Art Pepper Select

[Claude]

As far as McMaster's recent remasters go, in my view they don't even match his own mid-1990's remasters. That was the case of the Moncur Select vs Connoisseurs and the recent Chet Baker Pacific Jazz reissues vs the 1994 Chet Baker Pacific Years 4CD box. They may be better than his earliest 1987-90 EMI remasters, but that's not difficult.

The new versions sound artificially quiet and processed, in one word: lifeless. It could be due to the Sonic Solutions console he is apparently using at Capitol studios. I've read other remastering engineers refusing to use it for that reason.

[J.A.W.]

As far as McMaster's recent remasters go, in my view they don't even match his own mid-1990's remasters. That was the case of the Moncur Select vs Connoisseurs and the recent Chet Baker Pacific Jazz reissues vs the 1994 Chet Baker Pacific Years 4CD box. They may be better than his earliest 1987-90 EMI remasters, but that's not difficult.

The new versions sound artificially quiet and processed, in one word: lifeless. It could be due to the Sonic Solutions console he is apparently using at Capitol studios. I've read other remastering engineers refusing to use it for that reason.

You've got a point. Nevertheless, I'll be picking this one up because of the additional material (the Joe Morello and Bill Perkins albums).

[Brad]

The Art Pepper Select will mark the first time I pre-order a set from Mosaic. I might as well include the Andrew Hill in my pre-order too.

Feck.

What the hell, as Ernie Banks might have said, let's get two!

Edited January 29, 2005 by Brad

[Bluerein]

Hans:

Joe Morello - Collections TOCJ-9453 &

Bill Perkins, etc. - Just Friends TOCJ-9449

This might be cheaper that the Peppers set when you already own the other Pepper TOCJ's!!

[J.A.W.]

Hans:

Joe Morello - Collections  TOCJ-9453 &

Bill Perkins, etc. - Just Friends  TOCJ-9449

This might be cheaper that the Peppers set when you already own the other Pepper TOCJ's!!

The Select is $39, and the two Japanese CDs would cost about $24 each (2,500 yen), so I don't see how getting those two would be cheaper. Besides, I've only got two of the three Japanese Peppers, so I'd have to get three 2,500 yen CDs, which would make picking up the Select even more attractive, assuming the remasterings are the same. Who did remaster the Japanese Morello and Perkins reissues, by the way?

Edited January 29, 2005 by J.A.W.

[Late]

Who did remaster the Japanese Morello and Perkins reissues, by the way?

I don't know, but the Morello session has some tasty tenor playing by Art. Nice Red Norvo contribution too.

Sound/remastering issues aside, I think everyone's going to like this set. While I don't know later Pepper very well, I like this (Jazz West, Intro, Omega) period of his playing even better than the Contemporary period that immediately followed it (late 50's).

[J.A.W.]

Who did remaster the Japanese Morello and Perkins reissues, by the way?

I don't know, but the Morello session has some tasty tenor playing by Art. Nice Red Norvo contribution too.

Sound/remastering issues aside, I think everyone's going to like this set. While I don't know later Pepper very well, I like this (Jazz West, Intro, Omega) period of his playing even better than the Contemporary period that immediately followed it (late 50's).

With me it's just the other way 'round - errr... I believe I've already said that... I'm repeating myself now, must be getting old...

[Bluerein]

sorry for trying to be helpful.....all McMastered by the way.

[J.A.W.]

sorry for trying to be helpful.....all McMastered by the way.

I know you were trying to help, and I appreciate it (), but I just don't see how picking up the Japanese reissues would be cheaper than buying the Select.

Edited January 29, 2005 by J.A.W.

[etherbored]

I know you were trying to help, and I appreciate it (), but I just don't see how picking up the Japanese reissues would be cheaper than buying the Select.

---

no offense intended whatsoever, but for myself i am not concerned with 'cheap'.

the cheap route often leads down a dead-end street. i'm concerned about 'good'.

mcmaster's work is, im my experience, inconsistent. i'll reserve my order until i see feedback (let us know hans!). hopefully 'good' and 'cheap' can meet, as they have in some other selects...

regards,

-e-

[J.A.W.]

I know you were trying to help, and I appreciate it (), but I just don't see how picking up the Japanese reissues would be cheaper than buying the Select.

