Blue Note 10" Rarities

[Rooster_Ties]

Perhaps I'm not the only one who doesn't own any of these.

Which one or ones is/are the best?? And why??

Here's a link to a review of all of them from www.52ndstreet.com.

Edited May 8, 2003 by Rooster_Ties

[AfricaBrass]

I typed this out for your non-poll post, so I figured why waste it. My vote in this poll is for the Gil Melle. I was tempted to go with the Watkins because I figure the Melle will win. I'm glad you created this poll!

I loved this series of Conns. If it was me, I'd get them all.

My favorites of the ones you listed are:

Gil Melle – Complete Fifties Sessions

Julius Watkins – Julius Watkins Sextet Vols. 1 & 2

Howard McGhee Vol. 2/Tal Farlow Quartet

Sal Salvador Quintet/ Kenton Presents...

The 52nd Street reviews were good. Thanks for the link.

I love the Gil Melle. The music is very interesting. I think emusic.com has some of his OJC releases from the fifties.

The Julius Watkins was the last 10" Conn I purchased. I just couldn't get myself to pick it up. The idea of the french horn didn't really excite me. Boy! Was I wrong. I really liked the album. It's one of my top 10" Conns.

Since I play guitar, the Sal Salvador and Tal Farlow releases are favorites (McGhee's album is no slouch either).

This probably isn't much help to you, but it was a great series. Same goes with the West Coast Classics Conns. If you don't have those.... I'd get them, they're really enjoyable too.

I think the Conns are the only thing BN releases anymore that I get excited about. I'm really excited about the next batch, as I have been with most batches so far.

[Ed S]

I echo AB's comments. The BN 10" Conn series was an eye (ear) opener for me. Fabulous music in all the releases, but I also picked the Melle as my favorite. Very quirky/50s vibe to the proceedings that I really dig. But there's not a bad one on the bunch.

This series was my first exposure to the 50s jazz scene and really helped me start branching out into different styles and periods. The West Coast Classics AB mentioned above are favorites as well (another poll in the offing? )

[Big Wheel]

I have 4 of these, all but the second McGhee and Salvador. Of those, my favorite is the Foster/Wallington, just for the trombone playing! Plus the tunes are great on both and I dig Quincy Jones's arrangements. A close second was the first McGhee, because the Drew trio session is a MONSTER. Some of the tunes on the McGhee half are a little lackluster to me, though. The Watkins is solid...need to listen to that and the Melle a bit more to make a fair assessment.

[sidewinder]

I was fortunate enough to pick up all of them - the Wallington 'Showcase' is probably my fave, with the Gil Melle not far behind. The Tal, McGhee and Watkins are good value too. Difficult to choose between them, I like them all !

Anyone have opinions on the Urbie Green 10" which was NOT in this series? I've seen it (or rather a reissue of it) on vinyl and wondering wether or not to pounce ..

Edited May 8, 2003 by sidewinder

[Ed S]

I'd love to see all of the 10" material they have left be released as well. I know some of the earliest 10" material was not Blue Note owned, but was licensed fro someone. I'm not sure if the Urbie Green was BN or not.

One BN 10" that I picked up from Japan is the Lou Mecca. It's very nice. A lot of the BN owned 10" material has already hit the market as well as parts of later release. Didn't Horace Parlan, Elmo Hope, James Moody and perhaps Jutta Hipp have 10" material that is already out on disc? Of course I could be all wet.

Isn't there some "lost" material by John Collins as well?

[Chuck Nessa]

I'd love to see all of the 10" material they have left be released as well. I know some of the earliest 10" material was not Blue Note owned, but was licensed fro someone. I'm not sure if the Urbie Green was BN or not.

One BN 10" that I picked up from Japan is the Lou Mecca. It's very nice. A lot of the BN owned 10" material has already hit the market as well as parts of later release. Didn't Horace Parlan, Elmo Hope, James Moody and perhaps Jutta Hipp have 10" material that is already out on disc? Of course I could be all wet.

Isn't there some "lost" material by John Collins as well?

BN owns the Green date, the Mecca date, the Hipp and the two Best of the West lps. No Parlan 10" material, but previous issues include the 2 Hopes, and the Moody/Blakey material.

[Morganized]

I voted for the Howard McGhee/Tal Farlow. I have all of these except the Gil Melle and I will pick that one up one of these days when I can find it at the right price. This was a really fun series and my first real exposure to the period. I have since picked up additional dates from both of these artist. This is another of those situations where I think Blue Note took the material out of release too soon. I am beginning to hear more comments about these releases now, and of course they are no longer available. That is a shame because they are quite good and can open you up to a whole new era.

One of these days I hope BN will leave things in print just a little while longer.

[Ed S]

I'd love to see all of the 10" material they have left be released as well.  I know some of the earliest 10" material was not Blue Note owned, but was licensed fro someone.  I'm not sure if the Urbie Green was BN or not. 

