Mosaic Records is releasing a Savory collection set

[mjzee]

18 minutes ago, ghost of miles said:

If you come across this Waller box-set at a reasonable price, it's well worth snagging too.  An excellent booklet by Dan Morgenstern:

Fats Waller: If You Got To Ask You Ain't Got It

This is a good series, and a great price: https://www.amazon.com/Real-Fats-Waller-FATS-WALLER/dp/B01B2M9H4Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1530121449&sr=1-1&keywords=the+real...fats+waller

[Brad]

Thanks. 

[Big Beat Steve]

Was able to collect my set from the customs office today - exactly 4 weeks in transit. Oh well ... that was to expected, given the detour via Switzerland and Swiss Mail (discussed in passing in the Mosaic "trouble" thread).
Two remarks:
Very pleased to see some Basie recordings from that Randall's Island open air concert have finally come to light. Ever since watching that footage in the Ken  Burns documentary where they say that unfortunately no recordings were known to exist I figured this was something you'd sure like to get the soundtrack of. Now this has been partially taken care of.

On another aspect, I found the packaging box of the set a bit on the skimpy side. Well wrapped in bubble wrap but not so much round the edges but rather on top and bottom, and as the box set just oh so narrowly fitted very sungly inside the cardboard box, dinged or split corners really were only a small step (of postal manhandling) away. Beware, and something maybe to give some thought to (given how finicky most collectors - understandably - are about the condition of the Mosaic box itself too). A shipping box that is slightly larger, offering more space for all-round bubble-wrap really could not have done any harm.

BTW, my set is #549 FWIW.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Big Beat Steve

[Clunky]

My set arrived with UK customs four days after Mosaic posted it. It then sits in customs for nearly 2 weeks before they send me a letter detailing import fees.

This was mainly a handling fee of nearly £12 !! I wondered what the fee would have been if they acted more swiftly 🤤

[mjazzg]

£8 seems to be the standard handling fee I get hit with on occasion. Maybe it costs more to handle a Mosaic set, kid gloves perhaps? Or is handling more precise and skilful north of the border? Mind you, you did get a letter, I only ever get a postcard

[Big Beat Steve]

"Handling fee" on top of the customs duties?

They tried to cheat me out of that too here. If I had not wanted to go collect the parcel at the customs office (a 10 to 12-mile drive, except that today it was more due to several construction sites and detours en route) I could have had the customs clearance handled by the postal office - for a fee of a whopping 28.50 euros (on TOP of any customs fees - i.e. VAT - due). No thanks.

Edited July 3, 2018 by Big Beat Steve

[Bluesnik]

21 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

"Handling fee" on top of the customs duties?

I had to pay a custom duty once and since then don't order from Mosaic as I did before (discussed here in another thread). Now I'm back at ordering from them to take advantage of the June offer. Let's see how the affair with the customs duties turns out this time.

[Big Beat Steve]

On 19.6.2018 at 8:45 PM, Larry Kart said:

I'm still working my way through the Savory set, but I was underwhelmed by the Waller broadcast from 1938 on Disc I -- and I'm a Waller admirer par excellence. These tracks IMO are certainly not up to the level of, say, the 1939 Waller and His Rhythm broadcast on the 2-CD Stash set "The Definitive Fats Waller." Also, the paragraph from Ethan Iverson that is inserted into Dan's notes on the Waller material is gratuitous ("However, all that jolly joshing [from Waller] obscures just what a fine pianist he is" -- really? obscures for whom?) and IMO both gratuitous and bizarre -- "Most importantly, Waller's relaxed swing remains a gold standard for the era. There are times when James P. Johnson, Eubie Blake, Willie 'The Lion' Smith, and Earl 'Fatha' Hines seem a little choppy by modern standards. That's not true of Fats, whose smooth swing remains timeless."

Hines, for one, was "a little choppy" -- this "by modern standards" no less -- while Hines' sense of swing is apparently less than "timeless"? Oy vey.

