Corea/Burton - Crystal Silence 4CD set

[felser]

Saw this one listed in Goldmine magazine for September release on ECM. Anyone know anything about it?

[JETman]

Saw this one listed in Goldmine magazine for September release on ECM. Anyone know anything about it?

Crystal Silence + Duets + In Concert Zurich (including 2 solo pieces (1 each for Burton and Corea) not on original cd).

This is probably not a necessary purchase for those who have those 3 cd's, unless you want the approx. 20 minutes of music on the double-live lp and NOT on the single cd.

[king ubu]

It's a 4CD set, same packaging as the recent 3CD set (Jarrett Trio, Codona Trilogy, Kuhn Solo/Trio/Quartet).

Don't know any of the music, so I guess I should grab it... it's again pretty cheap, but a bit pricier as it contains one more disc.

Gary Burton

Chick Corea

Crystal Silence - The ECM Recordings 1972-79

Gary Burton vibraphone

Chick Corea piano

Crystal Silence

Señor Mouse

Arise, Her Eyes

I'm Your Pal

Desert Air

Crystal Silence

Falling Grace

Feeling And Things

Children's Song

What Game Shall We Play Today

Duet

Duet Suite

Children's Song No. 15

Children's Song No. 2

Children's Song No. 5

Children's Song No. 6

Radio

Song to Gayle

Never

La Fiesta

In Concert, Zürich, October 28, 1979

Señor Mouse

Bud Powell

Crystal Silence

Tweak

I'm Your Pal / Hullo, Bolinas

Love Castle

Falling Grace

Mirror, Mirror

Song To Gayle

Endless Trouble, Endless Pleasure

Recorded 1972-1979

ECM 2036

This 4-CD box set reprises the history-making recordings “Crystal Silence” (1972), “Duet” (1978) and the live double album “In Concert, Zürich, October 28, 1979”. The duo was a seldom-tested format in jazz when pianist Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton, at the instigation of Manfred Eicher, came together for “Crystal Silence”, but its luminous music proved a resounding success. Both “Duet” and the Zürich recording won Grammy awards, and Chick and Gary toured to worldwide acclaim, astonishing audiences with their improvisational fluency. They have continued to make music together, for almost 40 years now: “Crystal Silence, The ECM Recordings” shows how the story began. Two live selections, “I’m Your Pal/Hullo Bolinas” and “Love Castle”, appear on CD for the first time in this collection. Booklet includes liner notes by Peter Rüedi and Steve Lake, and photos by Ib Skovgaard Peterse and Ralph Quinke.

Release Date 28 August 2009

source: http://www.ecmrecords.com/Catalogue/ECM/2000/2036.php

[skeith]

Did anyone pick this up?

Does anyone know if they remastered the sound on this or any of the other recent ECM box sets?

[felser]

I have the Eberhard Weber 'Colours' set. Nothing on it indicates remastering, but it sounds great to me. Nicely done set if you don't mind the cardboard sleeves for the CD's, and the price is right.

[colinmce]

I always wondered: is there repro album art or no? I've been wanting the Andersen, Garabek and Rypdal sets.

[clifford_thornton]

The duo was a seldom-tested format in jazz when pianist Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton, at the instigation of Manfred Eicher, came together for “Crystal Silence”, but its luminous music proved a resounding success.

Didn't think duos were all that rare pre-1972.

[sonnymax]

The duo was a seldom-tested format in jazz when pianist Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton, at the instigation of Manfred Eicher, came together for "Crystal Silence", but its luminous music proved a resounding success.

Didn't think duos were all that rare pre-1972.

Rubbish (re: the ECM claim). There were many duos prior to the 70s. I'm quite familiar with various guitar duos like George Barnes & Carl Kress, Chuck Wayne & Joe Puma, Eddie Lang & Carl Kress, Eddie Lang & Lonnie Johnson, Dick McDonough & Carl Kress, George Barnes & Bucky Pizzarelli, etc.

Check out this live performance by Jim Hall & Barney Kessel:

Then there are the lovely duo recordings by Bill Evans & Jim Hall. And let us not forget this great one:

[felser]

I always wondered: is there repro album art or no? I've been wanting the Andersen, Garabek and Rypdal sets.

Front album cover photos in the booklet, but not on the sleeves for the CD's, which are plain white cardboard with album title printed. Missed opportunity there.

[JSngry]

[JETman]

I always wondered: is there repro album art or no? I've been wanting the Andersen, Garabek and Rypdal sets.

Front album cover photos in the booklet, but not on the sleeves for the CD's, which are plain white cardboard with album title printed. Missed opportunity there.