---

no offense intended whatsoever, but for myself i am not concerned with 'cheap'.

the cheap route often leads down a dead-end street. i'm concerned about 'good'.

mcmaster's work is, im my experience, inconsistent. i'll reserve my order until i see feedback (let us know hans!). hopefully 'good' and 'cheap' can meet, as they have in some other selects...

regards,

-e-

I understand the Select McMaster remasters are the same as the ones used for the Japanese reissues, so there shouldn't be much, if any aural difference.

~~~~~~~~~~

E,

I sent you a PM last week...

Edited February 1, 2005 by J.A.W.

[Ron S]

I highly recommend this Pepper material as well.  This and the material recently reissued on Savoy are high caliber jazz!

Any particular Savoy Pepper title(s)? Or just all the Pepper stuff?

Edited February 1, 2005 by Ron S

[jazzbo]

Well, I was specifically referring to the material that has been reissued on Atlantic/Savoy (and Savoy/Denon Japan) by Pepper. Great stuff!

I'm a big fan of a lot of the Savoy label, anything by Byrd or Hank Jones or Bird or many others is well worth investigating!

[Ron S]

Well, I was specifically referring to the material that has been reissued on Atlantic/Savoy (and Savoy/Denon Japan) by Pepper.  Great stuff!

I'm a big fan of a lot of the Savoy label, anything by Byrd or Hank Jones or Bird or many others is well worth investigating!

So you're going to make me search for Pepper titles on Savoy.

I have both Bird and Diz on Savoy.

[J.A.W.]

Well, I was specifically referring to the material that has been reissued on Atlantic/Savoy (and Savoy/Denon Japan) by Pepper.   Great stuff!

I'm a big fan of a lot of the Savoy label, anything by Byrd or Hank Jones or Bird or many others is well worth investigating!

So you're going to make me search for Pepper titles on Savoy.

Here are a few details of Pepper's Discovery recordings that were issued on Savoy.

[Pete B]

If you want the full deal on the Savoy Peppers you'll have to hunt up the vinyl - "Discoveries" was the Savoy Jazz label 2-lp reissue, and "Rediscoveries" contained an additional lp's worth of alternates, certainly more material than the single cd.

[jazzbo]

Thanks Hans, that's a good link and a great cd to get most of them.

There is/was a two cd Japanese release that had more alternates etc. Not necessarily essential unless you're really nutty about this material!

[Ron S]

Well, I was specifically referring to the material that has been reissued on Atlantic/Savoy (and Savoy/Denon Japan) by Pepper.   Great stuff!

I'm a big fan of a lot of the Savoy label, anything by Byrd or Hank Jones or Bird or many others is well worth investigating!

So you're going to make me search for Pepper titles on Savoy.

Here are a few details of Pepper's Discovery recordings that were issued on Savoy.

Thanks! This title isn't even listed on Savoy's web site (which is why I asked jazzbo about titles).

[jazzbo]

I'm sorry, I read too fast and didn't realize you were asking about specific titles.

If you see them used and cheap, there were two earlier Savoy/Denon cds titled "Surf Ride" and "Two Altos" that reproduced the original fifties lp releases and have great sound!

[Ron S]

I'm sorry, I read too fast and didn't realize you were asking about specific titles.

If you see them used and cheap, there were two earlier Savoy/Denon cds titled "Surf Ride" and "Two Altos" that reproduced the original fifties lp releases and have great sound!

It looks like the "Discovery Sessions" CD has all the tracks on "Surf Ride" plus alternates it doesn't have, plus 2 of the 6 tracks ("Deep Purple" and "What's New") from "Two Altos." So, it looks like the way to go is to get "Discovery Sessions" and "Two Altos," although, unfortunately, that means giving up this cover:

[jazzbo]

I know. . . it is hard giving up that cover.

The Japanese Savoy two cd sets has even more material, and that cover, but I'm not sure how easy or hard it may be to find.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

The Japanese set is loaded with tracks. It's not an easy one to nail down these days. Here's a back cover scan.

[Ron S]

That's a lot of alternate takes. Do you think they're worth having?

[Brad]

Ron,

I believe alternates takes are worth having. They can be completely different at times than the master. However, there are various schools of thought on this. Looking at it a different way, I want every alternate take that's on the Bird Dial Savoy set. Where would we be without the famous alto break on Night in Tunisia?

In addition, the Vee Jay Mosaics were loaded with alternates takes and I'm glad I have them.

BTW, you can always program around them.

[J.A.W.]

BTW, you can always program around them.

With certain CD players that's not possible...