BruceH Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 (edited) I recently picked up the RVG of The Gigolo and have been listening to it a lot. It's inspired me to re-listen to a lot of my other Morgan albums. How does it stack up for you in relation to the rest of his output? Edited February 17, 2006 by BruceH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 One of my most favorites. Everybody came to play. It, Cornbread, and Sidewinder are my "Top Three" Lee BNs over the long haul. They're all good (or better), but those are the "special" ones to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 Incredible grooves, incredible playing all around. Higgins plays like a man possessed. Lee was on fire for this one. If I think about it, this is my favorite Mogie session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stereojack Posted February 17, 2006 Report Share Posted February 17, 2006 One of my most favorites. Everybody came to play. It, Cornbread, and Sidewinder are my "Top Three" Lee BNs over the long haul. They're all good (or better), but those are the "special" ones to me. Sidewinder and Cornbread are tops for me, along with Search For the New Land, The Cooker, and Rumproller. The Gigolo would be in the second tier, near great, along with Delightfulee, Candy, and Lee-Way. All of the others are merely wonderful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Hi Guys! I've tried to collect all LM CDs I could find and got most of them. I finally scooped up $30 for an unopened japanese copy of the Rajah (slightly disapointing, but just slightly..) Gigolo is great! The other recommendations here are all great. I would like to add "Standards"(not very standard like in a good sense with arrangemnet by the great guy Duke Pearson), "Taru" (quite late session - got a soft spot for this one and "Sonic Boom" (swings!!). /Shaft Be careful - collecting Lee Morgan can easily turn into a habit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Be careful - collecting Lee Morgan can easily turn into a habit Oh man, don't I know it! I'm a TOTAL Lee Morgan addict! Anything with his name on it................. I haven't really checked out The Gigolo for a while. What a great side! Wayne is totally Wayne-esque, Lee's chops are strong, Billy Higgins is a groove monster, the tunes are engaging. It's all there! How fortunate we are that this stuff continues to get sonically updated and re-released! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Be careful - collecting Lee Morgan can easily turn into a habit Oh man, don't I know it! I'm a TOTAL Lee Morgan addict! Anything with his name on it................. I haven't really checked out The Gigolo for a while. What a great side! Wayne is totally Wayne-esque, Lee's chops are strong, Billy Higgins is a groove monster, the tunes are engaging. It's all there! How fortunate we are that this stuff continues to get sonically updated and re-released! Fortunate and Poor...... /Shaft Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 I'm swimming against the tide here, but to my ears, the new RVG sounds awful. The whole thing is really fuzzy, especially the drums. My local Border's has a copy of the old McMaster Gigolo. I'm going to go get that today and see if it's any better. I don't have any problem with the tunes...they're great. And I love Lee Morgan. Maybe I got a bum copy. Up over and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soulstation1 Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 on the regular release and JRVG, the Gigolo's sound is IMHO one of my fav bn cd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tapscott Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 I'm swimming against the tide here, but to my ears, the new RVG sounds awful. The whole thing is really fuzzy, especially the drums... Maybe I got a bum copy. As I pointed out on the other thread, the RVG is the first time I've ever heard "The Gigolo" and there is definitely something amiss with the sound of the drums. Higgins is not nearly as "crisp" and tidy as I usually expect. Not sure whether it's the sound (which I suspect) or the way he plays on this date - more Blakey-esqe than usual, if I can put it that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 I'm swimming against the tide here, but to my ears, the new RVG sounds awful. The whole thing is really fuzzy, especially the drums. I'm right there with ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron S Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 I'm swimming against the tide here, but to my ears, the new RVG sounds awful. The whole thing is really fuzzy, especially the drums. My local Border's has a copy of the old McMaster Gigolo. I'm going to go get that today and see if it's any better. I'd really be interested in your comparison of the two. I recently A/B'd the RVG and McMaster of one or two other titles and concluded that I like the McMaster better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted February 22, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 Since the RVG Gigolo is the only one I have, I'm going to learn to live with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Free For All Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 My hearing must be going from sitting in front of trumpets and next to drummers my whole life, 'cause the RVG sounds pretty good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DatDere Posted February 22, 2006 Report Share Posted February 22, 2006 (edited) I only own a fraction of Lee Morgan's entire output as a leader, but The Gigolo is one of my favorites, together with Search For The New Land, The Procrastinator and Live at the Lighthouse. Picked up the RVG today, only had this on tape before. I'm no audiophile (guess that's what playing metal in garage bands in your teens does to your ears.. ) , but the sound quality sounds ok to me. Edited February 22, 2006 by DatDere Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I ran my own personal A/B comparison of McMaster and RVG editions of The Gigolo when I got home from work this afternoon. I'm far from a professional audio analyst and the system I'm using isn't anything like what an audiophile might have at their disposal (Boston Acoustics - five speakers - three front - two back - and a subwoofer). It's the same system we use for our home theater. The first thing I did was put both discs in the CD player and then mix them up so I didn't know which one I was listening to. I tried to compare the two by toggling back and forth between the same tune on both CD's. Harder than it sounds, BTW. At any rate, nothing really jumped out at me. It was only when I put one in the DVD player and the other in the CD player that I could discern some fairly distinct