The Complete 1956-1964 Modern Jazz Quartet Atlantic Studio Recordings

[tranemonk]

Yeah you're right. They did not ship them in order. Got mine over a week ago and it was #349. Cuscuna's got some interesting producer's notes on the last page of the booklet.

[jazzbo]

Producer's note is also on the website, on the bottom of this page:

http://www.mosaicrecords.com/discography.asp?number=249-MD-CD&price=$119.00&copies=7%20CDs

[mikeweil]

... and I got # 526!

The sound is improved a lot over all previous CD issues I heard. But I still wish I hadn't sold my original Atlantic mono LP of The Comedy, which had a lot more punch. It would sound terrific with the mono cartridge I bought last year ...

But this set is worth every cent. There is so much more detail audible in the recordings I was constantly surprised - and I know some of these records inside out, grew up listening to them.

[RiRiIII]

...and #0058 (my lowest numbered Mosaic ever) arrived this morning in Athens!

Edited June 16, 2011 by Alexandros

[gmonahan]

Whoa, I looked on the back of my booklet, and I have 0007. I've NEVER had a number in single digits before!

gregmo

[David Ayers]

Relax, Greg - we ALL got 0007. They're just humoring us.

[medjuck]

BTW I don't think the notes answer this question: What was the first record (single, 10 inch or 12 inch) on which the group was called The Modern Jazz Quartet?

Edited June 16, 2011 by medjuck

[mikeweil]

They first used the name The Modern Jazz Quartet on the December 22, 1952 Prestige session - the outline of the group's history mentions that, too.

The four tracks were issued on two singles, EP, 10 inch LP and various 12 inch LPs, in that order.

[JSngry]

Whoa, I looked on the back of my booklet, and I have 0007.

What is that, that you have the license kill somebody, resurrect them, and then kill them again?

Hell, if I could get that #, I'd order the Four Freshmen set!

[monkboughtlunch]

Nah, I disagree... I still have the cheap looks and feel of Collectables, and Wounded Bird is but a tiny bit better and has nearly non-existing distribution (and horrendous prices) over here...

I hate Collectables. It's long been a vortex of lousy remastering and tacky packaging into which much classic music disappears, never to be reissued by anyone else. Mosaic was put off doing a Dakota Staton set by Collectables bringing out its own slapdash releases. I'm hoping that this is a sign that that won't be a problem any more.

Agree. The Jack Wilson Quartet with Roy Ayers (Atlantic, 1963) that Collectables issued on CD is sourced from a vinyl Lp needle drop with massive digital post-production filtering artifacts that suck out "air" (especially audible during the fade outs when you hear strange digital "swirling noises"). Collectables sucks because their crap remasters become a financial disincentive for any boutique reissue label to come along and reissue the same project with more care given to sonics.

BTW, any more reviews of this Mosaic MJQ set sonics? I recall a lot of the old CD reissues of this material had big time hiss levels. Maybe that's a function of Tom Dowd's 8 track recording approach which boosted the noise floor. How did McMaster do with this material?

Edited December 4, 2011 by monkboughtlunch

[jazzbo]

I've been through this set four times now, and I think the sound on this set is excellent. I am not really a McMaster fan but must say I really appreciate the work he's done here. It's crisp and focused but not dry and thin (as I find some of his work). Perhaps that's because the original recordings may be a bit too thick and warm, I'm not that familiar with the original lps and some of the cds it has just been hard to tell.

There is tape hiss but I don't really notice it in the same way as in some of the Atlantic and Collectable editions. Still, it doesn't sound "scrubbed" in any appreciable way.

[shaft]

Hi just got the set the other day and so far very pleased

Curiously enough my set did not include a limted edition number. Why so?

I will mail Mosaic and ask.

[Soulstation1]

Check your receipt from mosaic

[JETman]

Hi just got the set the other day and so far very pleased

Curiously enough my set did not include a limted edition number. Why so?

I will mail Mosaic and ask.

Numbers are now stamped (not handwritten) on the back of the booklet.

[mjzee]

About a year ago, I received a Mosaic box with no number (not on the box, the booklet, or the receipt). I asked Mosaic, and they replied that with the move to a new distribution center, they no longer have the control or the ability to number every box.

