Mulligan Complete CJB

[mikeweil]

I recently ordered two DVDs with Monk documentaries and a Rollins CD not available in Europe from Amazon.com, and after paying EUR 10 for VAT and tax it was still considerably cheaper than buying the DVDs at a European shop. You always should compare prices and shipping and costs and then decide where to order. I even would have paid more when buying these DVDs at ebay Germany!

[J.A.W.]

I wasn't saying Mosaic sets are cheaper in Europe, I was just comparing the price Amazon Germany are charging for the non-U.S. Verve CJB set to the price of the Mosaic CJB set; they're about the same, so it'll be cheaper for Europeans to buy the Verve set from Amazon Germany, taking shipping cost and taxes into account.

[Claude]

Mosaic and customs tax: I remember that Mosaic usually put a $5/disc price on the customs declaration sticker. This is why I never had to pay customs tax on the sets I bought from Mosaic. I haven't been as lucky with the sets I auctioned on Ebay.

[Bluerein]

Of course you can find it cheaper (or even used) if you look hard enough but the fact remains it doesn't support Mosaic. If you don't care about that and only want it the cheapest way go ahead but I do care and wish they will last especially under these tough times they're facing.

And with the $5 per cd for customs there's no way you're gonna pay taxes on this set in Europe.

But to each it's own.......

Cheers,

Reinier

[Shrdlu]

You mention "tough times" for Mosaic, Reinier. I don't doubt that, but does anyone have any more information about this? I have not seen any comments along these lines in their catalogs. I sure hope that they do not fold, or find themselves forced to be taken over by some commercial company that might try to alter the way they do things.

My opinion on the "where to buy" issue is that Mosaic deserves the business, and I bought mine from them.

[Bluerein]

The whole music business faces tough times. They had to lay off 2 people so does that say enough???

Anyway as I said the bargain hunters won't agree with me and so be it. I just vented my personal feelings about this.

Cheers,

Reinier

[Claude]

I just received an email from Amazon.de saying that the shipment of the Mulligan set was delayed.

In my many past orders from Amazon Germany, when I got this mail the order was always canceled in the end ("We are unable to get this item").

Maybe their deal on this set was too cheap. Or has anyone already received one from Amazon.de?

Edited November 11, 2003 by Claude

[Daniel A]

And with the $5 per cd for customs there's no way you're gonna pay taxes on this set in Europe.

I can recall times when I've had to pay additional VAT on my Mosaic orders. Not every time, but it has happened.

I don't say that we shouldn't support Mosaic. But it seems that for each penny Mosaic will get from me when I buy from them, I'll have to pay considerably more. In that case, better to buy the set over here and give Mosaic a donation...

[brownie]

I can recall times when I've had to pay additional VAT on my Mosaic orders. Not every time, but it has happened.

Same here. This has happened twice in the last purchases I made from Mosaic. Don't recall how much it added but it was pretty substantial.

[Clunky]

I can recall times when I've had to pay additional VAT on my Mosaic orders. Not every time, but it has happened.

Same here. This has happened twice in the last purchases I made from Mosaic. Don't recall how much it added but it was pretty substantial.

same here but this has nothing to do with Mosaic but the random way in which customs select out packages due duty. I have not had to pay any duty on packages of 5 CDs or less. So recent CJB set had Fred Anderson's Nessa disc added. Still represents good value in my estimation. Occasionally I have been lucky and seen much larger sets cruise through customs with duty unlevied. If Mosaic changed there $5 per disc policy it would dramatically cut the number of sets I buy.

[JohnS]

Just to add my two cents - packages sent via the postal service are very much less likely to be intercepted by customs and charged. Packges sent by courier or freight will almost certainly attract duty if it's due.

[andersf]

Possibly there is a ethical dilemma about buying cheaper in Europe; it could also be argued that by buying from Verve rather then Mosaic, we are supporting joint projects which otherwise would not be realised.

Wouldn't it also be unethical to take advantage of Mosaic's summer offer (10% off Mosaic sets or $5 off True Blue CDs)?

Customs and VAT, at least in Sweden, seems to be applied more stingently now than a few years ago. This summer I even had to pay VAT for CDs purchased from the UK (Miles at the Blackhawk). If there is a pattern it would be the obvious one that large parcels attract attention more often.

One way of buying, which appears to work with at least some smaller businesses in the US is to ask for the CDs to be shipped without their jewel cases; not only does the postage become less, the package may also attact less attention going through customs.

Edited November 11, 2003 by andersf

[Claude]

People from the customs in my country told me they had to get more staff because internet orders have enormously increased during the last year. More and more people are using the internet to order DVDs in the US, and the low $ rate has made it even more attractive. Customs couldn't cope with all those small packages and let most of them pass without charging tax.

