Lester Young/Basie Set Selling Well

[JSngry]

Can you still find those Masters of Jazz discs anywhere?

I've within the last two weeks picked up two LPs of (mostly) 1944 Lincoln Hotel. Can't find that stuff just anywhere these days either.

[king ubu]

MoJ discs are difficult to find nowadays and may cost a lot.

They went under around in the early noughties, not sure when exactly, 2001/2, I think..

[kh1958]

Can you still find those Masters of Jazz discs anywhere?

I've within the last two weeks picked up two LPs of (mostly) 1944 Lincoln Hotel. Can't find that stuff just anywhere these days either.

A few of them are available from amazon sellers at elevated prices.

[king ubu]

Look through the Basie and Pres corners if you want to know which volumes contain lots of live material... I've got Vols. 4, 5, 6, 8 and 11... guess those fit the bill. The Famous Door material from July 15, 1939 is on the second half of Vol. 11 - I think that was how far they got with Basie, but I'm not sure there (it came out in 1999).

There's one overpriced offer here:

http://www.amazon.fr/Complete-Edition-Vol-11-Masters-Jazz/dp/B00000K2L7/

[kh1958]

I have six of the volumes on Masters of Jazz.

Volume 1 (1937-39)--I don't think any of this volume is rare.

Volume 3 (1943): There's just one track of Lester with Basie, an AFRS G.I. Jive Transcription.

Volume 4 (1944): No live material.

Volume 5 (1944): No live material.

Volume 6 (1944): This volume has some broadcasts, Basie from the Lincoln Hotel (one track), the Jammin' the Blues soundtrack, broadcast with Hot Lips Page and Charlie Barnett (1940)j, and Lee and Lester Young broadcast (1942).

Volume 7 (1945-46): Only live material is a JATP recording.

[king ubu]

Those are the Pres volumes (and more about them can be foudn in the Pres corner).

The ones I was talking about are the Basie volumes (eleven of them up to mid 1939). A quick search didn't turn up much on them, though I do rememeber they have been discussed somewhere here, several years ago.

[mikeweil]

Mike, I did get the orange and blue LP boxes... other than that, yes there's the "America's Band #1" box, which has all the octet studio material, some other small group (most of that in fact) and some selected big band sides (not enough of them, not nearly so!)... but the main point is the glorious live material on disc 4. Most or all of it had been out on Masters of Jazz before, but not in as great sound. Pres is amazing there! Some of the best I've heard!

Yes, not nearly enough of the big band classic sides ... thanks for your comment, I ordered that cheap copy. Since I'm not a Basie completist and have a lot of Pres, that should do it for me - besides the fact that I need a good sounding CD with Fiesta In Blue!

[medjuck]

Just checked the discography in the Lewis Porter Prez book. He lists a shit load of airchecks! I've only been able to find a couple of them. He also lists some Benny Goodman sides for RCA. Does Prez solo on them?

BTW Fiesta in Blue can be downloaded from iTunes. They have it from several sources.

[miles65]

Just checked the discography in the Lewis Porter Prez book. He lists a shit load of airchecks! I've only been able to find a couple of them. He also lists some Benny Goodman sides for RCA. Does Prez solo on them?

Only on Ti-pi-tin. It's on Masters Of Jazz MJCD 46 Lester Young volume 1 1937-1939. The complementary works.

All master takes from that session are on Classics 899 Benny Goodman 1937-1938

The two alt takes from that session are on Neatwork RP 2049 Benny Goodman volume 2 1937-1938

[brownie]

Can you still find those Masters of Jazz discs anywhere?

Not on their homeground anymore.

Plenty of the Masters of Jazz CDs turned up at discount stores here when the label went down but this is now a thing of the past!

[JSngry]

That's a bummer too...they never really were around in the stores here, and by the time I really figured out what they really were (I though they were that sorryass label that released whole albums under different names, but that was Giants of Jazz), they were gone.

Oh well...time to start looking at leisure and carpe-dieming when possible.

And next time, pay attention!

[David Ayers]

And next time, pay attention!

There's bound to be a next time.... right....?

[JSngry]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyFa-12BybI

[colinmce]

I was lucky enough to snag a sealed box of the first 5 volumes of the Armstrong MOJ series for $12 on ebay.

