Sale on Running-Low Mosaic Sets

[BeBop]

Running Low Sets: On Sale!

Two Weeks Only: Sale Ends August 31st

With limited editions, saying farewell to sets is the nature of the beast. We have announced six sets from some of the greatest artists in jazz that are running low and slated for deletion. Leases from the record labels that own the masters are finite, but there are other factors involved. We also have to live by the old adage "out with the old and in with the new", as we have to make room for new sets both space-wise and and financially.

The Complete Lionel Hampton Victor Sessions 1937-41

"Thank you Mosaic, you've done it again.A wonderful Five CD set. Been waiting 50 years for this set,it was worth the wait. Brilliant,brilliant,brilliant!!!!" - Customer Review

Click For Desc, Audio Clips & Discography

Limited Edition 5 CD Set
Regularly $85; On Sale $77

The Quincy Jones ABC/Mercury Big Band Jazz Sessions
"Excellent music and great big band sound. Can't take this off the CD player. Thanks for sharing, as I never knew about Q's big band music before this set." - Customer review

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Limited Edition 5 CD Set
Regularly $85; On Sale $77

Classic Artie Shaw Bluebird And Victor Sessions

Congratulations on a really stunning job. The transfers are a window into the original sessions--they really put you there. RCA did some excellent work with their recent box set, but these are even quieter and fuller. An extra plus is that the Grammercy Five sessions *finally* sound the way they should... - Customer review

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Limited Edition 7 CD Set
Regularly $119; On Sale $107

The Complete Capitol Bobby Hackett Solo Sessions

"What was special about Bobby Hackett? In a world of hit-you-over-the-head, high-note, high-speed, supersonic, loud trumpeters, Bobby Hackett caressed your ears with understated astonishingly beautiful melodies." - Joe H. Klee, The Mississippi Rag

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Limited Edition 5 CD Set
Regularly $80; On Sale $72

The Complete Woody Herman Columbia (1945-47)
"Finally, the incredible First Herd collected in the ultimate set! The sensation of hearing every detail of "Out of this World" with Jackson's haunting bass lines, Harris & Phillips changing their solos in each take, "new" piano fills, the orchestra's collegial interpretation of Burn's genius (especially in the vocal numbers), Mosaic's remastering and Mr. Shoenberg's outstanding essay and analyses." - Customer review

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Limited Edition 7 CD Set
Regularly $119; On Sale $107

Jazz Crusaders:Pacific Jazz Quintet Studio Sessions

"Got it yesterday and have played it non-stop since. This collection is exceptional with the flavor of soul and jazz that you would expect from this stellar group. This is my 24th Mosaic box set." - Customer review

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Limited Edition 6 CD Set
Regularly $102; On Sale $89

Edited August 19, 2014 by BeBop

[king ubu]

need the Shaw - has this been on the running low list for a while or is it a new addition? wasn't aware if it has been ...

[alankin]

Anyone have the Quincy Jones?

[paul secor]

Don't miss out on the Hamp - Classic music.

[Jay]

need the Shaw - has this been on the running low list for a while or is it a new addition? wasn't aware if it has been ...

First I have heard of its status as an endangered species. I am thinking about this one myself.

[BFrank]

I don't have the Quincy box, but I have a couple of the albums. Pretty good stuff.

Anyone have the Crusaders box? I've listened to the clips and really like "The Young Rabbits", but "Freedom Sound" doesn't do a lot for me. Is this set more like one or the other?

[sidewinder]

need the Shaw - has this been on the running low list for a while or is it a new addition? wasn't aware if it has been ...

First I have heard of its status as an endangered species. I am thinking about this one myself.

Same here.

[Big Beat Steve]

Not exactly the huuuugest discounts when it comes to a real "sale" ...

