Bix/Trumbauer/Teagarden now in "Running Low"

[Ron S]

Just got an unusual Sunday email notification from Mosaic.

Also in the email:

  Quote

Mosaic Records Operations Update

Mosaic Records has not been immune to the shrinkage of the music industry and the ailing economy. Over the past two years, this has forced us to make some tough decisions and tighten our belt on more than one occasion.

In February, survival required us to close our warehouse and outsource our fulfillment to an excellent operation nearby. Like any new relationship, there will be bumps in the road initially but we are doing everything possible to insure that the quality of our operations maintain the high standard to which you have become accustomed. Please bear with us during this transitional period.

Our goal is to continue to mine vaults and issue definitive box sets of great jazz. The setbacks in the record industry have only made us more committed to the Mosaic Records mission.

[J.A.W.]

I posted that message earlier today, here

[Ron S]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:23 PM, J.A.W. said:

I posted that message earlier today, here

I think you and I were posting at the same time--it just took me a few minutes to get the formatting correct in my quotation box.

[J.A.W.]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:24 PM, Ron S said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:23 PM, J.A.W. said:

I posted that message earlier today, here

I think you and I were posting at the same time--it just took me a few minutes to get the formatting correct in my quotation box.

Maybe the two threads can be merged. I PMed the moderators about it.

[Ron S]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:26 PM, J.A.W. said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:24 PM, Ron S said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:23 PM, J.A.W. said:

I posted that message earlier today, here

I think you and I were posting at the same time--it just took me a few minutes to get the formatting correct in my quotation box.

Maybe the two threads can be merged. I PMed the moderators about it.

By the way, Hans--you forgot to mention the news about the Bix/Trumbauer/Teagarden set.

[J.A.W.]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:28 PM, Ron S said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:26 PM, J.A.W. said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:24 PM, Ron S said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:23 PM, J.A.W. said:

I posted that message earlier today, here

I think you and I were posting at the same time--it just took me a few minutes to get the formatting correct in my quotation box.

Maybe the two threads can be merged. I PMed the moderators about it.

By the way, Hans--you forgot to mention the news about the Bix/Trumbauer/Teagarden set.

That wasn't the topic of my thread

[colinmce]

Granted, my mind is mostly made up re: buying this set, but I would still like to know how much overlap there is with the JSP Bix/Tram set as far as those 4 discs of material go; I know the Mosaic is a 7-disc.

[martini]

Can anyone chime in on the sound quality of the Bix portions of the Mosaic set versus the Bix Restored CDs? I have the latter, but now I'm stressing over the Mosaic set, as it is running low. I love this music, so if it is a definite upgrade, it would make the Mosaic set essential as well. Any opinions would be appreciated.

[Ron S]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:29 PM, J.A.W. said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:28 PM, Ron S said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:26 PM, J.A.W. said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:24 PM, Ron S said:

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:23 PM, J.A.W. said:

I posted that message earlier today, here

I think you and I were posting at the same time--it just took me a few minutes to get the formatting correct in my quotation box.

Maybe the two threads can be merged. I PMed the moderators about it.

By the way, Hans--you forgot to mention the news about the Bix/Trumbauer/Teagarden set.

That wasn't the topic of my thread

You're such a thread purist.

[AllenLowe]

I have not heard the Bix Restored, but the old Euro EMI LPs of Bix and Bix and Tram are very close to the Mosaic in sound quality.

[jazzbo]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:55 PM, martini said:

Can anyone chime in on the sound quality of the Bix portions of the Mosaic set versus the Bix Restored CDs? I have the latter, but now I'm stressing over the Mosaic set, as it is running low. I love this music, so if it is a definite upgrade, it would make the Mosaic set essential as well. Any opinions would be appreciated.

If your only concern is the material shared between the two sets, you can sit tight with Bix Restored. The Mosaic sound is very good, but it's not "better" than the Bix Restored sound.

[Quincy]

  On 3/7/2010 at 5:53 PM, colinmce said:

Granted, my mind is mostly made up re: buying this set, but I would still like to know how much overlap there is with the JSP Bix/Tram set as far as those 4 discs of material go; I know the Mosaic is a 7-disc.

I own both, but I'm too lazy to give you the details as far as sessions. I can tell you that 3 of the JSP discs are 60 minutes long, give or take a minute with one disc almost being 70 minutes. Whereas the Mosaic discs range from 65 to 75 minutes. Bix is gone by disc 5, but the Tram sessions include Bing Crosby, Eddie Lang, and other "big" names. For me the key consideration is the last name in the set. The Teagarden sessions are prime stuff. I find myself returning to this often because of the draw of Bix or Teagarden, so I tend to start on either the 1st or last discs, yet the Tram-without-Bix portions shouldn't be ignored either. Bonus points for the black & white format working so well given the age of the material. I owned the JSP 1st, but I had no buyer's remorse or regrets about getting the Mosaic, and it's the one I play more often.

[mikeweil]

I ordered a copy - I should save my money, and still haven't listened through all of the H.R.S. sessions, but since I don't have any Bix on CD ....

Besides that, I don't need every take of Bix with all those orchestras.

Edited March 12, 2010 by mikeweil

[sidewinder]

  On 3/12/2010 at 7:36 PM, mikeweil said:

still haven't listened through all of the H.R.S. sessions.

That makes 2 of us - I'm still on CD2.

The Bix box is very highly recommended - another classy Mosaic box. Good move to pick up a copy.

[colinmce]

Hope mine shows up today. For the record, the shipping notice came from their new distributor.

[colinmce]

Not to bitch overmuch, but I think for 16 damn dollars shipping, my Mosaic set that I ordered on a Sunday oughn't be beat to my door by an Amazon Marketplace order (Duke Pearson Select!) I ordered the following Wednesday and paid 2.99 to have mailed.

[Chuck Nessa]

Check the weights and time on the USPS and UPS sights.

[colinmce]

The tracking number I got doesn't seem to work. I suppose that could mean there's a problem, but I'm sure it'll show up in the next couple days. If not, I'll get in touch with them good ol' 3PL WorldWide.

[mellowT]

The last time I ordered from Mosaic (1st week in Feb), I received the shipping notice on Monday, but the package wasn't postmarked until that Friday. That kind of threw me off with my expectations of USPS Priority Mail (which is the same price as UPS Ground).

[mikeweil]

Picked up mine today at the post office - at last I got them to attach invoice copies to spare me the ride across town to the customs. 

Well, the set is great - I can't imagine anyone to coax better sound out of these old recordings.