third Dexter Gordon box-set

[JSngry]

Not necessarily...

[MartyJazz]

I don't want to read the review. I know what would happen. I'd get the FEVER to buy the damned set!

JSyngry:

Not necessarily.

Lon:

I'm afraid Mr. Sangrey is playing with you somewhat. I'm reading the 2nd page of his thoroughly engaging review and I quote this one sentence paragraph: "The availability of all of these outstanding dates" - and at this point, Jim is only referring to THE TOWER OF POWER, MORE POWER, THE PANTHER, THE JUMPIN' BLUES and THE CHASE - "in a single set augmented by 14 previously unreleased performances, all of them worthy and revealing, is reason enough for any serious fan and/or student of the music to add this box to their collection." So the question is, do you consider yourself to be a serious fan of the music? Obviously, we (certainly, I include myself) have to shell out for this box (eventually, if not this minute).

[jazzbo]

ARGH! That was the sentence I wanted to avoid!

[JSngry]

But.....reservations are expressed, so you do have a choice!

[JSngry]

THE TOWER OF POWER, MORE POWER, THE PANTHER, THE JUMPIN' BLUES and THE CHASE -

You left off the exclamation points.

Don Schlitten is gonna getcha for that.

[Jim R]

Nice piece of writing, Jim. Covered all the bases nicely, and even clued in the potentially uninformed regarding some very important non-Prestige matters (Steeplechase, Black Lion, etc etc) without letting it get the least bit distracting or confusing.

For your next project, may I suggest a complete track-by-track breakdown of the Nat Cole Mosaic set?

[John Tapscott]

Yes, indeed, a very fine and clear review, Jim. You have a gift, for sure. Like Lon, I feel the FEVER rising.

[JSngry]

Nice piece of writing, Jim. Covered all the bases nicely, and even clued in the potentially uninformed regarding some very important non-Prestige matters (Steeplechase, Black Lion, etc etc) without letting it get the least bit distracting or confusing.

Thanks. You can thank Chuck Nessa for suggesting a mention of the Black Lion & Steeplchase stuff. A damn good idea, and one that I was going to overlook for no good reason. So give credit where credit's due.

[Jim R]

Chuck, thanks for saving a doomed article.

But seriously, due to the way the intro was laid out, highlighting the Columbia material with regard to "conventional wisdom", etc, and due to the way I happen to feel (in general) about that material (not so good overall, to tell the truth), I think it was indeed a great idea that Chuck had...

(ah come on, you woulda thought of it too) B-)

[MartyJazz]

Jim S.

Can you expound on the "problems" that you say Moody presented at the POWER session(s), problems that you statle led to his "dismissal" from a follow-up session? I found that mention very curious.

On a side note, I just want to add my congrats on a very well written review of this box set. A very fine read.

[JSngry]

But seriously, due to the way the intro was laid out, highlighting the Columbia material with regard to "conventional wisdom", etc, and due to the way I happen to feel (in general) about that material (not so good overall, to tell the truth), I think it was indeed a great idea that Chuck had...

It was a great idea that Chuck had, which is why I stole it.

As for the "convetnional wisdon", that was based on my experience among "general" jazz fans, those who for whatever reason "hit the highlights" of name artists (and truthfully, by that standard, the Savoy material could have been left out, but thee's enough of those fans who have checked out at least some og the Savoy material - when it's been available - that I left it in for "flow" purposes). Those type fans don't really know about the Steeplechase/Black Lion albums, at lleast not in any depth. For that, you can blame "importism" for the former and "budgetlabelphobia" for the latter, I think. Again, that's just based on my experience.

As for the Columbia material - that is, after all, where/when all the big hype happened (remember "Bebop is the music of the future"? Yeah, of course it is... ), and the after-effect of that hype lingers on today. Not to say that the hype wasn't justified (god knows it was a beautiful thing to see unfold in real time), jsut that Dexter was actually receiving "star treatment", and that time defintiely made an impact on peole who wouldn't ordinarily ahve bothered with finding out who Dexter Gordon was, much less delving into his catalog.

