LAL

Teddy Wilson is excellent on every track. Unfortunately (or fortunately) it is this consistency that perhaps gives the music the feeling of similarity throughout. To start off, I listened to 1/2 to 2/3s of each disc then return later in the day or the next to complete the remainder of the disc, repeating this with the other discs every 5 days or so. In this way I got to fully enjoy a dozen or so tunes each time and not feel that they were repetitive. Overall, a recommended set and this one is probably one of the candidates for the running low list.

Beatles, yeh yeh! Other favourite groups include Pink Floyd, Led Zep, The Who (how the Brits dominated the mid to late 60s pop/rock scene!) and Spirit. Can appreciate 2 or 3 Stones songs but that's it. I have to add that I hardly listen to any of these bands anymore.

Thanks patricia. Hhhmm it is sad to read that Pee Wee was emotionally affected by his fellow band members making a 'clown' of him - after all who wouldn't? One can hear quite a bit of it on those Town Hall Concerts.

Hi patricia - very informative bios and great pictures from EKE. Thanks a million! After about 45+ bios or so, I'm (still) keeping a lookout for Dodo (Michael) Marmarosa and Pee Wee (Charles Ellsworth) Russell. Would be interesting to know how they got their somewhat derogatory nicknames. With Dodo, I think it was something about his head being disproportionately larger than his body? Cheers B)

If these suggested half a dozen or so box sets come to pass, well and good, but I'm going to have to get a second and maybe third J.O.B to pay for them.

Gosh. Don't even know if there is a random play option on my player - never bothered to check. In any case I would always have the CD play in its proper order without skipping from track to track. Playing tracks in their sequence often reveals something new in the music on each album anyway, so I'll leave it at that.

1944-1949 Jazz at Philharmonic set Duke Reprise Mosaic.

Never heard a note of jazz until college years when I started exploring all styles of music - 60s pop/rock/prog rock/classical/metal. My first exposure to jazz was a 1950s EMI compilation transferred to 3 CDs. Next up was the Duke Ellington Small Groups Vol.2 set - intimate, sensual and swinging music and couldn't get enough of it. Next, heard samples of Bird and Diz, more wonderful music, but all these still did not seal it. It took another 5 years, when I had proper income, before I started to really explore jazz. First jazz craze - anything by Wes Montgomery, including his late and very commercial Verve sides. Now this was the start of my passion for jazz.

I'm all for the Basie set. However, with the Duke, only pre-50s material should be made into a set since so many 50s albums are now being reissued.

According to True blue, the George Braith Blue Note 2CD is also OOP.

MMilovan- sure, but we still need a few hundred (or at least dozens) more names and signatures. The grand total of 3 we had on the other BB probably wouldn't get past Columbia's mailroom clerk.

I'll second that. Michael - are you reading this? ..of if Verve does it, please spare us those fancy packaging - just let us have the good music.

Since Columbia messed up their Basie reissue for a second time, should us fans send them a petition to do it properly (i.e complete chronological reissue) or allow a dedicated party (e.g. Mosaic) do the job or is this going to be an exercise in futility?

I started off with the "King of The Clarinet" (Hindsight) box then went for the Classics some time later. As usual, Classics' sound is not great but at least it collects most if not all the studio recordings. If you anticipate digging Artie Shaw's music and are not too concerned with sound (or that royalties are not paid), then this is probably the place to start, IMO. Btw, I suggested to Mosaic a few years back that they do an Artie Shaw set and they replied that they tried but couldn't as quote "Artie is a difficult person to deal with" unquote. Perhaps, he wanted to have only those songs which he feels/felt are the 'best' released rather than a complete of everything - hence the "Self Portrait" set, rather than a Mosaic, just a hunch.

Agree with Claude on this. My experience with major courier companies is that parcels ALWAYS arrive with customs duties attached plus a bill (naturally!) from the courier for related costs (always exorbidant). With the postal service however, parcels arrive without all these redundant and infuriating costs. The drawback of course is delivery by post can take 2-4 times longer and can't be tracked. I have since boycotted couriers and chosen delivery by normal post 100% of the time - the exception being for Mosaic sets.

Have about 4 box sets and 1 Select I haven't unwrapped simply because I don't have the time to listen to them all. Will eventually get there, soon, maybe by middle of next year. -_-

Don't mean to be a wet blanket here but this is one piece of Ellingtonia that I don't (currently) enjoy. I can understand the rationale/reasons behind the compositions but musically they just don't appeal that much to me (relative to other Ellington compositions of course). Having said that, I will still put this incarnation of BB&B on my wish list.

THE Strayhorn CD to get .

Was late in getting into Blue Note material and thus never bought any albums (well maybe 1) that were also on in-print Mosaic sets. Thus, Mosaic Blue Note sets were/are an extremely convenient and more economical way of obtaining albums of artists in one go. Also, not too keen on the idea of buying easily available individual albums and then having to search the world over for 1 or 2 more obscure ones. for Mosaic sets.

Sam Rivers in 2001. Wish I'd gotten in 2-3 years earlier - just in time to get the Ellington Capitol, Basie live, Lee Morgan etc.

Thanks Berigan for that review. Though I'd start with the Classics but the Collectables should do.

Thanks again jazzbo/Lonson and Harold Z. Looks like another series of jazz recordings to explore.

Need some advice on the "This is Jazz, Rudi Blesh" series issued by Jazzology on 8 (or is it 10) volumes. What is the sound quality like, how are the performances - do they match up to the high standards of the Eddie Condon Town Hall Concerts? Thanks in advance.

All the volumes are GREAT! I started with volume 1 and was hooked, bought another and another. Volumes 10 & 11 seem to be available only directly from Jazzology (or True Blue Music). Eddie Condon certainly brought in many top musicians for these performances and also allowing each to display their solo abilities. Even the commentary and Eddie's (and Fred Robbins?) jabs at Pee Wee Russell and the occasional whiney noises Pee Wee makes with his clarinet in response are 'interesting' and humorous. Lee Wiley's infrequent vocal features make you treasure her appearances on these records even more.

Haven't unwrapped my Anita box set yet but can tell just by holding it that it's jam-packed with great music which you will return to again and again. But seriously, Anita is in top form during this period, willing to shift from her 40s big band vocal style and chart new directions in her music. Given the vast amount of material, you may want to listen to 1 (or 2) disc at a time to slowly savour the music.