Pacific Jazz/Capitol titles reissued by EMI Japan

[Daniel A]

In these the final days of the CD era it sometimes appears as if some releases are not drawing attention like they would have 10-15 years ago. It's almost like many of those who still cherish the "physical product" have given up on even looking for new releases or reissues (including myself).

Anyway, I happened to notice that there were a few Pacific Jazz titles reissued by EMI Toshiba on June 19th along with a couple of Capitol albums. Clare Fisher's 'Manteca!', a nice enough big band album from 1966, has to my knowledge not been on CD before. Also, the two albums he did with Bud Shank 'Brasamba' and 'Bossa Nova Jazz Samba', have only been released in full on the Spanish PD label Solar Records last year; they were unlistenable needle drops.

Here's the whole batch from June, all priced quite reasonably at 1200 Yen (=12 USD/9 EUR/8 GBP):

Cannonball Adderley 'The Happy People' (Capitol),TOCJ-66621

Guitars Unlimited 'Quiet Nights & Brazilian Guitars' (Capitol), TOCJ-66622

Stan Kenton 'Artistry in Bossa Nova' (Capitol), TOCJ-66623

Sergio Mendes/Wanda De Sah 'Brasil '65' (Capitol), TOCJ-66624

Wanda De Sah 'Softly' (Capitol), TOCJ-66625

Clare Fischer 'Manteca!' (Pacific Jazz), TOCJ-66626

Bud Shank & Clare Fischer 'Bossa Nova Jazz Samba' (Pacific Jazz), TOCJ-66627

Bud Shank/Clare Fischer/Joe Pass 'Brasamba' (Pacific Jazz), TOCJ-66628

Edited September 27, 2013 by Daniel A

[king ubu]

anyone can say something on the Adderley?

[Stefan Wood]

It's happy?

[king ubu]

well, hopefully so ... but beyond that?

[mjzee]

The Adderley is very nice. Brazilian jazz but with a harder partying edge. Recorded in Brazil, IIRC. Band includes George Duke, Nat, Roy McCurdy, with guests Flora Purim and Airto. I'd pick it up.

[jazzbo]

What he said. I'm happy to have it on cd.

[king ubu]

Sounds good, thanks!

[Teasing the Korean]

Clare Fisher's 'Manteca!', a nice enough big band album

A "nice enough big band album???"

[Head Man]

Clare Fisher's 'Manteca!', a nice enough big band album

A "nice enough big band album???"

My thoughts exactly!....one of my favourite Clare Fischer albums.

Thanks for the "heads-up" on the other releases BTW, it reminded me that I never got round to ordering "Bossa Nova Jazz Samba".

Edited August 18, 2013 by Head Man

[Daniel A]

Actually, 'Manteca!', is my favourite album from one of my favourite musicians! (It was on my BFT back in 2004)

Edited August 18, 2013 by Daniel A

[Clunky]

Actually, 'Manteca!', is my favourite album from one of my favourite musicians! (It was on my BFT back in 2004)

I'm interested as I've yet to come across one of his albums that didn't sound good

[bertrand]

I am happy that the Japanese are doing these Blue Note and Pacific Jazz reissues since the US has given up.

Gigi Gryce's Reminiscing was a disappointing needle-drop, however.

Bertrand.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

How do these sound though? The last two batches of Japanese reissues have suffered from the "make it louder" camp. I hate buying new CDs today. It's such a crap shoot for sound.

[Daniel A]

I have ordered the three PJ titles and will be able to report back about the remastering quality soon.

[Teasing the Korean]

Actually, 'Manteca!', is my favourite album from one of my favourite musicians! (It was on my BFT back in 2004)

OK, that's more like it.

It looks like Clare Fischer's Pacific Jazz album "So Danco Samba" is part of this seies also. That is a killer album!

[gnhrtg]

I am happy that the Japanese are doing these Blue Note and Pacific Jazz reissues since the US has given up.

Gigi Gryce's Reminiscing was a disappointing needle-drop, however.

Bertrand.

Yes, it was, and (yet) I think it is one of the only ones from the various relatively recent batches of reissues. (Would appreciate knowing if anyone came upon others, so that I will know before I buy.)

[Head Man]

Actually, 'Manteca!', is my favourite album from one of my favourite musicians! (It was on my BFT back in 2004)

OK, that's more like it.

It looks like Clare Fischer's Pacific Jazz album "So Danco Samba" is part of this seies also. That is a killer album!