Listeing ot disc I now. I really cannot say I am underwhelmed by the Fats Waller tracks but apart from the fact that fidelity seems to be better on this one I'd rate this set set on a level with other live recordings of his that have been on the market for a long time, e.g. his "Live At The Yacht Club" LP on Giants of Jazz (GOJ 1029) which in fact was recorded only a few days before the Savory tracks at the same place. In short, Waller is what Waller is and the performances are very enjoyable (and a nice addition to his discography) but not out of this world. And I agree about the silliness of that "jolly joshing" remark. Where and what would Fats Waller be if he hadn't thrown in his bits of fun? So, Mr liner note writer - man, be glad he was no groaning Keith Jarrett!

Edited July 3, 2018 by Big Beat Steve

[mikeweil]

On 27.6.2018 at 5:17 PM, JSngry said:

I would play poker with Ethan Iverson any time, and place.

I would not would not want to play poker in the same...atmosphere as Earl Hines. That would be nuts.

Isn't there a thread about jazz musicians and poker?

Here 'tis: 

 

Edited July 3, 2018 by mikeweil

[neveronfriday]

I'm really enjoying this set. Although I would heartily agree with Larry Kart's comments re the liner notes, I haven't felt this giddy for a long time. This is great stuff which would otherwise have been lost. The fidelity? Uh, well, ... but, I guess, they did the best they could. Whenever it comes around to music like this (especially the Basie stuff), I only care about the sonics if a shoddy job was done on the material. In this case, I think they managed to do a 100%-job with what was available.

Along with this collection, I bought the Teddy Wilson Brunswick & Columbia and I'm in heaven. I haven't been around this site here for ages, but those who remember me from way back when know that I'm Germany's biggest Teddy Wilson fan. When I lived in Copenhagen decades ago, I was able to see him live several times (until the sun came up) and was able to talk to him (my drum teacher, Ed Thigpen, helped in this respect) many times. He was, like Ed, the perfect gentleman and incredibly knowledgeable.  I learned more about (earlier) jazz/swing/small group sessions from way back when in a few evenings from Ted and Ed (hey, that rhymes) than from about 20 meters of jazz books.

So, with these two boxed sets, it's Christmas time here ... in the middle of summer ... with 30+ degrees Centigrade on a daily basis.

Love both sets!

Edited July 3, 2018 by neveronfriday

[Big Beat Steve]

Working my way through the set (re-listening to disc 2, in fact- for the pleasure of it) and enjoying it a lot.

Though i must say I am a bit baffled by some details of the track selection (realizing that the following will come across as nitpicking and of course it is only a very minor quibble but still ...).
No doubt these 6 CDs hold only a small fraction of the never-before-released music discovered on those metal discs (not even counting the Goodman items). So what is the idea of reissuing tracks that have indeed been reissued before, I wonder? There aren't many but there are a handful - e.g. the Bobby Hackett 1940 version of "Body and Soul" on dics III. The Fanfare LP this was released on and a UK release on Saga aren't that hard to find. So why would this track be that mandatory? Was there such a dearth of Bobby Hacket unissueds? Nothing against Bobby Hackett but no doubt there must be much else to be disocoverd out there ...
Similarly for "Liza", the Chick Webb flagwaver issued on JA-33. Was there no other new Chick Webb ripe for inclusion beyond what is on that set? (In this case I'd understand the inclusion somewhat, assuming they wanted to present ALL surviving tracks (assuming they are all?) from the program and not refer people to an OOP LP from 1976 for the rest, but still ...)
On the other hand, the liner notes detailing the highlights of the discoveries mention performances that do not actually seem to appear on the set. E.g. that mention of the "forgotten tenor saxist Tony Zimmer of the Larry Clinton band" (or was he named Zimmers? cf. "Lost Chords"). Now if Glenn Miller rates inclusion in this set (and according to the liner notes not even with the hottest all-out swingers) then a sampling of Larry Clinton would have been worthy of it too?
Just being puzzled ... but like I said, minor points ...