Actually, I think that the first three Columbia albums are none too bad - Homecoming is a mixed bag, to be sure, but when it's good, which is fairly often, it's damn good (and IIRC, it played a part in the signing of Woody Shaw to Columbia, but I'm not totally sure about that); Sophisticated Giant is solid, if nothing spectacular; and Manhattan Symphonie is a stone classic in my book, one of Dexter's very best records, period. After that, things began to go downhill, but, also, after that is when the hype began to subside - not too many people remember Gotham City today, but not too many people paid attention to it then, either, at least not in comparison to the action of a few years earlier. So its those first three Columbia sides that seem to come into play in the "conventional wisdom". and overall, I think the conventional wisom is sound, if by no means complete.

So sure, the Black Lion & Steeplechase material is primo stuff, but I think you're more likely to find it known amongst the "deeper" fans than the "general ones> Thus my specific laying out of the conventional wisdom, as well as the recognition of the wisdom of Chuck's suggestion and its subsequent utilization.

[JSngry]

Jim S.

Can you expound on the "problems" that you say Moody presented at the POWER session(s), problems that you statle led to his "dismissal" from a follow-up session? I found that mention very curious.

On a side note, I just want to add my congrats on a very well written review of this box set. A very fine read.

Thanks, Marty.

As far as Moody, all I have is what is mentioned in the liner esssay, augmented by second-hand info from a quite reliable source. Since Moody is still alive, and since I personally dig the shit out of his playing on the date in question, forgive me if I don't "spill any beans" that I have no real right to spill. I will say that it's nothing "scandalous" or anything like that, just a "real life" scenario that I'd have not even thought twice about had the liner essay not hinted at it in the first place.

[Jim R]

Jim, thanks for elaborating. Actually I meant to point out that I understood (and agreed) regarding the whole "conventional wisdom" thing (and I think you're 100% correct regarding how the Savoy years fit in to the equation). My general comment about the Columbia stuff was meant to be taken in comparison to the big picture, BTW.

[mrjazzman]

all of ltd's prestige cd's are available. If i can get the individual cd's that are in a mosaic set, i prefer the individual cd's, just my preference. I think the mosaic stuff is usefull when the individual lp's/cd's are not available. I have the Carmell Jones Mosaic for this reason..................

[Jim R]

all of ltd's prestige cd's are available.

←

One Prestige album- "Blues A La Suisse"- was never released as an individual CD. I hear what you're saying, though.

[JSngry]

The individual CDs are available, but not with all the alternate takes included in this box, which are for the most part very worthy.

[jazzbo]

-_-

One day when I can just pull the trigger I'm gonna get this.

[JSngry]

Look no further than Lee Dorsey for inspiration.

[Dmitry]

I just scored this box at a record fair. Will delve into it later today. I like to listen to the music first, before reading the reviews, so I'll get to the lauded Jim Sangrey's review later.

[JSngry]

It'll take ou longer to read the damn review that it will to listen to the box...

[dova]

I'm on the fence over this one. Don't want to wait till it's out of print. With the linup of sidemen on this mammoth set, it should be fantastic. Came out over 7 years ago and I'm just now looking at it.

[mikeweil]

Not fantastic, but very good. For Dexter fan, a must have, and it's nice to have much of the music in one place that was spread over two or more LPs.

[hbbfam]

Reviving this thread.  What is the sound quality of the Dexter Gordon Prestige Box?

[Gheorghe]

Got all the Prestige records on individual CDs or LPs with one exception "Blues a la Suisse". It´s hard to decide to buy a box only for the one missing link.....

[felser]

14 hours ago, hbbfam said:

Reviving this thread.  What is the sound quality of the Dexter Gordon Prestige Box?

 I own it, sounds like the individual CD's to me, don't notice any quality difference.