Mosaic Free Shipping

[jazzhound]

Mosaic's business model detemined it would have a short life. I give it another 3 years max. about the time Cuscuna is due to retire. fast buck artists always meet the same fate.

[RDK]

Mosaic's business model detemined it would have a short life. I give it another 3 years max. about the time Cuscuna is due to retire. fast buck artists always meet the same fate.

Might possibly agree that it goes away when/if Cuscuna goes, but are you suggesting that he (or Mosaic) is a "fast buck artist?" Anyway, Mosaic has been around for about 25 years now, hardly a "short life."

[Indestructible!]

Mosaic's business model detemined it would have a short life. I give it another 3 years max. about the time Cuscuna is due to retire. fast buck artists always meet the same fate.

Honestly, WTF is your beef with Cuscuna? You hammer him in almost every other post you make here on this board. "Fast buck artist"? Fuck you, dude.

I'm convinced you think Cuscuna shafted you out of some recording deal back in the day, and you just can't forgive him. I know you're a frustrated musician and all, but damn...

Cheers (to Mosaic, of course),

Shane

[J.A.W.]

Mosaic's business model detemined it would have a short life. I give it another 3 years max. about the time Cuscuna is due to retire. fast buck artists always meet the same fate.

Honestly, WTF is your beef with Cuscuna? You hammer him in almost every other post you make here on this board. "Fast buck artist"? Fuck you, dude.

I'm convinced you think Cuscuna shafted you out of some recording deal back in the day, and you just can't forgive him. I know you're a frustrated musician and all, but damn...

Cheers (to Mosaic, of course),

Shane

Calling Michael Cuscuna a "fast buck artist" is totally uncalled-for and way over the line.

Cheers to him and Mosaic indeed.

Really, some of the comments here...

Edited September 21, 2007 by J.A.W.

[Face of the Bass]

I once briefly worked for a guy who sold engraved baseball bats. He'd take cheap pieces of wood, engrave a facsimile signature of Mickey Mantle or some other guy on the bat, and then sell the thing for $150. That was a fast-buck artist. Cuscuna, not so much.

[connoisseur series500]

Mosiacs are not good value for money - except for some things that one absolutely HAS to have.

I agree with this comment. I find them rather pricey; and this is coming from someone who has many Selects and over a dozen of the big boxes. This sale does not attract me.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Mosaic's business model detemined it would have a short life. I give it another 3 years max. about the time Cuscuna is due to retire. fast buck artists always meet the same fate.

Honestly, WTF is your beef with Cuscuna? You hammer him in almost every other post you make here on this board. "Fast buck artist"? Fuck you, dude.

I'm convinced you think Cuscuna shafted you out of some recording deal back in the day, and you just can't forgive him. I know you're a frustrated musician and all, but damn...

Cheers (to Mosaic, of course),

Shane

Calling Michael Cuscuna a "fast buck artist" is totally uncalled-for and way over the line.

Cheers to him and Mosaic indeed.

Really, some of the comments here...

I quite agree. Michael Cuscuna's taste in jazz is very different to mine and I think he has a very poor appreciation of the kind of jazz I like most. This leads to a BIG gap in my perception of the extent to which Mosaic has fulfilled its original promise, for which I blame MC. And I think he would probably say, "yeah, OK, but this is what I do."

But there's no way he should be criticised as a "fast buck artist".

MG

[Face of the Bass]

How can Mosaics not be good value for your money when you can sell almost any set that goes OOP for twice what you paid for it on EBay?

[Big Al]

Simple math:

Complete Blue Note Horace Parlan: 5 CDs, $88 (incl. shipping) for seven OOP albums/CDs.

Price/OOP album: $12.57

Complete Stanley Turrentine Blue Note Quintet/Sextet: 5 CDs, $88 (incl. shipping) for six OOP albums/CDs.

Price/OOP album: $14.67

Combined for this order: $160 for thirteen OOP albums/CDs.

Price/OOP album: $12.30

If any of you naysers can get all of these individual albums/CDs for that price or less, please let me know. Mosaics not a good value? Please.