[J.A.W.]

About a year ago, I received a Mosaic box with no number (not on the box, the booklet, or the receipt). I asked Mosaic, and they replied that with the move to a new distribution center, they no longer have the control or the ability to number every box.

That will no doubt diminish their value on eBay. I couldn't care less, but in my experience people attach much value to the number of a set.

Edited February 18, 2012 by J.A.W.

[mjzee]

About a year ago, I received a Mosaic box with no number (not on the box, the booklet, or the receipt). I asked Mosaic, and they replied that with the move to a new distribution center, they no longer have the control or the ability to number every box.

That will no doubt diminish their value on eBay. I couldn't care less, but in my experience people attach much value to the number of a set.

What could I do? Someone here suggested I give the set a number "1."

[shaft]

Yep it's there on the back but I much preferred the hand-written numbering ;-)

[Bluesnik]

After two striking albums on Prestige

i have one of those prestige albums, via japan, and it's outstanding. and i think i prefer the prestiges over the atlantics.

[sidewinder]

My set is numbered #3070 so this one must be selling really well !

[Ed S]

I placed an order for this set to take advantage of the free shipping sale Mosaic held in August. I also ordered the Jamal and Goodman but have yet to open them. I received set number 1639, FWIW. On to more important things.

I had read this thread prior to ordering it and came to the conclusion that this is exactly the role that Mosaic can fill in my listening. I had none of this material and quite frankly did not give a crap if I could get the stuff elsewhere. Here it is all in one set from a company to which I have a lot of loyalty .... so I grabbed it.

Having received it, and upon listening to it......I love this set. I'm still making my way through it but if I had to describe what I've heard so far - it's beautiful, lovely, interesting, mood setting, interesting and sometimes eye-opening. My only other exposure to the MJQ is the Django album, so this is all new to me - and I'm really digging it.

Reminds me of the old days. Every Mosaic set was a joy. Somehow I stopped listening to jazz as much as I once did. Lately, I've started to make the time to listen again and am rediscovering music in my own collection and am really enjoying new discoveries like the MJQ set

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I haven't seen this thread before. I started with the MJQ in 1960 but got rid of all my LPs in the late sixties to fund more purchases of Willis Jackson, Red Holloway, Les McCann and Groove Holmes etc. But over the years I bought more and more Milt Jackson albums and in 2009 & 2010 had a little splurge of getting MJQ albums.

So when this set came out, I decided I probably had as much MJQ as I needed.

Reading the thread, however, I see I probably need to get 'Plastic dreams' and 'Euro concerts' at least. And I'm feeling well disposed towards getting the set, especially as my CDs probably don't sound as good as the Mosaic box is reported. Good sound is actually quite essential for the MJQ, despite my general preference for lofi.

MG

[JSngry]

As long as you're at it (and if you don't already have it) you might want The Legendary Profile as well as Plastic Dreams. I picked it up on a whim a little while back and it greatly exceeded expectations. It's got an almost CTI vibe to it (in the good way) up to and including a thing or two with Lewis playing Rhodes, as well as this gorgeous version of "Misty Roses".

The album after that, Blues On Bach is just about what you would expect in terms of "style", but it's got some deeply satisfying blues playing by Bags (well yeah, DUH!) that is perhaps more deeply satisfying than usual. Perhaps. But I do think that the early-mid 70s found Bags playing at a very high level, or at least a very mature level.

I don't know that I've ever been (or will ever be able to) binge-listen to the MJQ, but...oh well. That's hardly ever the best-possible point of anything, is it.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks Jim, I'll look into those.

As to Milt's mid 70s work, you surely must have these

At the Kosei Nenkin - Pablo

Centerpiece at the Kosei Nenkin vol 2 - Pablo

both done in Mar '76

1 how could you improve on that band?

2 well, I doubt if you can

3 everyone PLAYS

MG

[JSngry]

Yeah, I got those (and for those reasons). I got all of Milt's CTI's as well (there were only three...) Sunflower was the hit, and a damn fine one it was, but the other two are nice small group affairs. Slick but meaty. Like I said, the 70s were a good time for Milt Jackson.

What I'm not up on is the late-60s/early 70s impulse! albums. I know nothing about those at all.