DrJ Posted July 11, 2003 Report Posted July 11, 2003 (edited) I just wonder if this might be an interesting Mosaic box...and one that could be achievable, since Mosaic seems to be on good terms with Time/Warner labels (putting out the Duke Reprise box not too long ago, and some of their Atlantic label collections, for example). This idea was triggered by reading about Matty Matlock's series of traditional jazz recordings made for the label in the 50's in All Music Guide. They sound intriguing, taking the Bob Crosby Bobcats configuration and expanding it to include 6 horns. For example, on AND THEY CALLED IT DIXIELAND (1958), some great musicians like George Van Eps (guitar), Nick Fatool (drums), Eddie Miller (Tenor) and Shorty Sherock (trumpet) are on board. They all look good and are highly evaluated by AMG at least. Along the same line, there's a nice Eddie Condon called THAT TODDLIN' TOWN I have a CD-R of, thanks to a fellow board member. Pee Wee Russell, George Wettling, Max Kaminsky, Bud Freeman, and others on that one. Fine music. I have looked on the Web extensively and can't seem to find any kind of comprehensive listing of Warner Brothers jazz recordings from the 50's and 60's. I know of a few very fine ones though - the Dollar Brand Trio's first U.S. recording (sponsored by Duke Elllington) which is a neglected gem, and the Ben Webster date that were reissued by Warners a while back, for example. I also have CHICO HAMILTON WITH STRINGS, which is an excellent example of his approach with the group that had Dennis Budimir, Fred Katz and Eric Dolphy...that one I don't think has seen "legit" CD reissue, although I think Fresh Sounds had it out for a time. I would think there would HAVE to be some others...but not so many that they couldn't be collected into a reasonably sized Mosaic. Seems like a perfect project for Mosaic if so, because Warner just seems to have very little to no interest in getting their jazz material from that era reissued and it would collect a lot of otherwise "isolated" and unjustly obscure music. The recording fidelity on these Warner dates was excellent also - reminiscent of the big, warm Capitol records sound from the same era. The range of styles represented might argue for separate collections, but I would like to see 'em all in one place, with stylistic shifts simply represented by different discs within the set. Anyone in the know about the Warner classic era jazz recordings who could provide a listing of some others? Any enthusiasm for this idea? Edited July 11, 2003 by DrJ Quote
Joe Posted July 11, 2003 Report Posted July 11, 2003 The 1959 Paul Desmond session with Jim Hall, percy Heath and Connie Kay. Issued on WB as FIRST PLACE AGAIN, since available on Discovery as EAST OF THE SUN. Quote
DrJ Posted July 11, 2003 Author Report Posted July 11, 2003 Yes, another good one - had forgotten, thanks Joe. Any others out there? Quote
Guest mary mcgoon Posted July 12, 2003 Report Posted July 12, 2003 The 1959 Paul Desmond session with Jim Hall, percy Heath and Connie Kay. Issued on WB as FIRST PLACE AGAIN, since available on Discovery as EAST OF THE SUN. Mosaic already issued this as part of their Desmond / Hall box MD4-120, many years ago... Quote
montg Posted July 12, 2003 Report Posted July 12, 2003 I think this sounds like a great idea. The Eddie Condon Mosaic sets are among my favorites. Dick Cathcart, who is on some of the Matlock recordings on the Condon Mob set, has some albums from the late 50s on Warners. Cathcart, Dick Pete Kelly Lets His Hair Down Warner Bros. (USA) WS-1217 Cathcart, Dick BIX MCMLIX Warner Bros. (USA) WS-1275 Cathcart, Dick Pete Kelly's Blues Warner Bros. (USA) WS-1303 As far as I know, these don't overlap with the Matlock albums mentioned earlier, but I'm not sure. I'd also be interested to know what else is on the label from this period. Quote
jazzbo Posted July 12, 2003 Report Posted July 12, 2003 The Cathcarts are wonderful, and as far as I know also don't overlap with the Matlocks. (I have some of those and dig 'em!) Quote
Harold_Z Posted July 12, 2003 Report Posted July 12, 2003 Yes...I'd go for a Matlock/Cathcart Mosaic. It's great stuff..and get the Condon "Toddlin' town" on there as well. The Condon was out on cd briefly in the late 80s on Atlantic - in Stereo. Quote