One BN 10" that I picked up from Japan is the Lou Mecca.  It's very nice.  A lot of the BN owned 10" material has already hit the market as well as parts of later release.  Didn't Horace Parlan, Elmo Hope, James Moody and perhaps Jutta Hipp have 10" material that is already out  on disc?  Of course I could be all wet.

Isn't there some "lost" material by John Collins as well?

BN owns the Green date, the Mecca date, the Hipp and the two Best of the West lps. No Parlan 10" material, but previous issues include the 2 Hopes, and the Moody/Blakey material.

Thanks Chuck. I'd definitely like to check out some of that stuff. As for Parlan, I meant to say Horace Silver. Didn't the early Silver led Jazz Msssengers have some 10 inch material? Or is that the Blakey stuff you're referring to? Or am I just totally confused?

[Chuck Nessa]

Starting with the 1501 & 2 (Miles), 1503/4 (Bud), 1506/7 (JJ), 1509 (Bags), 1510/11 (Monk), 1518+20 (Silver), 1521/22 (Blakey), 1526 (Brownie), 1531/32 (Fats), 1535 (KD) and 1537 (LD) - these are all compilations of singles and 10" material into the 12" form.

The Blakey I mentioned earlier were sides from '47 originally issued on 78.

[connoisseur series500]

I couldn't vote because I don't own any of them.

[Chuck Nessa]

I couldn't vote because I don't own any of them.

and your call yourself....

[jazzbo]

I had to vote for the Gil Melle, though I really love the Sal Salvador, and all are topnotch, excellent sessions.

The Melle though is just unique in its approach and sound and I'm so glad these were all assembled in one package.

[Chuck Nessa]

I forgot to mention the Mobley quartet record.

[king ubu]

I had to vote for the Gil Melle, though I really love the Sal Salvador, and all are topnotch, excellent sessions.

The Melle though is just unique in its approach and sound and I'm so glad these were all assembled in one package.

same with me.

Love the whole series, and first was tempted to vote for the wonderful Watkins.

Frank Foster and Benny Powell perhaps were the greatest surprises (I didn't know Mellé and Salvador before, so no opinions to revise there).

And me, too, would love to see more of the BN 10" stuff reissued. I've got the old Elmo Hope and love it, of course the Miles stuff, then all those compilations (Monk, Fats etc.) - so they should bring us the rarer ones - wasn't there a Wade Legge session, by the way?

ubu

[jazzbo]

The Wade Legge I believe was leased material as well. It has come out as part of the Japanese Vogue 10" series. It's fantastic, as one would guess.

[Chuck Nessa]

- wasn't there a Wade Legge session, by the way?

ubu

The Legge is not owned by BN. It was licensed from Vogue.

[Clunky]

I went for The Julius Watkins, fascinating to hear the french horn swing so well and as an added bonus mobley and Foster play very well indeed. Probably my favourite Mobley session along with his 10" on the Mosaic set.

This disc got me into Tom Varner and thence into Ron Horton and then the Jazz Composers collective and Palmetto records. So i guess this set did a lot for my listening.

The Salvador set is very fine and reallly alerted me as to how amazing Eddie Costa was.

[king ubu]

Lon & Chuck: thanks for your fast responses!

Will keep my eyes open for the Legge.

ubu

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

Drop Tanno a line...he found one for me a few months ago.

[Parkertown]

I've really enjoyed this series, as it was my first exposure to most of these artists. Will listen more this weekend before voting but...

It seems I recall the last time I listened to the Watkins disc, it had a lot of digital artifacts in the sound of the horns, especially Mr. Watkins FH. You hear this kind of stammering sound on the horns that is very unnatural sounding, like a reverb-echo if that makes any sense. It's the same kind of sound I hear on Curtis Fuller's horn on the "Blue Train" cd. Very annoying, but I'll try to ignore it...

[Brad]

I have some of these (don't have the Melle, Salvador or Foster). Of those I know, I voted for the McGhee/Drew.

Based on the comments here and 52nd Street, I'd like to pick up the Melle.

BTW, thanks RT for posting that web site. That looks like a fairly interesting site. Has anybody here tried their board?

Edited May 9, 2003 by Brad

[JohnS]

I wouldn't want to be without any of these, but if pressed it has to be Gil Melle with the Foster/Wallington a very close runner up.

[connoisseur series500]

if anyone has a spare copy of the Watkins or Mellé set lying around, please contact me. I missed those two...

One is offered on ebay. Auction is due to end in 9 days.

Rooster's usual disclaimers apply

[desertblues]

I went for the McGhee/Tal Farlow, although I like the other McGhee just as much. Hard to choose between these two-on one you get Brew Moore, Drew & JJ; the other has Gryce, Farlow, Silver & Percy Heath! Howard McGhee is all but forgotten these days, or so it would seem, but he is one of the greats for sure. Love this series of Conns and play them fairly regularly-but I don't have the Melle (yet).