[Ted O'Reilly]

....I've never really understood how the famous Sony Original Masters Ellngton was put out in new and fine masters in 2008 only to disappear after a year or so. That showed what could be done, and at the lowest price imaginable. But why just that one, and why so short-lived...?

That is one fine release, and it was at a very fine price. Why indeed did it disappear so quickly? I'm told it's going at ridiculous prices on ebay.

That release showed the majors could beat the bootleggers at their own game...but as it seems to be a one-off, they choose NOT to do it.

[J.A.W.]

....I've never really understood how the famous Sony Original Masters Ellngton was put out in new and fine masters in 2008 only to disappear after a year or so. That showed what could be done, and at the lowest price imaginable. But why just that one, and why so short-lived...?

That is one fine release, and it was at a very fine price. Why indeed did it disappear so quickly? I'm told it's going at ridiculous prices on ebay.

That release showed the majors could beat the bootleggers at their own game...but as it seems to be a one-off, they choose NOT to do it.

That was a European release. Sony have their own release policy in the various European countries.

[Chuck Nessa]

....I've never really understood how the famous Sony Original Masters Ellngton was put out in new and fine masters in 2008 only to disappear after a year or so. That showed what could be done, and at the lowest price imaginable. But why just that one, and why so short-lived...?

That is one fine release, and it was at a very fine price. Why indeed did it disappear so quickly? I'm told it's going at ridiculous prices on ebay.

That release showed the majors could beat the bootleggers at their own game...but as it seems to be a one-off, they choose NOT to do it.

My guess is these packages were initiated by a Euro executive trying to battle the PD folks by going the PD route from his office. This put the parent company in a bad place and the issues were discontinued.

[Peter Johnson]

If I worked at Sony or Universal

The world would truly, finally be a kind and benevolent place! You got my vote, Lon!

[jazzbo]

Ha! Well, if I could do it from Austin, I'd accept if they call. Not sure i could handle that though. Even though I have experience dealing with the messed up state government of this century, I don't want to work in that sort of a situation again if I can help it. Almost got a job at my local Harley dealer, but a the last minute they decided not to add more staff now. They're telling me to sit tight and wait, and I will but I think I'll also target book stores next. Gotta do something to get the laptop off my lap and some money in the bank for my high property taxes.

Edited March 7, 2012 by jazzbo

[J.A.W.]

The Young/Basie set is now on the "Last Chance"-list.

[sidewinder]

The Young/Basie set is now on the "Last Chance"-list.

Thanks JAW. Just ordered it - really shouldn't push it to the wire like this and flog myself ( ). Whilst I was at it, I picked up the MJQ set as well.

[mr jazz]

I'm on the fence with this one. The number of outakes and the roller rink organ tracks put me off a bit. Any idea how many sets remain?

[golfcrazy1984]

I'm on the fence with this one. The number of outakes and the roller rink organ tracks put me off a bit. Any idea how many sets remain?

You should get it (IMHO), the material has never sounded this good and the booklet is GREAT.

The organ is off putting, I agree, but Lester sounded great on that session.

There are outtakes, but they only add (for me), as I love Lester.

I would not hesitate getting this if you are: a Count Basie Orchestra fan, a Prez fan, pre-WWI jazz fan.

I listen to this set often.

[J.A.W.]

I'm on the fence with this one. The number of outakes and the roller rink organ tracks put me off a bit. Any idea how many sets remain?

You should get it (IMHO), the material has never sounded this good and the booklet is GREAT.

The organ is off putting, I agree, but Lester sounded great on that session.

There are outtakes, but they only add (for me), as I love Lester.

I would not hesitate getting this if you are: a Count Basie Orchestra fan, a Prez fan, pre-WWI jazz fan.

I listen to this set often.

Pre-WWI?

[golfcrazy1984]

I'm on the fence with this one. The number of outakes and the roller rink organ tracks put me off a bit. Any idea how many sets remain?

You should get it (IMHO), the material has never sounded this good and the booklet is GREAT.

The organ is off putting, I agree, but Lester sounded great on that session.

There are outtakes, but they only add (for me), as I love Lester.

I would not hesitate getting this if you are: a Count Basie Orchestra fan, a Prez fan, pre-WWI jazz fan.

I listen to this set often.

Pre-WWI?

Whoops Pre-WWII, that's what I get for posting at work. lol.