DrJ Posted July 12, 2003 Author Report Posted July 12, 2003 So, with Mary McGoon correctly pointing out that the Hall/Desmond has already been out on Mosaic, and so far a dearth of "modern" jazz recordings being mentioned, it appears this could be evolving toward a traditional jazz focused box...again, personally I'd also be happy if they had different styles represented, but a traditional jazz focus would be fine with me and might be easier to market. Hopefully others will keep chiming in - even if Mosaic never does a WB box, it is nice to know what to hunt for out there in the vinyl bins! Quote
tjluke68 Posted July 18, 2003 Report Posted July 18, 2003 I've been bitching about all the great Warner stuff that's never been on CD months ago on the Blue Note BBS. Some of has been issued on CD (Chico Hamilton, Paul Desmond, Marty Paich, etc) but a ton of it remains unissued. I have LPs by Matty Matlock, Jim Timmens All-stars (Donald Byrd, Jimmy Cleveland, Lawrence Brown, etc), Stewart-Williams (Rex Stewart & Cootie Williams & co doing Porgy & Bess), Trombones Inc (Eddie Bert, Bob Brookmeyer, Bennie Green), Saxes Inc (Ben Webster, etc), Pete & Conte Candoli, Ruby Braff plus many more... Since it appears that there's no reissue program to get these out on CD, I've decided to make my own copies as I've recently burned the Stewart-Williams/Porgy & Bess Revisited and Jim Timmens All-Stars/Showboat Revisited onto 1 CD - WOOHOO my own 2fer!!! Anyone wishing to trade for something similar, let me know... Quote
DrJ Posted July 20, 2003 Author Report Posted July 20, 2003 Wow! This is sounding ever more promising. Hopefully people will send Mosaic some e-mails about this... Quote
montg Posted July 21, 2003 Report Posted July 21, 2003 Rex and Cootie doing Porgy and Bess has definitely piqued my interest! Quote
mikeweil Posted July 21, 2003 Report Posted July 21, 2003 A search in the Bruyninkcx Disco turned up some interesting items: Saxophones Inc. with Hal McKusick (on soprano!), Phil Woods, Al Cohn and a host of other great saxes The first jazz piano quartet with Maorris nanton, Bernie Leighton, Moe Wechsler and Irv Joseph Folk songs for far out folks by a Fred Katz ensemble featuring some fellows from the Chico Hamilton quintet as well as multiple guitars a record by the candoli Brothers with Jimmy Rowles, Gary Peacock and Shelly Manne backing up Funky Piano New Orleans Style by Alton Purnell with Red Callender, Plas Johnson and Earl Palmer - I sure would like to hear that one! David Allyn with large orchestra, Dave Terry arranging Danish Imports one of the few jazz records by Svend Asmussen and Ulrik Neumann as well as some Pete Rugolo, Shorty Rogers and other West Coast stuff - is that worthwhile resurrecting? not to mention the two Marty Paich records reissued on Discovery, and all the other stuff mentioned above. I'd sure risk a copy of the six items above ... but I doubt this would fit the Mosaic formats. Quote
tjluke68 Posted July 22, 2003 Report Posted July 22, 2003 DrJ, check your Private Messages if you wish to trade for the Stewart-Williams/Timmens CD. Thanks, TL Quote
Dan Gould Posted July 22, 2003 Report Posted July 22, 2003 TL, I am not sure if you'll get a response too quick from DrJ-Tony just made a birth announcement and really hasn't been seen around these parts since! Quote
Guest ariceffron Posted July 23, 2003 Report Posted July 23, 2003 tell me more about that chico w/ strings. i bet thats awesome. Quote
DrJ Posted July 24, 2003 Author Report Posted July 24, 2003 It is very cool, Aric, I like it as well as the material in the Mosaic box for sure. Quote
brownie Posted July 25, 2003 Report Posted July 25, 2003 Don't know if this was distributed in the USA, but Warner Brothers Europe reissued a couple of years ago on a single CD two of the Chico Hamilton albums with Eric Dolphy 'The String Attached' and 'The Three Faces of Chico'. The CD is titled 'Chico Hamilton Quintet' (WB 9362-47874-2). Quote
tjluke68 Posted August 6, 2003 Report Posted August 6, 2003 Just picked up Alton Purnell's Funky Piano New Orleans Style. Can't wait to get home and give 'er a spin... Quote
montg Posted August 6, 2003 Report Posted August 6, 2003 Just picked up Alton Purnell's Funky Piano New Orleans Style CD or vinyl? Quote
tjluke68 Posted August 6, 2003 Report Posted August 6, 2003 Vinyl. HIGHLY doubt this will ever show up on CD, unless of course I make a copy for trading purposes... Quote
montg Posted August 7, 2003 Report Posted August 7, 2003 Wishful thinking on my part. You're right, it may take a small miracle for some of this stuff to turn up on CD. Quote
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