The Complete 1956-1964 Modern Jazz Quartet Atlantic Studio Recordings

[Face of the Bass]

I think it's great that Mosaic could negotiate for this material and have a financial winner here. This is not jazz muzak and it will sell. This project will probably be a lot more meaningful to the franchise (and thus to us fans and serial customers) than getting Sam Rivers' Rivbea tapes out there pronto.

Maybe, but I'm still disappointed that since the rumors of a Rivers set started swirling last year and there was the possibility for it coming out at the end of 2010, instead we've seen reissues of Ellington and the MJQ. Not to denigrate those sets, but it just seems to me that the Rivers stuff, because it has been much less available, is far more significant musically and historically. As a huge Mosaic fan I want to see them continue to produce more sets in the mold of Braxton, Threadgill, and Carter/Bradford, among others. To me there's a lot more potential for growth there than there is in going over the more mainstream stuff from the 1950s and 1960s.

That said, I'll probably get the MJQ at some point because it is not music that I own (except for maybe one or two albums). But it doesn't generate the same kind of excitement for me as a Rivers set would have.

I see your point and I'm looking forward to the Sam Set too, but I wouldn't denigrate the musical or historical significance of having coherent reissues of the Duke or the MJQ. Especially the Duke set, which is the first coherent reissue of this material on CD, and the first of any kind for 30 years or more. And as many people have pointed out, the bigger names probably subsidize the Rivers , Threadgills and Carter/Bradfords to some extent.

I don't mean to denigrate it. I get that there is a real value and significance to having these coherent (as you say) reissues. And I get that Mosaic is running a business. I'm just disappointed, that's all! A harmless emotion, really...

[Swinging Swede]

What I don't get is the 1964 cut off date. Half the "Porgy and Bess" album was recorded in in 1965 (unless the disco's are wrong). With the album "Jazz Dialogue" also from 1965 it would make more sense to make 1965 the cut off date. Especially considering the next Atalantic Studio album "Plastic Dreams" is from 1971.

So maybe an 8th disc would be in order. That would make room for the alternate takes as well.

- which sounds pretty reasonable to me!

Mosaic's Fred told me that these albums will be included in the MJQ Mosaic (now also listed on Mosaic's Upcoming Releases page):

[...]

The Modern Jazz Quartet Plays George Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess

I'm confused. Porgy And Bess was recorded at two sessions, the first being in July 1964 and the second in April 1965. So is this album included or not? If it is, the box covers 1956-1965, not -1964. Or is only the first session included, cutting the album in half? And if the April 1965 session is included, despite the name, then why not also include the May-June 1965 sessions that produced Jazz Dialogue? As mentioned above, they were MJQ's last Atlantic studio sessions before 1971, so it would have been a much more logical cut-off date. In other words, I agree fully with what Stompy Jones and king ubu write above.

[J.A.W.]

I'm confused. Porgy And Bess was recorded at two sessions, the first being in July 1964 and the second in April 1965. So is this album included or not? If it is, the box covers 1956-1965, not -1964. Or is only the first session included, cutting the album in half? And if the April 1965 session is included, despite the name, then why not also include the May-June 1965 sessions that produced Jazz Dialogue? As mentioned above, they were MJQ's last Atlantic studio sessions before 1971, so it would have been a much more logical cut-off date. In other words, I agree fully with what Stompy Jones and king ubu write above.

Why don't you ask Mosaic? They're the ones who make the decisions and can give you an explanation.

[edit] I e-mailed Mosaic's Fred about this.

[mikeweil]

MC told me in an e-mail he decided to include Porgy and Bess as last album in the box as the following were more and more retrospect in their repertoire - that started with Jazz Dialogue, in his view. This decision was made before he learned about the few existing alternates.

Besides that, 7 CDs is enough for a box set - after Jazz Dialogue there were the two LPs for Apple, Under the Jasmin Tree and Space, and then came their second period with Atlantic, which is another story. The Pablo albums were next and last and are covered in the Prestige/Pablo box.

What's missing from the time span in the box besides Jazz Dialogue is some live material and the music for Odds Against Tomorrow which MC reissued on an OOP Blue Note CD - just the quartet versions, not the orchestral soundtrack. But both are available on some European reissue.

Edited February 13, 2011 by mikeweil

[J.A.W.]

I'm confused. Porgy And Bess was recorded at two sessions, the first being in July 1964 and the second in April 1965. So is this album included or not? If it is, the box covers 1956-1965, not -1964. Or is only the first session included, cutting the album in half? And if the April 1965 session is included, despite the name, then why not also include the May-June 1965 sessions that produced Jazz Dialogue? As mentioned above, they were MJQ's last Atlantic studio sessions before 1971, so it would have been a much more logical cut-off date. In other words, I agree fully with what Stompy Jones and king ubu write above.

Why don't you ask Mosaic? They're the ones who make the decisions and can give you an explanation.