Well, most of THAT music has been around the block a zillion times in reissues, so ... well ... but though I am not one too impressed by alternates either, I am half-tempted by the Herman set for the volume of alternates and new ones in that particular case. BTW, can anybody comment on the previously unissued tracks (not the alternates of previously issued tunes) from a halfway objective point of view - major, inexplicably unreleased enhancements of the opus of the man or just "nice to have" additions that are not really essential?

[Head Man]

Anyone have the Quincy Jones?

Yes, it's nice but not one I play a lot. Much of the music on it is available elsewhere...like here:

Edited August 20, 2014 by Head Man

[crisp]

I'm quite sure the Shaw is new to the running-low list. I've ordered it along with the Jones and the Williams select.

I still have the Ellington Columbia 10-discer unplayed from more than a year ago so these will merely be added to the growing pile. But running-low lists wait for no man...

[gmonahan]

I'd rate them Hampton, Herman, Shaw, Crusaders, Jones, Hackett, though I could see others rating the Crusaders set higher. It's fun. As always with Mosaic, when something goes to "running low," procrastination is a very dangerous thing.

gregmo

[sidewinder]

Thumbs up here for the Jazz Crusaders. Even though I have most of the music on (mainly Japanese) vinyl I find I play this set quite a lot.

[felser]

Another here for the Crusaders set.

[king ubu]

The Jazz Crusaders is mighty good! Didn't quite know what to expect, or rather only did via live albums - but my point of entry was some later music of theirs, after they'd dropped the "Jazz" part of their name. They're truly "together" as a band, very in the pocket groove, allowing them to do surprising stuff with such ease that you wouldn't even notice unless you really listen!

The Hamp is classic of course - had some of it before, but it's wonderful to have it all in one place!

And the Woody Herman is darn amazing! I already raved about it last time it came up (another of these "sales", I think?).

As for the Hackett, I guess it's indeed pretty inessential, but pretty it is. (The best two albums of his Capitol tenure, I think, are the ones with Jack Teagarden - they were included in the Tea Capitol Mosaic, which I was lucky enough to find in the mean time, but there's also a Collector's thingie, what's that weird Capitol boutique label called, they were never around in yurp, but I got this one some way, some years back ... Collector's Choice?)

As for the Q, that was one that also had European issue and was around at rather attractive prices here (I think I even bought it in a local shop!) - I don't play it all that often either, but it contains the classic "This Is How I Feel About Jazz", the wannabe-classic "Quintessence" (style over substance, I think, but It's been long since I've played it, Mr. Sangrey will tell me off if I'm wrong, please!) and four discs of Q's mighty good big band in the late fifties, including many wonderful musicians. There's also one jam session (I think from my 'hood, but that was long before I was born, my parents were small kids at that time - and neither of them got into jazz before the mid/late sixties) with a contingent of the full band. To me, this, together with the 1956/57 Dizzy Gillespie band (in which Q had a hand as well, of course) and the Basie NT band (again, Q was there) kind of embodies what I consider classic modern big band music. It doesn't have the excitement, the quirks, the idiosyncrasies of Jones/Lewis or Clarke/Boland, both of which I ultimately prefer ... but it's good!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

I love the Hamp and the JCs boxes. Wouldn't be without them.

MG

[JSngry]

I went ahead and got the Quincy Jones set. I was on the fence about it until it came down to $77, and then, hey, oh well, close enough.

[mr jazz]

Do Hampton's vocals detract from the quality of this set? Reviews on the site were mixed about this.

[mjzee]

Do Hampton's vocals detract from the quality of this set? Reviews on the site were mixed about this.

It seemed to me like a predominantly vocal set, with many alternate takes. Hampton's vocals are pleasant enough, but be prepared for a lot of them. I'm not sad I bought it, but wish it were somehow...different.

[JSngry]

Funny...I've not listened to that Hampton set for years, but other than "Ring Dem Bells", I have no recollections of the vocals at all.

But the playing...oh my god, yes, I do remember the playing!

The Shaw set, otoh, I was about to suck it up and pay for that, but then saw that there were no vocals, especially Helen Forrest vocals. So I'm letting that one slide.