differences. The RVG is definitely louder, its quite a bit brighter and there's more echo. A term popped in my head while I was listening...that the RVG sounded like it was recorded "hotter" than the McMaster. I don't know if that makes any sense given that both guys were probably working off the same set of original tapes, but that was my reaction. Just to validate my findings and make sure that the player wasn't making a difference, I swapped the discs. No change; the characteristics remained the same. Of the two, I'd have to go with the McMaster, although you'd never mistake either one for something from Venus Records. Just one man's opinion. Up over and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron S Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I had a similar reaction when I ran an A/B comparison of the RVG and McMaster editions of "A Night In Tunisia" a week or two ago. The RVG was definitely louder and brighter, and also seemed to be boosted on the lower end. The McMaster sounded more natural and had more presence to me, and also seemed to reveal more detail. What would really be interesting, of course, would be a comparison of an RVG and a McMaster to an original LP or, even better yet, to the original source tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Al Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 I ran my own personal A/B comparison of McMaster and RVG editions of The Gigolo when I got home from work this afternoon. I'm far from a professional audio analyst and the system I'm using isn't anything like what an audiophile might have at their disposal (Boston Acoustics - five speakers - three front - two back - and a subwoofer). It's the same system we use for our home theater. The first thing I did was put both discs in the CD player and then mix them up so I didn't know which one I was listening to. I tried to compare the two by toggling back and forth between the same tune on both CD's. Harder than it sounds, BTW. At any rate, nothing really jumped out at me. It was only when I put one in the DVD player and the other in the CD player that I could discern some fairly distinct differences. The RVG is definitely louder, its quite a bit brighter and there's more echo. A term popped in my head while I was listening...that the RVG sounded like it was recorded "hotter" than the McMaster. I don't know if that makes any sense given that both guys were probably working off the same set of original tapes, but that was my reaction. Just to validate my findings and make sure that the player wasn't making a difference, I swapped the discs. No change; the characteristics remained the same. Of the two, I'd have to go with the McMaster, although you'd never mistake either one for something from Venus Records. Just one man's opinion. Up over and out. Along those same lines, I also took my RVG and McMaster and tried to do my own A/B. The first thing I did was to test the old "reverse-polarization theory." The only thing this showed was that I did, indeed, wire my car speakers incorrectly; this explains why it sounded so crappy in the car. After putting the house-speaker wires back in their intended slots, I ran an A/B of "Yes I Can, No You Can't." I have to agree with Dave that the session sounds a lot hotter than on the McMaster. But upon second listening, I can't honestly say that it's any better or any worse than my McMaster (with which I tinkered with some audio program to make a nice loud CDR). I guess the real test will be what it sounds like when I get my car re-wired! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 got the RVG of Gigolo yesterday, sounds ok , not one of the best recorded BN dates but more than adequate. I don't have the Mcmaster to compare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 The Sidewinder is my favourite, but The Gigolo joins Search for the New Land in my top 3. Runners up would be The Procrastinator and the Live at the Lighthouse that wasn't recorded at the Lighthouse. (Never heard Cornbread, though.) "Yes I Can, No You Can't" is quickly becoming my favourite of "The Sidewinder" descendants. Btw... The back cover of the RVG credits "The Gigolo" to Jules Styne and Sammy Cahn! Handcock, "The Groits," "retouched cover on the way" and now this. Where's the quality control? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceH Posted February 23, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 The Sidewinder is my favourite, but The Gigolo joins Search for the New Land in my top 3. Runners up would be The Procrastinator and the Live at the Lighthouse that wasn't recorded at the Lighthouse. (Never heard Cornbread, though.) "Yes I Can, No You Can't" is quickly becoming my favourite of "The Sidewinder" descendants. Btw... The back cover of the RVG credits "The Gigolo" to Jules Styne and Sammy Cahn! Handcock, "The Groits," "retouched cover on the way" and now this. Where's the quality control? And don't forget my favorite---"Booby" Hutcherson! BTW, I keep meaning to get The Procrastinator, but, well.....you know. (Cornbread is very good.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave James Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 "Cornbread" is essential if only for its inclusion of my all-time favorite Morgan tune, "Ceora". The first few notes of Herbie's piano break are as close as I've gotten to a religious experience when it comes to jazz. Up over and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidewinder Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 The first few notes of Herbie's piano break are as close as I've gotten to a religious experience when it comes to jazz Yes - that is a sublime intro. One of the first Morgan tracks I ever heard and still one of the best. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Clugston Posted February 23, 2006 Report Share Posted February 23, 2006 "Cornbread" is essential if only for its inclusion of my all-time favorite Morgan tune, "Ceora". The first few notes of Herbie's piano break are as close as I've gotten to a religious experience when it comes to jazz. Up over and out. Lee's solo on the first version on Not Live at the Lighthouse (the one that doesn't have the drunks hollerin') is one of my favourites. How's the sound on Cornbread? Good or wait for the RVG that is undoubtedly coming at some point? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clunky Posted February 24, 2006 Report Share Posted February 24, 2006 How's the sound on Cornbread? Good or wait for the RVG that is undoubtedly coming at some point? Cornbread CD from late 80s sounds fine to me ( as do most of the McMasters, RVGs, JRVG, TOCJs of what ever series) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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