Jump to content

Savoy (Denon) Reissues


Late

Recommended Posts

This has got to be one of the best jazz reissue series in the last decade, and then some — and perhaps with the lowest profile! They seemed to just suddenly appear, a lot of them, and at decent prices, and then ... slowly vanish. I have a fair number already, but then I'll see one used in a brick-and-mortar, and say: "What? I didn't even know about that one!"

There isn't any place on the web that has neatly cataloged this series, is there?

What are/were your favorites?

I have a special affection for Perry Robinson's Funk Dumpling.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 128
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

I like that series very much as well and am constantly on the prowl for 'em. Too true about there always being a new one that ya had no idea existed suddenly popping up out of nowhere. I only wish that they had issued the Clarke's 'Klook's Clique' as part of the series..but ya gotta live with what ya have. Of those that I own, favorites are:

Ronnie Ball 'All About Ronnie'

Johnny Coates 'Portrait'

Ernie Wilkins-kenny Clarke 'Septet'

Ronnell Bright 'Bright's Spot'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got almost every one. Not sure you can qualify them as of "this decade." They were really history by the turn of the century. None-the-less a series I jumped on when they first appeared. Bought quite a few as imports, then worked with my friend Dave, then Tower record buyer, to get the domestic batches as they were released.

I think I really like the Donald Byrds, the Charlie Parkers, the Lateefs and the Coltrane-Hardman the best. Great sound on this series.

Edited by jazzbo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've got almost every one. Not sure you can qualify them as of "this decade" ...

Great sound on this series.

Right — I just meant that the first in this series started appearing, at least where I was looking, around 1990, which is why I typed "and then some."

I definitely agree with you on the sound. The purple-and-yellow is generally a give-away for great sound! How many were there? Do you have any idea, Lon?

Weizen — I agree. That Ronnie Ball session is (using my best Napoleon Dynamite voice) sweet!

I missed out on too many of these. Didn't pick up the Cecil Payne (argh!), some of the Klooks (were there more than one?), and the Al Cohn. Would also like to hear the Herbie Mann with Eddie Costa.

Thankfully, I snatched up all the Bill Barrons. Love those.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about this list, are these the Denon releases (or maybe repressings)?

http://www.savoyjazz.com/sites/savoy/brows...Selection=title

I agree that the Denon reissues sound great. Concerning the new reissues, I bought this 2003 "24bit remastered" version of Curtis Fuller "Blues-ette", and it is awfully maximised, with the bass sounding fat and distorted.

I replaced it with a japanese reissue (not the Denon CD), which sounds very good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about this list, are these the Denon releases (or maybe repressings)?

http://www.savoyjazz.com/sites/savoy/brows...Selection=title

Claude, don't think it's the Denon releases. The ones I have include yearly lists in their liner notes and there is not gap in the catalogue numbers.

Must be from another Japanese Savoy reissues series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about this list, are these the Denon releases (or maybe repressings)?

http://www.savoyjazz.com/sites/savoy/brows...Selection=title

Claude, don't think it's the Denon releases. The ones I have include yearly lists in their liner notes and there is not gap in the catalogue numbers.

Must be from another Japanese Savoy reissues series.

But these look the same, no? And the numbering is similar or the same, either, no? I think these Denons were distributed all over, not just in Japan, as most other Japanese reissues (JRVGs, TOCs).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There was a Japanese series AND an American series. That list includes American ones (and other later Savoy reissues). I didn't go through it thoroughly (no time, have to pack!) to see if it included all of them.