Mileages varying, etc.

Then again, I'm a sucker for hats.

[mjzee]

Oh, yeah, lots of vocals, most of them by "Lionel Hampton, vocal, & His Orchestra". Specifically:

Disc one: 14 out of 23 tracks

Disc two: 10 out of 17 tracks

Disc three: 10 out of 24 tracks

Disc four: 6 out of 23 tracks

Disc five: 6 out of 20 tracks

[JSngry]

Wow. I've got the old 6 LP box...maybe the vocals don't appear so concentrated over 6 LPs, as opposed to 5 CDs. Or maybe they mostly come early. Anyway, that's a lot more than I remember!

Aren't they just "casual" vocals, though, like, hey, we need a chorus of this to fill in? Not, like,,"vocal features", where the whole record is built around getting to and from the vocal?

Funny, I really don't recall there being that many. Obviously they are, but the playing is what's stuck with my memory. Cream of the crop at the top of their game!

Not that I mind Hamp singing a chorus, to me, he's like Louis in his singing being a natural extension of his being. Not nearly as nuanced or resonant a voice as Louis, not by any means, but he swings, puts the notes in the right places, always. Never sounds "strained", just as in his playing (although geez, that guy played, ya' know? Whereas he "sang").

No matter, that's still a lot more vocals than I'd have guessed. Lots more lots.

[Clunky]

I had a couple of the Hampton LPs on French RCA. In retrospect that was enough and I didn't realty need the set. Not played it in years.

[Big Beat Steve]

Wow. I've got the old 6 LP box...maybe the vocals don't appear so concentrated over 6 LPs, as opposed to 5 CDs. Or maybe they mostly come early. Anyway, that's a lot more than I remember!

Aren't they just "casual" vocals, though, like, hey, we need a chorus of this to fill in? Not, like,,"vocal features", where the whole record is built around getting to and from the vocal?

Funny, I really don't recall there being that many. Obviously they are, but the playing is what's stuck with my memory. Cream of the crop at the top of their game!

Not that I mind Hamp singing a chorus, to me, he's like Louis in his singing being a natural extension of his being. Not nearly as nuanced or resonant a voice as Louis, not by any means, but he swings, puts the notes in the right places, always. Never sounds "strained", just as in his playing (although geez, that guy played, ya' know? Whereas he "sang").

No matter, that's still a lot more vocals than I'd have guessed. Lots more lots.

My thoughts exactly.

I have those complete RCA recordings on the two 3-LP sets from French RCA and really cannot recall that many vocals beyond Ring Dem Bells either - and whichever there were, they do sound like "casual" vocals indeed. No harm there.

[mjzee]

Wow. I've got the old 6 LP box...maybe the vocals don't appear so concentrated over 6 LPs, as opposed to 5 CDs. Or maybe they mostly come early. Anyway, that's a lot more than I remember!

Aren't they just "casual" vocals, though, like, hey, we need a chorus of this to fill in? Not, like,,"vocal features", where the whole record is built around getting to and from the vocal?

Funny, I really don't recall there being that many. Obviously they are, but the playing is what's stuck with my memory. Cream of the crop at the top of their game!

Not that I mind Hamp singing a chorus, to me, he's like Louis in his singing being a natural extension of his being. Not nearly as nuanced or resonant a voice as Louis, not by any means, but he swings, puts the notes in the right places, always. Never sounds "strained", just as in his playing (although geez, that guy played, ya' know? Whereas he "sang").

No matter, that's still a lot more vocals than I'd have guessed. Lots more lots.

You can verify it yourself. Here's the discography from the Mosaic website; look for all the "LH-vcl" mentions: Hamp.

Edited August 30, 2014 by mjzee

[paul secor]

I've been listening to the LP box lately and, for me, the vocals don't detract from the instrumental solos and band playing. Since I had the LP box, I didn't get the Mosaic, but I'm very happy to have the music.

Edited August 30, 2014 by paul secor