The new Bird master takes box

[Man with the Golden Arm]

So. . . how is this set notes wise, sound wise, is it really complete?

up! any reviews so far??

[neveronfriday]

2.) The bird was prone to flying away, and in doing so, the set would be lost. The management figured customers might not be too happy. Customers don't mind Tetanus, but having your $50 set fly away MIGHT be too much.

From the posts in this thread so far I would say the department botched the job no matter what - the thing is gonna go flying anyway ...

[nmorin]

So. . . how is this set notes wise, sound wise, is it really complete?

Lon, the sound is nice, though I don't know if it is significantly better than the remastered Bird with Strings or the Verve Latin Sides.

The notes are ok, at best. It is NOT complete. They must have wanted to squeeze it on three CDs at the expense of leaving out a few studio recordings:

Repetition

Mango Mangue

No Noise

Okeedoke

Afro-Cuban Jazz Suite

Celebrity/Celerity

Ballade

I think songs two through five are on "South of the Border: The Verve Latin Sides", and the last two are from a session with Coleman

Hawkins for some movie, I think. Repetition is from the same session as "The Bird", the first song on the "complete" master takes.

Edited November 5, 2003 by nmorin

[jazzbo]

Thanks for letting me know. I'll probably pick this up after Christmas. . . tin box and all!

[Brad]

I assume there's no reason to buy this if you happen to have the 10 cd box they issued a few years ago. That box include the JATP material and that's not obviously here and with the non-inclusions mentioned above, if you've got the box, I don't think it makes much sense.

[jazzbo]

I for one don't have the box, just a number of single releases (including three or four Japanese) and having all the masters in one place makes sense to me.

[Claude]

I assume there's no reason to buy this if you happen to have the 10 cd box they issued a few years ago. That box include the JATP material and that's not obviously here and with the non-inclusions mentioned above, if you've got the box, I don't think it makes much sense.

The only reason would be an improvement in sound. I haven't heard the new box, but the single album releases in the Verve Master Edition series sound better than the 10CD box, which has been remastered in 1988.

[jazzbo]

Well, my wife bought this for me for Xmas. . . BUT I wont' be able to open it til Xmas!

It's sure giving me impetus for Xmas to be here!

I don't have all these masters. . . . I have most of them, but this will be an upgrade in sound, and supply me with the remaining masters I need.

[RDK]

Any updated opinions on this box? I was thinking of ordering it as a "freebie" through BMG. I dislike the tin, but have little of Bird's Verve stuff on CD (mostly LPs and cassettes ). Is this worth getting as opposed to, say, 3 or 4 of the individual discs?

[jazzbo]

Ray, I have to say. . . I really like this box. The tin I don't think will bother you much. The notes are very nice: you get the relevant session notes from the big complete box. The sound is EXCELLENT. To have all the masters in one place. . . a great thing too. I can recommend it.

[RDK]

Thanks Lon. Yeah, I think I'm gonna order this one. I was just cross-referencing tracks on AMG between this box and the various individual disc reissues and - what a mess! Other than getting the 10-disc box - which I don't want because of how the alt. takes are placed and because I already have the JATP stuff elsewhere - these tracks are scattered all over the place. Not really anyone's "fault" because of how these were originally released on EPs and LPs, with sessions often mixed-up by Grantz, but nevertheless...

The tin box seems to get about 95% of it, and it's all in one place, so...

[chris olivarez]

I ordered this from the BMG music club but a miscommunication caused the order to be canceled. I reodered it and this time it's on the way. I can't wait.