Edited September 21, 2007 by Big Al

[sidewinder]

Stop whining you idiots........Mosaic needs our money now more that ever to stay in business. These offers are a result of the very low volume of sales lately. If we want these kind of reissues at all in the future please order all you can through Mosaic themselves and not for a few bucks less with other sellers on the net.

Well said, Reinier.

It's quite simply up to us to make sure that our beloved Mosaic stays operating and able to dig out and compile more of the music that we love. Everyone should just think of a world without Mosaic for a minute.

Much as I am broke - they'll be getting a wee order from me in the next week or so.

Edited September 21, 2007 by sidewinder

[ASNL77]

I am not too fussed about the price of shipping. It is often custom taxes that refrain my Mosaic ordering compulsory habits, If only these b......y customs could give me a break!

[woofy]

I agree that Mosaics are not cheap, but I do find them a good value. You get what you pay for, that is, if you actually want the product. I have only noticed about 3 "sales" from Mosaic in the 15 or more years I have been aware of them and the amount was only about 10%, not much of a sale but it is better than nothing. I have specific tastes, I am not interested in everything they sell, but I have been very happy with the purchases I have made. I should have subtitled this thread "If you hate Mosaic and/or Mr. Cuscuna, you can ignore this." I do find the many responses fascinating, though.

Has anyone actually made a purchase? I mostly listen to small group jazz, but lately I have been listing to larger groups. I am thinking of picking up the Gerald Wilson and Oliver Nelson sets. I was planning and going all out and getting the Basie set too, but I had a small emergency that took up a chunk of my budget.

[jazzbo]

If only the sale could include the upcoming Hampton!

That's my next purchase.

What a fantastic company!

[Face of the Bass]

I quite agree. Michael Cuscuna's taste in jazz is very different to mine and I think he has a very poor appreciation of the kind of jazz I like most. This leads to a BIG gap in my perception of the extent to which Mosaic has fulfilled its original promise, for which I blame MC. And I think he would probably say, "yeah, OK, but this is what I do."

But there's no way he should be criticised as a "fast buck artist".

MG

You probably have discussed this somewhere else, but can you be more specific? What jazz does he have a poor appreciation for?

[J.A.W.]

I quite agree. Michael Cuscuna's taste in jazz is very different to mine and I think he has a very poor appreciation of the kind of jazz I like most. This leads to a BIG gap in my perception of the extent to which Mosaic has fulfilled its original promise, for which I blame MC. And I think he would probably say, "yeah, OK, but this is what I do."

But there's no way he should be criticised as a "fast buck artist".

MG

You probably have discussed this somewhere else, but can you be more specific? What jazz does he have a poor appreciation for?

MG: which original Mosaic promise are you referring to?

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I quite agree. Michael Cuscuna's taste in jazz is very different to mine and I think he has a very poor appreciation of the kind of jazz I like most. This leads to a BIG gap in my perception of the extent to which Mosaic has fulfilled its original promise, for which I blame MC. And I think he would probably say, "yeah, OK, but this is what I do."

But there's no way he should be criticised as a "fast buck artist".

MG

You probably have discussed this somewhere else, but can you be more specific? What jazz does he have a poor appreciation for?

MG: which original Mosaic promise are you referring to?

I wasn't referring to a specific promise. It was more like such a thing shows promise, y'know? I thought it did. And I have bought several boxes and selects. But so many things that I would have liked to have seen out as complete sets have been passed by that, overall, I'm disappointed with Mosaic's 25 year career so far.

I expect someone will ask what I would have liked to have come out, so I'll just mention Billy Larkin & the Delegates Aura/WP, Les McCann PJs, Reuben Wilson BNs, Groove Holmes PJs, JAM, a proper Patton set, a complete Blue Mitchell BNs etc etc. Basically, MC has a poor appreciation of music that is aimed at wide audiences; ie that's commercial. So, even when he does pay attention to someone I'm interested in, he cuts out what he appears to think of as commercial trash, which is often what I like best. And he does it for commercial reasons... because the rest of the people on this board wouldn't buy a Mosaic if it had a couple of extra discs full of "commercial trot", would you?

MG

[Van Basten II]

I'd like to buy more Mosaics but most of the stuff i'm looking for is gone.

For my part, i do like the company, the shipping fees are decent to me and i don't think that their price are out of hand. As someone who had to shop in my own country , i gotta say that they au contraire they are very reasonnable.

