Guest akanalog Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 hello. i own a TOCJ (or JRVG-i always forget the difference) of sonic boom. it does not have the second session which i see is present on the new conn. release. i was wondering if anyone felt this second session warranted me re-purchasing sonic boom or if it was no big deal. the lineup of the second session certainly interests me and i enjoy morgan from this period, but is it worth the nearly $20 investment? thanks for any input. Quote
couw Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I happen to like the session. It's rather straight ahead, fun stuff with some very memorable easy tunes. Some may say it's a bit bland. It fits well with Sonic Boom IMO. Anyhow, 20$ for this one seems steep to me unless you are a completist. Which apparantly you are not or you would already have had the Procrastinator TOCJ. I think the conns can be had cheaper than that. I saw prices of 13$ being mentioned on this board. Quote
BruceH Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I like it quite a lot, but I'm perhaps a bit of a hardbop fanatic. If you see the Conn at a halfway reasonable price, get it. I don't think you'll be disappointed. Quote
jlhoots Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I have the TOCJ of Sonic Boom also. Never could find the TOCJ of The Procrastinator. So I ordered the new Conn. of Sonic Boom. $12.59 at www.cduniverse. Disclaimer - it's on backorder there, as are all of the new Conns. Quote
Guest akanalog Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 yeah here in new york city, conns go for $17.99 new. doesn't sound like i need to run out and buy the new "sonic boom". this has always been one of my favorite albums, by the way, Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I really like the 2nd session on the new "Sonic Boom" (a.k.a. the second session on "The Procrastinator"). It won't change your world, but I do think it's a solid session. I paid a fair bit for a TOCJ of "The Procrastinator" a couple years ago, and wasn't dissapointed by the quality of the date (I already had the U.S. "Procrastinator", so the extra session was my only reason for looking for the TOCJ.) I imagine the two sessions fit together quite nicely on the new Conn. I'd say get it, for anything less than $15. Quote
sidewinder Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 (edited) Yes, it's a nice session. Worth hearing for the work by Coleman and Priester. That kickoff track by George Coleman (I forget what it's titled) seems to played quite a lot by George in his various quartets over the years. It has a nice, challenging and fast chord sequence that he usually tears apart. Edited October 8, 2003 by sidewinder Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 Always great to hear a Lee as part of a three-horn front line too. I'd give the extra session (just by itself) at about 3 and 1/2 stars. ( It's not quite good enough (or maybe "not long enough" is part of the problem) to be a 4-star session, but it's better than a bunch of 3-star sessions I can think of. ) Quote
BruceH Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 If you don't have either of them (like I didn't), then the Sonic Boom Conn is the best buy of the bunch. 74 minutes of Lee Morgan for $16? Worth it! Quote
mgraham333 Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I ordered Sonic Boom along with all of the other Conns in this set. Most of these discs were new music to me and I was honestly expecting "just another Morgan date." I now realize my folly in ever combining "just another" with "Morgan date." There is some very beautiful playing by Morgan on this one. I also like the missing piece of The Procrastinator--which I put off buying for the longest time . I am going to play them back-to-back when I get home. Quote
Brad Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I have the Sonic Boom TOCJ but to have a whole second session is worth picking up. I just haven't done it yet. The place I buy from which usually has them for $3 or $4 off didn't have them yet so I wasn't too happy. I wound up paying full price for Passing Ships and Mothership (not too happy, but got too much on my credit card; my wife might kill me). Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted October 8, 2003 Report Posted October 8, 2003 I would put that session at, or near the bottom of his BN dates. Quote
DrJ Posted October 9, 2003 Report Posted October 9, 2003 Interesting range of opinions on the "extra" date on the new SONIC BOOM. Personally, I really like it - there's a gorgeous version of "Stormy Weather." It is certainly somewhat more subdued than many Morgan sessions but I find it very enjoyable, showcasing the more lyrical and "arranged" side of Morgan's talent. If anyone has the STANDARDS date that was issued in the U.S. a few years back, it has a comparable feel to it in many ways despite the different lineup of players. Quote
JSngry Posted October 9, 2003 Report Posted October 9, 2003 This session will probably sound "better" as part of SONIC BOOM than as part of THE PROCRASTINATOR, since SONIC BOOM is a darn good date and THE PROCRASTINATOR is a heavy experience (I mean, "Dear Sir" up against "Claw-Tilda", well...), It took me a while to even listen to the 2nd LP a second time, so engrossing was the first. Looking at stuff like TOM CAT that came out after PROCRASTINATOR, I wonder why this was the date selected for the second half of the 2-fer. Maybe they figured that ANYTHING would suffer by comparison so they picked a session that didn't suck, but didn't really matter either, sort of a "player to be named later". SONIC BOOM, although a beautiful date, isn't mesmerizing the way THE PROCRASTINATOR is, so that second date can probably get a "fairer" hearing now. I think it's OK, but not anything I couldn't live without. There's moments, for sure, but for me, overall, it's in Rajahland (glad to have it as a document, but certainly understandable why it sat in the can), only with less interesting tunes. Quote
