Lester Young Mosaic set

[DukeCity]

The Lincoln.

AFAIK, there is no decent "under one roof" collection of these, unless the late, lamented Masters Of Jazz label got to them before they folded. God knows there should be. The best LP I've come across was on some label called "Everybody's". It was Everybody's EV-3002, and besides the '44 Basie items, it had 2 superb cuts by Prez's first post-Basie combo (w/Shad & John collins), as well as 1 cut by the Young Brothers Band. Sublime music from start to finish, and all I got it on is a 20 year-old cassette dub from a buddy of mine.

This stuff ain't exactly "common" by any stretch of the imagination, but hell, it has been put out there, if only on some already obscure, "collector's" labels. I guess all those damn pirates who just copy shit from legit labels are too lazy to do some real work...

Looks like some of the Lincoln Hotel stuff is available on CD on the Circle label (the first few listed here): Amazon

I have a vinyl version of one of the Circle releases called "More 1944" that has some of it.

[mikeweil]

So what's the best issue for the Decca sides - the GRP/Decca 3 CD box?

[J.A.W.]

So what's the best issue for the Decca sides - the GRP/Decca 3 CD box?

Nope, that box suffers from noise reduction. The best-sounding issues for the Decca big-band sides are the Scottish Hep Jazz CDs that were mastered by the late John R.T. Davies.

Edited March 16, 2009 by J.A.W.

[Chuck Nessa]

Noise reduction isn't the problem for me. No bottom.

Edited March 16, 2009 by Chuck Nessa

[mikeweil]

Thanks!

[John L]

The Lincoln.

AFAIK, there is no decent "under one roof" collection of these, unless the late, lamented Masters Of Jazz label got to them before they folded. God knows there should be. The best LP I've come across was on some label called "Everybody's". It was Everybody's EV-3002, and besides the '44 Basie items, it had 2 superb cuts by Prez's first post-Basie combo (w/Shad & John collins), as well as 1 cut by the Young Brothers Band. Sublime music from start to finish, and all I got it on is a 20 year-old cassette dub from a buddy of mine.

This stuff ain't exactly "common" by any stretch of the imagination, but hell, it has been put out there, if only on some already obscure, "collector's" labels. I guess all those damn pirates who just copy shit from legit labels are too lazy to do some real work...

Yea, those Lincoln Hotel tracks are a bitch to track down on CD. Masters of Jazz did not make it to 1944 in their Count Basie series. They didn't even make it to 1940. Some cheap labels have issued a few of them, but typically mix them together with the widely reissued Lang-Worth transcriptions or Jubilee recordings from the same time period. I still have far from all of them.

[tranemonk]

Is there any duplication between the Mosaic Young-Basie and this set??? :unsure:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C9JD...;pf_rd_i=507846

thanks!

[J.A.W.]

Is there any duplication between the Mosaic Young-Basie and this set??? :unsure:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C9JD...;pf_rd_i=507846

thanks!

Can't check right now, but if I remember correctly there is some duplication.

[John L]

Is there any duplication between the Mosaic Young-Basie and this set??? :unsure:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C9JD...;pf_rd_i=507846

thanks!

Yes, there is a good amount of duplication. Disc 1: 1-10 is on the Mosaic box, as is Disc 2: 11-21 and Disc 3: 1-2

[tranemonk]

Wow... I assume the Mosaic has better sound???

Is there any duplication between the Mosaic Young-Basie and this set??? :unsure:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C9JD...;pf_rd_i=507846

thanks!

Yes, there is a good amount of duplication. Disc 1: 1-10 is on the Mosaic box, as is Disc 2: 11-21 and Disc 3: 1-2

[John L]

Wow... I assume the Mosaic has better sound???

Is there any duplication between the Mosaic Young-Basie and this set??? :unsure:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C9JD...;pf_rd_i=507846

thanks!

Yes, there is a good amount of duplication. Disc 1: 1-10 is on the Mosaic box, as is Disc 2: 11-21 and Disc 3: 1-2

The sound on the Columbia box is also excellent. I haven't compared them closely, but have no complaints about the sound on either of them. The boxes represent very different concepts, however. The Columbia box gives a general overview of the Basie era on Columbia (1936, 1938-1950) through selected recordings. The Mosaic box presents all of the known Columbia recordings of Basie and Lester Young (plus a session without Basie). If you have the Columbia box and are salivating for more Basie & Pres, then get the Mosaic. If not, then don't.

