Stanley Turrentine Box

[Soul Stream]

Man, since seeing Stanley on the "One Night With Blue Note" DVD recently, it made me really re-appreciate his thing. I have quite a bit of Stanley, I REALLY don't need more. I could probably live on "Hustlin'" alone for the rest of my life! But being the never-satisfied individual that I am, I've been contemplating the Stanley Mosaic.

Yes, I'm familiar and have some of the stuff on it. Like many I'm sure. However, some of this stuff is unreleased I think. Can anybody who has this care to comment on the musical direction of some of the later material in the box. Some of the personnel make it seem to throw a few curve balls which might make it worth the jump.

Plus, Stanley's just so DAMN baaaaddddd.

[ralphie_boy]

I have it and enjoy it. The later sessions (whose titles I don't recall at the moment) are very good. One of them features Lee Morgan. I'd say that all of the sessions included in the set are excellent. I particularly dig Jubilee Shout.

[Dan Gould]

I still haven't picked this one up since I have had all of the material in one form or another. In Memory Of and Mr. Natural were "Rainbow" issues of the late 70s and Another Story is a Liberty-era set that's kind of an oddball for the time since he usually recorded with an organ or a big band at that time and this is a quintet date with Thad Jones and Cedar Walton. All three have never been out on CD anywhere, I believe.

I'm sure the set is great, I've just hesitated to put out the $$ because the music's not "new" to me, though I'd like to hear a nice transfer of the vinyl-only dates.

[Shrdlu]

This is a typical bit of Blue Note frustration, as the music is all top-notch (can never have too much Stanley!) but the remastering is poor. It is painfully trebly, but, as I recall, the sound was worse on the first three CDs, and the later sessions that you are after came out better. If only they could get Malcolm Addey, who did such a superb job with the new Mulligan set, to do the Blue Note/Capitol stuff.

All in all, taking into account that some of this set is virtually unobtainable elsewhere, you might as well order it. You are sure to be able to sell it if you wish to do so - I did.

[jazzbo]

I'm with SHR on this one, exactly: the first three discs suck soundwise!

[Soul Stream]

That's a shame to hear about the sound. Is it all that bad? I mean, I don't deem very much "unlistenable." A Fickle Sonance is one of the few I virually cannot listen to without getting a near "telephone eq" headache.

That said, thanks for the head up. I do wish Mosaic would get a new name or two on the remastering.

[wesbed]

This is not an old set (circa 2002). I was planning to purchase this set only when it went to Last Chance status. Unfortunately, for me, I'm in a Stanely T mood right now. I know I'll wind up buying this set looooong before it goes to Last Chance.

[sjarrell]

That's a shame to hear about the sound.  Is it all that bad?  I mean, I don't deem very much "unlistenable."  A Fickle Sonance is one of the few I virually cannot listen to without getting a near "telephone eq" headache. 

That said, thanks for the head up.  I do wish Mosaic would get a new name or two on the remastering.

I think the Mr T set sounds great- but that's my ears. Hop over to the "Dizzy Reece Select" thread where I asked the question "what's wrong with McMaster anyway" and got a good answer...

Edited March 28, 2004 by sjarrell

[Brad]

I think this stuff about the sound not being up to par is a little overblown. Like Shrdlu said, where else are you going to get it? Better to have it than not in my book and I'm glad I do.

[Hardbopjazz]

I listen to the set all the time. It has some of his best playing. Get it.

[ralphie_boy]

I love this set too and really don't think that the sound is that bad. Definitely not as bad as A Fickle Sonance IMO. I'm not an audiophile though, so if Lon says it sucks, then it probaby does, but I don't have a problem with it. The sessions are really good though.

[jazzbo]

I guess it depends on your system; for me the sound on the first three discs is NOT GOOD AT ALL, it has that treble grit that seems to be an artifact of the NoNoise board that McMaster has or just his frequency balance of choice. . . .

I live with it, but in a system without tone controls you don't reach for it with relish!

That said, there are great sessions in this box set, and as Dan has pointed out a goodly portion not on cd anywhere else. There is only one unreleased session however; the others have been released on lp and some on cd.

[John L]

I really like this entire set. As a coincidence, it covers exactly the Turrentine territory that I had little of before that time. The sound on the first three discs doesn't grate my ears. But I am not an audiophile.

The big surprise for me on the box was the "Another Story" session with Thad Jones. Fantastic music!

[Brad]

I guess my point is that it's more important to get the music out than worry about the remastering although obviously it shouldn't be garbage either. I'm not an audiophile although I have a good system but based what I know of Lon's not as good as his. I'll also admit that if I hear crappy sound it'll drive me a little nuts. I remember somebody saying a long time ago that because they didn't like who remastering the Fantsay reissues they wouldn't buy the cd. That to me is the center of the debate or the crux of the problem. And to me that's plain nuts.

[BruceH]

Damn, the sound ain't THAT bad! Unless you are an audiophile, I don't think the sound will be an issue. Personally, I treasure this box, because when I got it I had very little Turrentine (except as a sideman). So I'm with John L---get the set. You won't be sorry.

[ralphie_boy]

I really like this entire set. As a coincidence, it covers exactly the Turrentine territory that I had little of before that time. The sound on the first three discs doesn't grate my ears. But I am not an audiophile.

The big surprise for me on the box was the "Another Story" session with Thad Jones. Fantastic music!

Yes! That session is a killer.

[Clunky]

I'm with SHR on this one, exactly: the first three discs suck soundwise!

Alyn Shipton's excellent Jazz Library programme has had me reaching for what little Stanley T I have. I've not listened in years but I'm really enjoying The Spoiler and Comin' your way. I avoided the Mosaic set these years because of the reports of the sound and the fact I never realy valued ST's playing.

I'm reconsidering. Is the sound on the Mosaic any worse than that on the 80s McMaster version I have of Comin' your way

[Shawn]

I'm with SHR on this one, exactly: the first three discs suck soundwise!

Alyn Shipton's excellent Jazz Library programme has had me reaching for what little Stanley T I have. I've not listened in years but I'm really enjoying The Spoiler and Comin' your way. I avoided the Mosaic set these years because of the reports of the sound and the fact I never realy valued ST's playing.

I'm reconsidering. Is the sound on the Mosaic any worse than that on the 80s McMaster version I have of Comin' your way

The sound on this set is fair, but it's never really bothered me. I know that it would have been handled better by a different mastering engineer, but it's definitely listenable. However...the music is AWESOME. Every session in this box is a keeper and anybody with even a passing interest in Turrentine should own it.

[sidewinder]

I find the sound on the Turrentine set quite acceptable. It's a set I don't play anywhere near enough.