Good News From Mosaic

[Dave James]

I check the Mosaic website every day to see if anything has shaken loose with regard to the sets that are on backorder. It appears that the Johnny Smith box is once again available. That's good news in that it's the first of the backordered sets to actually go back in circulation.

Up over and out.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Dave James

[J.A.W.]

The Chu Berry set and Denny Zeitlin Select are also back in stock.

[papsrus]

I check the Mosaic website every day to see if anything has shaken loose with regard to the sets that are on backorder. It appears that the Johnny Smith box is once again available. That's good news in that it's the first of the backordered sets to actually go back in circulation.

Up over and out.

Noticed this at the end of their email:

For those of you who have the Turner Classic Movie channel (TCM) tonight at 8:00 P.M. EST they are celebrating Johnny Mercer's 100th birthday beginning with the documentary "Johnny Mercer: The Dream's On Me".

[tranemonk]

I've been thinking about that Chu Berry set... :unsure:

I know I've said this before but my one hesitation is that the sound samples on the website appear very quiet to me...

For those of you who have the set... How does the sound compare to other/the best sounding Mosaics??? (As a comparison point to me - One of the best sounding Mosaics is the Tal Farlow set..?

I check the Mosaic website every day to see if anything has shaken loose with regard to the sets that are on backorder. It appears that the Johnny Smith box is once again available. That's good news in that it's the first of the backordered sets to actually go back in circulation.

Up over and out.

[mgraham333]

I was told by someone at Mosaic when I called that the Crusaders set was going to be back later this Month (November).

[Patrick]

I was told by someone at Mosaic when I called that the Crusaders set was going to be back later this Month (November).

Good. Already have it in mind as a holiday gift (for someone else).

[sidewinder]

A very positive development - great news.

[J.A.W.]

I've been thinking about that Chu Berry set... :unsure:

I know I've said this before but my one hesitation is that the sound samples on the website appear very quiet to me...

For those of you who have the set... How does the sound compare to other/the best sounding Mosaics??? (As a comparison point to me - One of the best sounding Mosaics is the Tal Farlow set..?

The Chu Berry set contains recordings from the late 1930s/early 1940s, while the Tal Farlow dates stem from the 1950s. You can't compare those two sonically, it's apples and oranges.

Edited November 5, 2009 by J.A.W.

[B. Goren.]

I check the Mosaic website every day to see if anything has shaken loose with regard to the sets that are on backorder. It appears that the Johnny Smith box is once again available. That's good news in that it's the first of the backordered sets to actually go back in circulation.

Up over and out.

I've been waiting for the Joe Pass set and as soon as it is available again, I plan to order both together.

Edited November 6, 2009 by B. Goren.

[king ubu]

I've been thinking about that Chu Berry set... :unsure:

I know I've said this before but my one hesitation is that the sound samples on the website appear very quiet to me...

For those of you who have the set... How does the sound compare to other/the best sounding Mosaics??? (As a comparison point to me - One of the best sounding Mosaics is the Tal Farlow set..?

The Chu Berry set contains recordings from the late 1930s/early 1940s, while the Tal Farlow dates stem from the 1950s. You can't compare those two sonically, it's apples and oranges.

Well, as apples are clearly superior to oranges, the question is: which of the two is the apples and which the oranges

Glad to see the backordered sets coming back in stock, although after Cindy told me so (around the times of the Great Mosaic Debacle, or GMD as it will be known to future generations), I had no doubt that they would return to stock!

[jeffrey r]

I've been waiting for the Joe Pass set and as soon as it is available again, I plan to order both together.

A wise move I might add. Both Pass and Smith are great sets.

[Michel_M]

Back in stock :

The Complete Columbia Recordings of Woody Herman (1945-47)

The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-41

Not sure but I think

Verve/Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (#234) also because I was interested in this one but was backorder few weeks ago

Available November 30 th

Jazz Crusaders: Pacific Jazz Quintet Studio Sessions

Mosaic Select: Paul Chambers

mid-late December:

The Complete Pacific Jazz Joe Pass Quartet Sessions

The Complete Roost Sonny Stitt Studio Sessions

The Complete Roulette Jack Teagarden Sessions

Mosaic Select: Andrew Hill

[mjzee]

I just placed an order for the Johnny Smith box and the Sidney Bechet Select.

[mellowT]

I just placed an order for the Johnny Smith box and the Sidney Bechet Select.

I've had my eye on the Johnny Smith too. Can anyone tell me: is it closer to the Joe Pass or Tal Farlow set? I really dig the Pass, not so much the Farlow.

[sidewinder]

I just placed an order for the Johnny Smith box and the Sidney Bechet Select.

I've had my eye on the Johnny Smith too. Can anyone tell me: is it closer to the Joe Pass or Tal Farlow set? I really dig the Pass, not so much the Farlow.

I would say that the style is closer to the Tal, not as funky as Pass. If you don't like Tal though don't let that put you off. There's some lovely playing on the Johnny Smith set.

[mjzee]

I just placed an order for the Johnny Smith box and the Sidney Bechet Select.

I've had my eye on the Johnny Smith too. Can anyone tell me: is it closer to the Joe Pass or Tal Farlow set? I really dig the Pass, not so much the Farlow.

I haven't heard a lot of Johnny Smith (I have the Stan Getz date, "The New Johnny Smith Quartet" with vibes, and the Jeri Southern date which, sadly, is not included in the box), but I wouldn't characterize his style as like either Pass or Farlow. Smith's style is all about precision - he places his notes so cleanly and so accurately that you'd almost think he was a computer or a machine. So one of his allures is his technical proficiency. But his ideas are so musical that you're forced to concede their validity - that it's not solely about the technique. He also can play extremely pretty - so much so that, sometimes, you ask yourself whether this particular piece is really jazz. But then, it's such a lovely experience that you just give in.

I know a lot of guitarists consider Smith a god, because that proficiency is something they're in awe of. I'm approaching the box for its musical value, and I believe I'll be satisfied.

[jazzbo]

That's a good explanation mjzee. I love Smith's sound and the feel of the groups he leads. It's a great set, with excellent sonics.

Edited December 13, 2009 by jazzbo

[tranemonk]

I prefer the Farlow but the Smith does get a lot of play in my house.. I'd probably put it in my Top 10 Mosaics

[mellowT]

Thanks, guys, for all the responses and great advice. Special thanks to mjzee. You've convinced me to try it. I'm glad it's back in stock.

I just received a very small bonus yesterday, just enough to buy the Smith set with shipping.

I also got word, inadvertently, that the other two sets on my Christmas list (Louis Armstrong, Bing Crosby) have an excellent chance of finding their way under my tree. That should keep me humming for a while!

[mjzee]

Glad to help, MellowT. I think Johnny Smith is a unique voice.

I got my shipment today. Nicely packed, great service, fast delivery.

[mjzee]

By the way, when I stated "I like him because he sounds good" (or words to this effect), I found this passage in the booklet that (I think) says the same thing but in a different way:

It was the first of many outstanding recordings that established the guitarist's tasteful trademark style of lush, complex legato chordal voicings, interspersed with lightning-fast runs, all executed perfectly with a clear, rich sound and clean articulation.

[king ubu]

A guitar player by the name of Sir Jonathan Gasser has some great spots on the first of the "Jazz Studio" albums (one of the few worthy Lonehill reissue series). Of course his real name is Johnny Smith...