I honestly think that in this series the 16 bit American and Japanese ones and the 20 bit Japanese lp facimile versions sound a bit better than the US 24 bit series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is the Savoy Jazz 1993 Release list:

SV0221 - Serenade to Laura - Erroll Garner

SV0222 - Ernie Wilkins - Kenny Clarke Septet

SV0223 - Erroll Garner - Billy Taylor

SV0224 - The Jazz Keyboards

SV0225 - By the Fireside - Paul Smith

SV0226 - Looking for a Boy - Marian McPartland

SV0227 - Loadced - Vido Musso Stan Getz

SV0228 - The Jazz We Heard Last Summer - Herbie Mann

SV0229 - Encore - Eddie Bert

SV0230 - Jazz Eyes - John Jenkins Donald Byrd

SV0231 - Ringside at Condon's - Eddie Condon

SV0232 - Serenade in Blue - Al Caiola

SV0233 - Every Breath I Take - Marlene

SV0234 - Portrait - Johnny Coates Jr.

SV0235 - Dancin' Jazz - Billy Ver Plank

SV0236 - Hank Jones Quartet

SV0237 - Jazz Moods - Yusef Lateef

SV0238 - New Advanced Jazz - Valdo Williams

SV0239 - Very Truly Yours - Jimmy Scott

SV0240 - The Jazz Hours - Various Artists

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weizen — I agree. That Ronnie Ball session is (using my best Napoleon Dynamite voice) sweet!

I missed out on too many of these. Didn't pick up the Cecil Payne (argh!), some of the Klooks (were there more than one?), and the Al Cohn. Would also like to hear the Herbie Mann with Eddie Costa.

He's on this one. Just showed up on eBay a few weeks back.

ae9f_1.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sound was mostly very good on these, but they were sloppily edited: sometimes there were mistakes in the credits, and they rarely added bonus material. Seems they never consulted Bob Porter's Savoy discography and thus stuck to the often scattered release pattern of the LPs, with often short playing time. Due to this I find it out of place to call them one of the best reissue series.

Savoy is a label that never received optimal reissue treatment. The Arista reissues came close as far as content is concerned (completed sessions etc.) but their cover design was not so good. But Bob Porter compiled them, and he knew the Savoy vaults better than anybody.

Edited by mikeweil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sound was mostly very good on these, but they were sloppily edited: sometimes there were mistakes in the credits, and they rarely added bonus material. Seems they never consulted Bob Porter's Savoy discography and thus stuck to the often scattered release pattern of the LPs, with often short playing time. Due to this I find it out of place to call them one of the best reissue series.

Wasn't this motivated by the japanese "LP reproduction" ideology (including reproduction of previous errors)?

Edited by Claude
Link to comment
Share on other sites

One that I play quite a lot is this one :

DukeJordanonSavoy.jpg

The trio tracks are especially strong ; Jordan displays his great touch and elegant lyricism throughout . His solo rendition of Summertime is a highlight . Beautifully recorded by Van Gelder as well .

Re: Bill Barron on Savoy -- Tenor Stylings is easily recommended , but the Modern Windows Suite CD is incomplete ; Hot Line was out on disc but hard to find .

And this Barron Savoy from 1972 I don't think has been on CD :

BillBarrononSavoy.jpg

Edited by Chas
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sound was mostly very good on these, but they were sloppily edited: sometimes there were mistakes in the credits, and they rarely added bonus material. Seems they never consulted Bob Porter's Savoy discography and thus stuck to the often scattered release pattern of the LPs, with often short playing time. Due to this I find it out of place to call them one of the best reissue series.

Wasn't this motivated by the japanese "LP reproduction" ideology (including reproduction of previous errors)?

That's such a weird practice - I really don't understand why these vinyl fetishists don't just buy vinyl if they want the *original* album anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Weizen — I agree. That Ronnie Ball session is (using my best Napoleon Dynamite voice) sweet!

I missed out on too many of these. Didn't pick up the Cecil Payne (argh!), some of the Klooks (were there more than one?), and the Al Cohn. Would also like to hear the Herbie Mann with Eddie Costa.

He's on this one. Just showed up on eBay a few weeks back.

ae9f_1.JPG

Recorded the afternoon I was born.

There are two other Clarke's (titled on the spine), the Telefunken Blues, and the one co-led with Wilkins.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...