[edit] I e-mailed Mosaic's Fred about this.

MC told me in an e-mail he decided to include Porgy and Bess as last album in the box as the following were more and more retrospect in their repertoire - that started with Jazz Dialogue, in his view.

Just got the same reply from Michael Cuscuna. He said that they won't include the 1965 Jazz Dialogue album because they don't have room for it and in particular because it is the first of the albums that repeat repertoire, which they want to avoid. Porgy and Bess will be included in its entirety, even though part of it was recorded in 1965.

[J.A.W.]

As I just posted in this thread Scott Wenzel mentioned Malcolm Addey to me as the mastering engineer of the MJQ set. Michael Cuscuna said earlier that it would be Ron McMaster. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

[golfcrazy1984]

As I just posted in this thread Scott Wenzel mentioned Malcolm Addey to me as the mastering engineer of the MJQ set. Michael Cuscuna said earlier that it would be Ron McMaster. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Thanks for the update! Very interesting....hmm. I would much prefer Malcolm Addey. We shall have to wait and see. If you hear anything else, keep us posted.

[J.A.W.]

As I just posted in this thread Scott Wenzel mentioned Malcolm Addey to me as the mastering engineer of the MJQ set. Michael Cuscuna said earlier that it would be Ron McMaster. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Scott just told me it would be Ron McMaster.

[gmonahan]

As I just posted in this thread Scott Wenzel mentioned Malcolm Addey to me as the mastering engineer of the MJQ set. Michael Cuscuna said earlier that it would be Ron McMaster. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Scott just told me it would be Ron McMaster.

I'll bet you anything it's either Addey or McMaster.

gregmo

[J.A.W.]

The MJQ set can now be pre-ordered. It was indeed mastered by Ron McMaster.

discography

[jazzbo]

Thanks for the headsup!

[Dave James]

I'll probably get both of these sets eventually, but for right now, I'm going to direct my pennies towards the Lunceford box. Maybe I'm selling the MJQ short, but seven CD's of that kind of music seems like it might be overkill.

[jazzbo]

I would have shared that feeling years ago, but over the last few years I've collected these MJQ recordings and learned to appreciate them in ways I haven't before. My biggest hold up was Kay's drumming, I didn't "get" that for a long time, but I finally found a way to get into it. I'm getting the set and am going to sell the individual releases. Looking forward to having it all under one roof so to speak.

[miles65]

I'm getting the set and am going to sell the individual releases. Looking forward to having it all under one roof so to speak.

I'm going to do that as well. But I'll postpone buying this set until the Lunceford is ready for pre ordering.

[mikeweil]

I couldn't resist, I love this group's music too much. This is the first time I pre-ordered a set ...

[B. Goren.]

I couldn't resist, I love this group's music too much. This is the first time I pre-ordered a set ...

I cant blame you for that.

[RiRiIII]

Just pre-ordered it!

Thanks!

[mellowT]

Gotta admit I'm trying to wrap my arms around 7 CDs of vibes...

[David Ayers]

7 CDs of Marmite you mean.

[JETman]

Gotta admit I'm trying to wrap my arms around 7 CDs of vibes...

It's 7 cd's of Milt Jackson, ferchissakes! Would you be having the same problem with 7 cd's of Booby Hutcherson???

[mikeweil]

More than that, it's 7 CDs of John Lewis' mastermind coaxing much more variety out of Bags than we would ever know ...

[JETman]

More than that, it's 7 CDs of John Lewis' mastermind coaxing much more variety out of Bags than we would ever know ...

Really??? Last I listened, Bags did not need John Lewis' help to become the modern master of the vibraphone.

[J.A.W.]

More than that, it's 7 CDs of John Lewis' mastermind coaxing much more variety out of Bags than we would ever know ...

Really??? Last I listened, Bags did not need John Lewis' help to become the modern master of the vibraphone.

I agree. Just listen to the 1950s-1960s Savoy and Riverside recordings Jackson made away from the MJQ. I'd never want to be without the Savoy albums with Lucky Thompson, and the Riversides are favourites of mine too.

[mikeweil]

The Riversides are perfect examples of what Bags was up to when he was put into different contexts by somebody else - a lot of these were conceived by Keepnews, I'm sure. same goes for his Atlantic sides.

 

I, too cherish the Savoy etc. sides with Lucky Thompson.

 

I don't want to dis Bags, it's just that most of his working band albums don't show much variety, he wasn't much of a composer, and his solos, though really great, rely very much on embellishment of the changes. I can sing along with and memorize several of Lewis' solos, but never managed to do this with any of Jackson's, although I will recognize him instantly.

 

There was a long debate about all this on the Blue Note Forum a long time ago - no need to repeat this. Without the challenge of arrangements conceived by others, I'm afraid we would have many rather similar Jackson LPs just like there are many similar Stitt LPs.

 

 

Edited October 11, 2018 by mikeweil

[jazzbo]

Just got a shipping notice.