 

 

Edited July 4, 2018 by Big Beat Steve

[Ted O'Reilly]

2 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

.....So what is the idea of reissuing tracks that have indeed been reissued before, I wonder? There aren't many but there are a handful - e.g. the Bobby Hackett 1940 version of "Body and Soul" on dics III. The Fanfare LP this was released on and a UK release on Saga aren't that hard to find. So why would this track be that mandatory? Was there such a dearth of Bobby Hacket unissueds? Nothing against Bobby Hackett but no doubt there must be much else to be disocoverd out there ...
Similarly for "Liza", the Chick Webb flagwaver issued on JA-33. Was there no other new Chick Webb ripe for inclusion beyond what is on that set? (In this case I'd understand the inclusion somewhat, assuming they wanted to present ALL surviving tracks (assuming they are all?) from the program and not refer people to an OOP LP from 1976 for the rest, but still ...)
 

 

 

Perhaps this will be the only opportunity to have such tracks on CD, or any digital format?  Perhaps this is a far superior transfer, or from the prime source?

[Big Beat Steve]

Compared to the Body & Soul track on the Saga LP, the fidelity IS better but still I am a bit puzzled in this case since this is a standalone track and not part of a full set. And given that the Savory discs must include a LOT more music never issued before anywhere I find the priorities a bit odd. No to mention that a set of 3 or 4 more tracks could easily have fitted on disc 4, for example.

Edited July 5, 2018 by Big Beat Steve

[Brad]

Perhaps some of the other discs were ruined and not salvageable. 

[Brad]

On 6/27/2018 at 1:26 PM, ghost of miles said:

If you come across this Waller box-set at a reasonable price, it's well worth snagging too.  An excellent booklet by Dan Morgenstern:

Fats Waller: If You Got To Ask You Ain't Got It

Picked this one up and am listening to it, thanks. 

[ghost of miles]

4 hours ago, Brad said:

Picked this one up and am listening to it, thanks. 

Oh man, so glad you scored a copy!  I got it a couple of years ago when I was on a Waller jag, and Larry's comments in this thread reminded me of how excellent Dan Morgenstern's booklet was for that set.  

Edited July 8, 2018 by ghost of miles

[Brad]

Amazon had it but I was able to find an inexpensively priced one on eBay.  

[bichos]

my set arrived last friday (number 508). i ordered via a jazz record dealer from germany but i think he ordered it from jazz messengers in barcelona because the packaging was all in original jazz messengers paper and logos. all arrived safe and without damage. 

 

keep boppin´

marcel 

[sidewinder]

My copy of the Savory is also from jazzmessengers and is no. 487.

[crisp]

Has the Jazz Messengers listing been and gone? I've been checking periodically for the Savory but have never seen it listed.

[RiRiIII]

1 hour ago, crisp said:

Has the Jazz Messengers listing been and gone? I've been checking periodically for the Savory but have never seen it listed.

I check there regularly but never saw it listed. I just emailed them.

Edit: check on Wednesday

"Good evening,  Thanks for your message.  It’s currently out of stock right now, sorry. But, we are already bringing more; they should be here next week, on Wednesday.  You can check our website then.  All the best,  Jorge, Jazz Messengers Customer Service"

***Impeccable Customer Service! Bravi!!!***

Edited July 16, 2018 by RiRiIII
update

[sidewinder]

1 hour ago, RiRiIII said:

 

***Impeccable Customer Service! Bravi!!!***

Yes, their service is brilliant - packaging and shipping first rate. I think I had one set delivered from Barcelona door to door within 2 days !

[mikeweil]

Jazz Messengers takes sets from their website when they are out of stock and put them up again as soon as the new batch has arrived.

[crisp]

Thanks. It must have come and gone pretty fast. I'll bear that in mind.

[sidewinder]

Anyone else found that the booklet to CDs 3 and 4 is a bit oversized and was bent into the case to fit it in? A bit annoying - and the first Mosaic that I’ve ever noticed this.

No qualms about the sound - considering the available source quality. Miracle, really. CD1 starts out on an unbeatable level with the Hawkins and Ella tracks.

I notice that some of the tracks have bursts of what is like white noise interference - I guess that must be degradation of the aluminium disks.

As for the booklet - very readable and fascinating.

Edited July 17, 2018 by sidewinder