem with their alloy layer. After so many recordings and erasures, the alloy loses its ability to change from one state to another. This is estimated to occur around the 1,000th recording. There are many things that the user does that can shorten a disc’s life. Fingerprints and scratches are the most common. It is especially important that writable CDs not have fingerprints on them before they are written, as the fingerprint can scatter the laser beam from the recorder or weaken the ability of it to change the dye or alloy. In this case, the data can be jumbled or not be recorded at all—both of which can result in an unusable disc. Genealogists are becoming more aware of proper methods of writing on photographs and in scrapbooks, including using acid-free pens. The same advice should be heeded when labeling CDs. As noted previously, early CD-ROMs had inks in the labels that ate away at the disc. The same can happen if the user writes on a disc with a solvent-based marker. Water-based permanent markers are preferred. Ball-point pens should be avoided, as they can cause a scratch that shows through the reflective layer. For safest results, writing should be kept to the clear center portion of the disc. Stickers should be used only with the greatest of care. Labels that are applied off-center or with air bubbles and creases can cause the disc to spin out-of-balance. This is especially harmful in high-speed recorders and readers. Removing a label can also damage the disc’s surface, rendering it useless. Temperature can act upon the longevity of a CD. Several of the accelerated aging tests used 25ºC (77ºF) with 40 percent relative humidity as a baseline. Cooler, drier conditions should be beneficial. Conversely, warmer and damper conditions are a detriment. Wide fluctuations in these conditions are harmful. These conditions can occur when you leave discs in the back seat of your car in July while you are reading or in the trunk in the middle of winter when you are in the library.

Another vote for Ellington and Billy Strayhorn!! What about George Russell?

Would never do such a thing. Have lent CDs/cassettes to people before and they either took eons to return it or conveniently forgot all about them. In any case, since the people I know don't listen to jazz, let alone know about Mosaic sets, I'd probably have to pay them to borrow a Mosaic from me.

When the number of CDs were still very manageable they were organised neatly on racks by artist by music style. Now they're slotted anywhere I can find a space, including cupboard for clothes, bed and placing them in cardboard boxes. Gotta get some custom-made shelves soon.

My least favoured Mosaic set must be the June Christy/Peggy Lee set as its been lying about unopened since I got it 14 months ago.

Interesting. How often do you dust them CDs and box sets? To keep mine 'dust free', I place CDs in clear plastics (seal right) slot them in mini CD cases housed in ceiling high cabinets with doors, yet the dust still gets to them, a bit anyway. Sorry - no pictures.

This box set should greatly improve on the RCA/Bluebird reissues (even over the Black & White series). The following musicians recorded with Django on these Rome dates: Stephane Grappelli - Violin Carlo Recori - Bass Gianni Safred - Piano Aurelio de Carolis - Drums There's probably also a set of quintet recordings with Andre Ekyan (never heard of him) on the set. Source : AMG This set'll have to wait since I'm getting the Mosaic first.

Listening to jazz with strings is always a refreshing experience. From the various 'with string' albums I've heard, the claim that musicians were watering down their music/playing is just bull. Hawk in Paris and C.P with Strings are a few favourites.

One more for consideration - Opening Night: Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band at the Village Vanguard February 7, 1966 [Alan Grant Presents]. More info at AMG.

Blood, Sweat & Tears' debut, an album I couldn't stop listening to for one period.

Great band - The song "Fresh Garbage" on a Castle 60s compilation alerted me to this band.

Don't ferget to consider the J J Johnson set (gift voucher + $12).

Any fans of The Animals, Procol Harum and (early) Deep Purple?? How about The Troggs?

I wonder if the numbering of the Select's is a subtle psychological play on our collector mentality (some of us anyway) - i.e. resulting in our 'need/desire' to acquire ALL sets just so there are no gaps in our collection, even though we may not particularly enjoy an artist's music. I'm going to have to leave the Selects till much later - already having a tough time keeping up with the regular Mosaic sets.

Milestones. ESP and Miles Smiles close behind.