Although i would not go to the point of telling pople that they should feel obligated to buy from them, i would however rather buy from them than someone else if i had the choice.

Edited September 21, 2007 by Van Basten II

[Face of the Bass]

I expect someone will ask what I would have liked to have come out, so I'll just mention Billy Larkin & the Delegates Aura/WP, Les McCann PJs, Reuben Wilson BNs, Groove Holmes PJs, JAM, a proper Patton set, a complete Blue Mitchell BNs etc etc. Basically, MC has a poor appreciation of music that is aimed at wide audiences; ie that's commercial. So, even when he does pay attention to someone I'm interested in, he cuts out what he appears to think of as commercial trash, which is often what I like best. And he does it for commercial reasons... because the rest of the people on this board wouldn't buy a Mosaic if it had a couple of extra discs full of "commercial trot", would you?

MG

Yeah, Mosaic markets itself to pretentious jazz snobs, not to mainstream tastes. And I think that's probably the smarter plan anyway.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Yeah, Mosaic markets itself to pretentious jazz snobs, not to mainstream tastes. And I think that's probably the smarter plan anyway.

Definitely smart. I wonder, sometimes, how much jazz development has been affected by musicians' reliance for income on those who eschew its commercial angle.

MG

[BruceH]

I quite agree. Michael Cuscuna's taste in jazz is very different to mine and I think he has a very poor appreciation of the kind of jazz I like most. This leads to a BIG gap in my perception of the extent to which Mosaic has fulfilled its original promise, for which I blame MC. And I think he would probably say, "yeah, OK, but this is what I do."

But there's no way he should be criticised as a "fast buck artist".

MG

You probably have discussed this somewhere else, but can you be more specific? What jazz does he have a poor appreciation for?

MG: which original Mosaic promise are you referring to?

I wasn't referring to a specific promise. It was more like such a thing shows promise, y'know? I thought it did. And I have bought several boxes and selects. But so many things that I would have liked to have seen out as complete sets have been passed by that, overall, I'm disappointed with Mosaic's 25 year career so far.

I expect someone will ask what I would have liked to have come out, so I'll just mention Billy Larkin & the Delegates Aura/WP, Les McCann PJs, Reuben Wilson BNs, Groove Holmes PJs, JAM, a proper Patton set, a complete Blue Mitchell BNs etc etc. ...

Didn't they actually come out with that last one? Mosaic MD4-178? "The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions." Is the title of this set in error?

Michael Cuscuna's taste seems to match up with mine pretty well, so I've got no serious complaints. I think Mosaic is a good company that's filled a niche very well, provides prompt quality service, and puts out a good product. (Sometimes I get mad at myself for buying too many of their boxes, but that's my problem, not theirs.)

[Quincy]

Didn't they actually come out with that last one? Mosaic MD4-178? "The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions." Is the title of this set in error?

The title is The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions (1963-1967). So it's complete within that date range, however it omits Collision In Black & Bantu Village which came out afterwards.

Edited to add I threw in the Teagarden set when I ordered the Venuti/Lang.

Edited September 24, 2007 by Quincy

[J.A.W.]

Didn't they actually come out with that last one? Mosaic MD4-178? "The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions." Is the title of this set in error?

The Mosaic Blue Mitchell set does not include his post-1967 Blue Note recordings. The full title of the set is The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions (1963-1967).

[BruceH]

Ah.

[woofy]

Big fucking deal.

MG

Yes, it is. I probably would have made a few purchases over a longer period of time and gotten whacked for shipping each time. I'm going to make a larger purchase (this was their plan anyway) and save shipping on what would have been two or three purchases. I am not interested in their entire output, but I have been satisfied with what I have bought from them, so far.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

a complete Blue Mitchell BNs etc etc. ...

Didn't they actually come out with that last one? Mosaic MD4-178? "The Complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions." Is the title of this set in error?

"Collision in black" and "Bantu village" are missing from the Mosaic. The title of the set is not, however, in error. "The complete Blue Note Blue Mitchell Sessions 1963-1967". The missing items were recorded in 1968 and 1969 repectively. (It's like the small print on an insurance policy that means you won't ever be able to claim.)

MG