[tranemonk]

That's very helpful... My dilemma is simple.. I don't have either... and the Columbia sessions are a bit cheaper.... Hmmm.... :unsure:

What do you think?

Wow... I assume the Mosaic has better sound???

Is there any duplication between the Mosaic Young-Basie and this set??? :unsure:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000C9JD...;pf_rd_i=507846

thanks!

Yes, there is a good amount of duplication. Disc 1: 1-10 is on the Mosaic box, as is Disc 2: 11-21 and Disc 3: 1-2

The sound on the Columbia box is also excellent. I haven't compared them closely, but have no complaints about the sound on either of them. The boxes represent very different concepts, however. The Columbia box gives a general overview of the Basie era on Columbia (1936, 1938-1950) through selected recordings. The Mosaic box presents all of the known Columbia recordings of Basie and Lester Young (plus a session without Basie). If you have the Columbia box and are salivating for more Basie & Pres, then get the Mosaic. If not, then don't.

[jazzbo]

It's time for you to make up your own mind.

[J.A.W.]

That's very helpful... My dilemma is simple.. I don't have either... and the Columbia sessions are a bit cheaper.... Hmmm.... :unsure:

What do you think?

It's time for you to make up your own mind.

Yes, finally! Couldn't agree more.

Edited July 1, 2009 by J.A.W.

[fasstrack]

This may have been commented upon elsewhere, but it seems that the Lester Young Mosaic set has been a strong seller. I purchased my copy when I placed an order for the Art Farmer/Benny Golson set, and, when it arrived yesterday, I was suprised to see that it was numbered 3,126 of an edition of 5,000 sets maximum. The set was released last spring.

Now, I realize that Mosaic sets are not shipped in strict sequential order, but, nevertheless, there is a strong correlation between an individual set's number and how many copies of the set have actually sold. Although there is obviously reason to doubt that the Lester Young set will continue to sell at this same torrid pace, anyone intending to acquire this set would probably do well to consider purchasing it with his/her next Mosaic order. If the set continues to sell at one-half the present rate, it appears that it will sell out (not time out) before the end of next year.

I hate to be the killjoy, but what does that say when it's big news that one of the all-time greats of the so-called American Art Form sells a whopping 3,126 copies in mail-order. Truly sad.

[mjzee]

This may have been commented upon elsewhere, but it seems that the Lester Young Mosaic set has been a strong seller. I purchased my copy when I placed an order for the Art Farmer/Benny Golson set, and, when it arrived yesterday, I was suprised to see that it was numbered 3,126 of an edition of 5,000 sets maximum. The set was released last spring.

Now, I realize that Mosaic sets are not shipped in strict sequential order, but, nevertheless, there is a strong correlation between an individual set's number and how many copies of the set have actually sold. Although there is obviously reason to doubt that the Lester Young set will continue to sell at this same torrid pace, anyone intending to acquire this set would probably do well to consider purchasing it with his/her next Mosaic order. If the set continues to sell at one-half the present rate, it appears that it will sell out (not time out) before the end of next year.

I hate to be the killjoy, but what does that say when it's big news that one of the all-time greats of the so-called American Art Form sells a whopping 3,126 copies in mail-order. Truly sad.

I think it says 1) the economy's bad, and 2) perhaps many people have this material elsewhere.

[Cliff Englewood]

That's very helpful... My dilemma is simple.. I don't have either... and the Columbia sessions are a bit cheaper.... Hmmm.... :unsure:

What do you think?

thanks!

I say get both, you won't regret it, the booklet with the Mosaic is excellent, and there is some great live stuff on the Columbia set.

[mikeweil]

So what's the best issue for the Decca sides - the GRP/Decca 3 CD box?

Nope, that box suffers from noise reduction. The best-sounding issues for the Decca big-band sides are the Scottish Hep Jazz CDs that were mastered by the late John R.T. Davies.

I finally got these - very fast delivery from the label directly. The sound is truly amazing.

Edited July 4, 2009 by mikeweil

[JamesJazz]

I too love Pres' earlier stuff, and place the Deccas above all else, save the Jones-Smith session. The "America Dances" airshots (esp. "One O'Clock Jump") are wonderful. The Decca's also have Durham's "Time Out" which has some of the hippest writing of all time, IMHO.

[king ubu]

Digging this set now! Yowzah, this is good! Will take me a while to read all the booklet... got set #4055, so this indeed seems to sell pretty fast!