Yes it is.........Perhaps that's my favourite Clare Fischer album, not "Manteca!"...but what about "Extension"..oh dear, back to the listening booth.

[JSngry]

The Kenton album is one of his "easy listening" ones, but I will say that the trombone section is featured extensively and gorgeously.

[JSngry]

I've got the Fischer on one of those illegalette bootleggish downloady thingies, and, yeah, it's good. Lots of organ, lots of percussion, and of course, lots of good writing, well-executed.

Cannonball's thing, I play the shit out of Side One. Side Two, not so much. But that title track will be worth the cost of admission.

I guess there's a theme with this set, right? "Brazillian"? But the Fischer big band is not that at all, although I guess it could be if you didn't care to notice.

Nevertheless - The Price You Got To Pay To Be Free and The Black Messiah. Before I die, please.

[David Ayers]

Nevertheless - The Price You Got To Pay To Be Free and The Black Messiah. Before I die, please.

These exist as legal downloads - for those who care to pay - but I guess we are unlikely to see CD release, not even yet in Japan...

[JSngry]

Who's got legal DLs? And in what format? I might be interested.

But really, those albums would be best served with some updated commentary & and some unissued/unedited performances (if available).

Just had another listen to Manteca, and it's only half big band, the other have being piano feature w/o horn backing, but with a very non-BS "Afro Cuban" percussion backing.

Nice work in both arenas.

[David Ayers]

Who's got legal DLs? And in what format? I might be interested.

But really, those albums would be best served with some updated commentary & and some unissued/unedited performances (if available).

Just had another listen to Manteca, and it's only half big band, the other have being piano feature w/o horn backing, but with a very non-BS "Afro Cuban" percussion backing.

Nice work in both arenas.

I checked on amazon uk as I had seen them on Spotify. So the quality will be amazon mp3 VBR probably. However I took a look at amzon.com just now and they are NOT there - whether they are on itunes or elsewhere I don't know. I was surprised to see that EMI had done these transfers without there being any CD release - it makes me wonder if there are other BN/Capitol titles that have been given this treatment (as opposed to the endless dodgy PD mp3s that clutter up amazon and Spotify). FWIW the amazon uk versions are priced as single albums.

[JSngry]

Those are both very much "of their time", which is probably what appeals and appalls different audiences, if you know what I mean. But part of that is that they are all over the freakin' place in terms of "style" and "intent", which is also very much "of the times", which is why I think some updated annotation would well-serve any reissue. There's some truly badass playing on those sides, and three's some seriously WTF?ishness. And yet, it all sounds like Cannonball, and none of it sounds halfass or cynical. Goofy, yes, sometimes intensely so. But never insincere or trifling.

My copies of both are both straight-up LP rips obtained from LP owners, so they have plenty of pops and fuzzes and other artifacts of having been well-played in, knowing the original owners, any number of social & sobriety contexts. As tempting as a clean legit DL is, I don't know that I would enjoy it that much knowing that it's only available because nobody figured it was worth dealing with this music head-on and full force, and instead just said oh well, let's do this little much and be done with it. I'm not willing to settle for that level of acceptance through casual dismissal, not with this stuff anyway.

[David Ayers]

Those are both very much "of their time", which is probably what appeals and appalls different audiences, if you know what I mean. But part of that is that they are all over the freakin' place in terms of "style" and "intent", which is also very much "of the times", which is why I think some updated annotation would well-serve any reissue. There's some truly badass playing on those sides, and three's some seriously WTF?ishness. And yet, it all sounds like Cannonball, and none of it sounds halfass or cynical. Goofy, yes, sometimes intensely so. But never insincere or trifling.

My copies of both are both straight-up LP rips obtained from LP owners, so they have plenty of pops and fuzzes and other artifacts of having been well-played in, knowing the original owners, any number of social & sobriety contexts. As tempting as a clean legit DL is, I don't know that I would enjoy it that much knowing that it's only available because nobody figured it was worth dealing with this music head-on and full force, and instead just said oh well, let's do this little much and be done with it. I'm not willing to settle for that level of acceptance through casual dismissal, not with this stuff anyway.

Well, at least they did it. The streaming versions are enough for me. The LP of Black Messiah is findable enough, I think, but...I don't think I need it....

[jazzbo]

I have the lps and see and hear them as Jim does. I'd welcome a legitimate cd release especially if they were expanded. I can dream can't I? Has as much chance coming true as my other dreams. . . .