DrJ Posted October 9, 2003 Report Posted October 9, 2003 Yeah, THE PROCRASTINATOR is one of my favorite Morgan sessions! A good candidate to be RVG'd someday (they've done it with several prior Conns, after all). Quote
couw Posted October 9, 2003 Report Posted October 9, 2003 Sonic Boom is one of those albums I don't play that often and when I do I am always struck at how good it actually is. I played it last night and re-reading my comment above, I would probably have phrased it a bit different (hey, what are you doing now then couw?) The 1969 sextet session will certainly sit better with Sonic Boom as both have a much more extrovert character than the original Procrastinator. That is actually why I think many of us were enthusiastic about the idea of combining the session with the Sonic Boom reissue (this idea was born on this board and brought to Cuscuna by Kevin, alas proof no longer exists as the thread got deleted). It deserves to be heard, but it won't change your world. As Jim rightfully points out, is in Rajah land with other "lost sessions" like Taru and Standards. Unlike The Rajah and Taru (which I find a very uneven album with nonetheless great tunes), there are no sneeky little gems, like The Rajah's "A Pilgrim's Funny Farm" and Taru's "Haeschen." It's more like the equally nice-but-not-outstanding Standards date in that respect. Of course all this comparing amounts to nothing as I could easily attack my own assesment above. (What do you mean? You think there's only ONE good song on Taru?? ermmm.. no, of course not it's just that --- ) Quote
pryan Posted October 9, 2003 Report Posted October 9, 2003 I agree with what Chuck and Jim said. This session is basically a fun blowing session, with no real complex/interesting/innovative tunes, just nice soloing by the participants. Coleman probably has the best outing as far as the horns are concerned, but Morgan is also good (although some of the licks/solos seem very similar to previous solos on other, earlier albums). Not an album you'd recommend to a Morgan newbie; it doesn't add much to Lee's discography, although it doesn't detract from it either (ie. it's not a complete dud). Quote
Shrdlu Posted October 9, 2003 Report Posted October 9, 2003 I love "The Rajah", JS. I even got a TOCJ of it. That opening track, "A Pilgrim's Funny Farm" (or some name like that) is long and haunting - Cedar Walton's sound adds a lot to its overall quality. It is also one of Paul Chambers' last sessions, if memory serves. The (main) "Procrastinator" session is awesome. What a lineup. The "Sonic Boom" session never really got to me. I was always disgusted to see the panic prices on eBay for it. (A kind of latter-day "Straight No Filter" - remember those days?) The appearance of the new CD will have put an end to that. Quote
Daniel A Posted October 10, 2003 Report Posted October 10, 2003 Thanks to DrJ:s comments on the old board I gave 'Sonnic Boom' another chance, and found that it was a lot better than I first thought. And I certainly agree that Walton is playing better than on almost any other BN recording he appeared on. As for the 2nd session, I agree with Chuck completely... Quote
connoisseur series500 Posted October 10, 2003 Report Posted October 10, 2003 I love the bonus cuts on the Conn "Sonic Boom." Hard bop at its best! Did anyone happen to notice a lot of horn distortion to some of the cuts? Seems like the remastering didn't go well, or perhaps this is another example of tape deterioration? Quote
ghost of miles Posted October 10, 2003 Report Posted October 10, 2003 Did anyone happen to notice a lot of horn distortion to some of the cuts? Yes. I'd file the second session under "Glad to have it because I'm a Morgan fan, but wouldn't go out of my way (i.e., Japan) to get it." So I'm happy that they tucked it into the end of SONIC BOOM. TOM CAT sticks in my mind for some reason--it's probably the Morgan that I go back to the most. Quote
Man with the Golden Arm Posted October 10, 2003 Report Posted October 10, 2003 I love the bonus cuts on the Conn "Sonic Boom." Hard bop at its best! Did anyone happen to notice a lot of horn distortion to some of the cuts? Seems like the remastering didn't go well, or perhaps this is another example of tape deterioration? cs500, I'm glad somebody else noticed and posted as I thought it was just my system ducking out from under some sort of lack for headroom or that I was listening to one of the earlier RVGs. Must be in the tape as the left side sonics competely change especially during "Stormy Weather" and "Mr. Johnson". Odd that the stand out first cut "Free Flow" off the second session sounds quite nice at the onset and then seems to deteriorate. Being the first I've heard either of these sessions they are night and day apart for me. (What Chuck said above) Still a for a load of tunes Quote
davef Posted October 13, 2003 Report Posted October 13, 2003 Have there been any comparisons on the sound quality between the TOJC and the new Conn for the base Sonic Boom album? Quote
lukrion Posted October 13, 2003 Report Posted October 13, 2003 I noticed distortion kick in too. It didn't sound like it was recorded too hot, so I'm guessing it was a problem with the tape or transfer. Quote
couw Posted October 13, 2003 Report Posted October 13, 2003 can anyone point out the distortion somewhat more specific (w/ timings)? that way others (like me) can check against the TOCJ Quote
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