J.J. Johnson/Al Grey "Things Are Getting Better etc."

[Larry Kart]

What a terrific happy date this 1983 OJC disc is. Grey's characteristic vigor loosens up J.J. a good deal, while Kenny Barron, Ray Brown, and Mickey Roker play their asses off. Sheer joy. Sadly it seems to be o.o.p. or rather pricey. I found my copy at a library sale.

[Brad]

Seems cheaper in Lp than cd per Discogs. 

[Dub Modal]

The online equivalent of the used bins really seems to inflate prices. If you ran across one of these CDs at your local it likely would be under $10. 

[sidewinder]

I picked up a Japanese copy of this for £5 !

[Peter Friedman]

I haven't listen to this one in a while. Will pull it off the shelf and play it today or tomorrow.

[Brad]

7 hours ago, sidewinder said:

I picked up a Japanese copy of this for £5 !

 Considering current prices, what a steal!

[sidewinder]

1 hour ago, Brad said:

 Considering current prices, what a steal!

Bought a whole stack of them that day. Japanese Verve, Pablo, Argo etc. £5 each, all brand new !

[JSngry]

Discogs is showing that CDs & LPs are pretty affordable.

[Larry Kart]

Go for it, I'd say. A very happy date. Only drawback is that it's only 46 minutes, but it feels like a multi-course banquet.

[jlhoots]

Ordered. Thanks!

[JSngry]

56 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Go for it, I'd say. A very happy date. Only drawback is that it's only 46 minutes, but it feels like a multi-course banquet.

That's about the length of an hour-long TV show minus the commercials and stuff.

I'm increasingly liking the LP-length programs of LPs on CDs. Relevant additional length is always welcome, but superfluous padding is a drag.

[Dub Modal]

Same here. For a studio album that time is perfect 

[Peter Friedman]

Just placed this CD (Japanese), on the currently listened to thread. Larry is correct, a happy and much enjoyable session. All the musicians involved are in top form.

[Mark Stryker]

Thanks for the heads up on this. As someone who spends more time than is probably healthy in used record stores, this is a date I NEVER see -- either in its original or the OJC. Carpe Diem as Jim says ...

[mjzee]

I bought an NM- copy of the original Pablo LP from Dusty Groove less than two years ago for $2.99.  They get Pablo titles in all the time, so I’d watch that space.

BTW, my reaction was very different from Larry’s.  I thought it was a nice enough date, but nothing notable.  Different strokes.  

In the liner notes, Granz seems to say that J.J. wanted to harken back to his Jay & Kai dates.