It's a neverending conundrum to be sure. When the consumers get prices they like, they're often reluctant to understand that those lower prices come at a cost. Record companies are not charitable organizations. Printing color covers on the sleeves would have meant higher prices for the sets. Then we'd be complaining about the higher prices instead of the lack of "proper" cover art. ECM obviously decided that its customer base prefers economic integrity over aesthetic beauty. I personally have no problem with that, and wish that more record companies saw it the same way.

Edited September 19, 2012 by JETman

[colinmce]

I'm fine with it. Just curious.

[CJ Shearn]

I always wondered: is there repro album art or no? I've been wanting the Andersen, Garabek and Rypdal sets.

Front album cover photos in the booklet, but not on the sleeves for the CD's, which are plain white cardboard with album title printed. Missed opportunity there.

It's a neverending conundrum to be sure. When the consumers get prices they like, they're often reluctant to understand that those lower prices come at a cost. Record companies are not charitable organizations. Printing color covers on the sleeves would have meant higher prices for the sets. Then we'd be complaining about the higher prices instead of the lack of "proper" cover art. ECM obviously decided that its customer base prefers economic integrity over aesthetic beauty. I personally have no problem with that, and wish that more record companies saw it the same way.

I've never paid less than near $20 for a single ECM CD and close to $40 for doubles ("Travels", "80/81", "Sleeper") so the Jarrett set, the only box I have in that series was a good price, the packaging of those reminds me of classical boxsets. I got a mint copy of "La Scala" used for $8 tho, so thats the cheapest ECM CD I've ever bought.

[JETman]

I always wondered: is there repro album art or no? I've been wanting the Andersen, Garabek and Rypdal sets.

Front album cover photos in the booklet, but not on the sleeves for the CD's, which are plain white cardboard with album title printed. Missed opportunity there.

It's a neverending conundrum to be sure. When the consumers get prices they like, they're often reluctant to understand that those lower prices come at a cost. Record companies are not charitable organizations. Printing color covers on the sleeves would have meant higher prices for the sets. Then we'd be complaining about the higher prices instead of the lack of "proper" cover art. ECM obviously decided that its customer base prefers economic integrity over aesthetic beauty. I personally have no problem with that, and wish that more record companies saw it the same way.

I've never paid less than near $20 for a single ECM CD and close to $40 for doubles ("Travels", "80/81", "Sleeper") so the Jarrett set, the only box I have in that series was a good price, the packaging of those reminds me of classical boxsets. I got a mint copy of "La Scala" used for $8 tho, so thats the cheapest ECM CD I've ever bought.

Why are you paying so much for ECM's? On average, I probably pay $13-$15 per.

[CJ Shearn]

Stores around here. "Sleeper" at Amazon was not cheap even. Most single ECM's are $18.99 in brick and mortar stores.

[colinmce]

ECMs are cheap at Jazz Loft, who also stock the Euro-only titles. If you wait 6-12 months, the price cuts in half at places like Movie Mars, Import CDs, Red Tag Market et al at Amazon.

[JSngry]

The duo was a seldom-tested format in jazz when pianist Chick Corea and vibraphonist Gary Burton, at the instigation of Manfred Eicher, came together for "Crystal Silence", but its luminous music proved a resounding success.

Didn't think duos were all that rare pre-1972.

Rubbish (re: the ECM claim). There were many duos prior to the 70s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eXn6CkbLeU

[skeith]

I just picked up the 4 cd Crystal Silence set.

Haven't listened to it all yet, but on comparing Crystal Silence from the 4 cd box to the single cd available, the box set sounds like it may have slightly different and superior remastering... but it is so subtle I can't swear to it.

It was mentioned above that the original covers are reprinted in the liner notes booklet - but in the Crystal Silence box the original covers are reprinted in black and white and are about the size of a postage stamp - you wonder why they bothered? And the original color cover of Crystal Silence was quite beautiful IMO.

Edited September 26, 2012 by skeith

[skeith]

Another issue, admittedly minor, that I want to raise about this box set.

There are two essays in the liner notes: one in English and another in German.

At first I thought it was the same essay in the two languages, then looking a bit closer I noticed that the authors are different and even though I don't speak German, from a brief perusal of the text it was obvious to me that the German text is a completely different essay.

Now I know that most Germans would have little trouble with English, but I would have appreciated having an English translation of the German essay.

by the way, the essay in English is informatve and good.

[felser]

the box set sounds like it may have slightly different and superior remastering...

Stop trying to tempt me, I don't want to spend the $30!

[skeith]

the box set sounds like it may have slightly different and superior remastering...

Stop trying to tempt me, I don't want to spend the $30!

Well then just remember that you won't be able to read that essay in German and that will stop you!!

[skeith]

All kidding aside, I wouldn't swear to it that the mastering of this cd has changed from previous issues.

But perhaps one thing that might be of consideration is that the live portion of this box has two tracks that were on the original LP but left of all previous cd issues because they would not fit on a single cd - by the way the tracks left off were solo performances one by Corea and another by Burton.