But now they cought up and I have to pay customs tax more often. Whereas $50 packages wouldn't be charged in the past (tax is due for value > 20 Euro) there are in 50% cases now. But even with 19% tax added is is cheaper to order in the US most of the time.

This summer I even had to pay VAT for CDs purchased from the UK (Miles at the Blackhawk).

Probably the store where you bought them didn't apply the rules properly. Internet shops now charge the local VAT rate of their EU customers. Before the rules changed this year, the VAT rate of the stores' country was applied.

Edited November 11, 2003 by Claude

[andersf]

Probably the store where you bought them didn't apply the rules properly. Internet shops now charge the local VAT rate of their EU customers. Before the rules changed this year, the VAT rate of the stores' country was applied.

That's the way it happened.

It would be easier if the VAT was applied correctly at source. Also the administrative fee charged by customs would be avoided.

Edited November 11, 2003 by andersf

[J.A.W.]

Of course you can find it cheaper (or even used) if you look hard enough but the fact remains it doesn't support Mosaic. If you don't care about that and only want it the cheapest way go ahead but I do care and wish they will last especially under these tough times they're facing.

And with the $5 per cd for customs there's no way you're gonna pay taxes on this set in Europe.

But to each it's own.......

Cheers,

Reinier

Of course Mosaic deserves our business, no doubt about that, and I'm willing to pay a few extra bucks to get the real thing; that's not my point - I was merely poiting out that in this case the Mosaic route is not the cheapest way to go; but it surely is the most sympathetic way!

[J.A.W.]

I asked Mosaic how they would feel if European customers would be buying the CJB set (the one issued by Verve) in Europe rather than ordering it directly from them.

This is the reply I just got:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you very much for your consideration for Mosaic Records finances. However, in this case this is a transaction we entered into with Verve fully realizing that many of our international customers would be buying from their local dealer to save on shipping, duties and taxes. This is much different from any "unauthorized" sets that may be released overseas or CDRs. Therefore save the money and maybe with additional funds more Mosaic sets may be bought.

Again, thank you for the consideration.

Regards,

Mosaic Records

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Edited November 14, 2003 by J.A.W.

[Claude]

I just received an email from Amazon.de saying that the shipment of the Mulligan set was delayed.

In my many past orders from Amazon Germany, when I got this mail the order was always canceled in the end ("We are unable to get this item").

I received an email today saying my set has been shipped

[Steve Gray]

Received mine today from Amazon UK.

It looks like a normal Mosaic box but for the moment I can't find the limited edition serial number.

Sounds wonderful - I'm in heaven.

[Leeway]

A nice notice in the 11/23/03 Washington Post for the Mulligan CJB Mosaic:

Washington Post

[Claude]

I received my "european" set from Amazon.de today (it took 10 days to ship from Germany )

The CDs are manufactured in the US, the only difference with other Mosaic sets being the absence of a serial number, the fact that the 2 parts of the box are not attached (feels like a chocolate box) and a large sticker at the back with the text from the webpage.

I've listened to the first two CDs. The remastering is wonderful.

[jazzbo]

Claude, that's the new style of Mosaic box, without hinges.

[Claude]

Thanks Lon, I didn't know that, as I only have those older style Mosaic sets.

A difference between the Universal and the Mosaic sets is the CD number of course:

MD4-221 for the set sold by Mosaic

B0000958-02 for the set sold by Universal

Has anyone noticed that the layout designer forgot the "Jazz" in the title, on the box and the CD booklet covers? The liner notes, the CD back- and sidecovers and the printing on the CDs are correct, but the box front says "Gerry Mulligan Concert Band"

Edited November 27, 2003 by Claude

[Jazzmoose]

Has anyone noticed that the layout designer forgot the "Jazz" in the title, on the box and the CD booklet covers? The liner notes, the CD back- and sidecovers and the printing on the CDs are correct, but the box front says "Gerry Mulligan Concert Band"

How embarrassing...not until you mentioned it!

[brownie]

Any idea why Mosaic decided to go unchronological on that Mulligan set?

All the Mosaics I have (and I have plenty) have disc 1 starting with the first chronological side, then the second and so forth.

Disc 1 of the Mulligan box starts with 'Sweet And Slow' that was recorded at the third Verve CJB session. Then more sides from that third session.

The very first recorded track 'I'm Gonna Go Fishin' is track 8 on disc 1. Sides from the second session follow.

It's a bit like getting into a good book which opens with Chapter 3

[Claude]

With the more recent sets such as the Byrd/Pepper, Mosaic started to rearrange sessions in the set so to have two complete sessions on one CD, instead of going strictly chronological and having sessions spread amongst 2 CDs. That wa a good choice in my view.

I don't know what they were trying to do with the Mulligan set.