Which Box Sets do You Regret Buying, and Why?

[mikeweil]

The two Art Pepper Galaxy box sets. Listening through I found out I do not like his solos enough. I like his early recordings better. 

I was able to sell the live box at a good price, the LP-sized studio box is still waiting for a new home. In case somebody is interested, pm me.

[Brad]

6 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

The only Woody Herman I have is the 3cd Select — and while I don’t mind it — it’s also probably not something I would replace for $50 if my copy ever got lost/damage.

Lou Donaldson Blue Note 57-60 Sessions Mosaic is pretty much the same for me. Nice enough, but not something I’ve spun more than a couple times in the last 10 years (when I got it, used).

I purposely didn’t buy the Select.

I like Lou but I’ve only played that box once. Probably need to pull it out. 

[greggery peccary]

Other than the Grateful Dead's original 1969 box set, I've been a completist with their annual releases.

Since I'm not a fan of 80/90s Dead (It's the whole Brent thing) I ended up with both Spring 1990 box sets, the Giants Stadium set, and the RFK 1989 set.

I parted with the Spring sets last fall and did well. As a result there wasn't much regret...but it was emblematic of being a gatherer.

I still have the The Giant Stadium and RFK sets if anyone is interested and want to PM me.

The 30 Trips around the Sun set is about 50/50 as it includes a show from each of the band's 30 years, but that one is a keeper. The numerous 70s sets hit my sweet spot and I'm very happy to have them.

I imagine though that I will continue to purchase each set that they release every year....I'm a sucker.

No jazz regrets other than the Complete Fela Kuti box. I have the 26CD version and there is one out now that has 28CDs...should I? Hmmm

[JSngry]

The Herman Select is the only one of the bunch I'd consider "essential". That band was on fire 24/7.

The First Herd set...that's a truly "essential" band, but its essentiality can and has been distilled in any number of quality compilations.

As for the others...no thanks on the Capitol (even though it means missing some prime Bill Perkins), and a considered no thanks of the Mars, as much in objection to an apparent shift of the label's focus as much as anything else.

[Rabshakeh]

I only own one box set: the CD reissue of Harry Smith’s Anthology. Otherwise I really struggle with the concept. I find it inspiring to hear how people love different disks of this or that Mosaic, but I just don’t think I could so them justice. As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I’m generally a one or two LPs per artist guy. 

[felser]

14 hours ago, Ken Dryden said:

I have never been a fan of Cohen's vocals or "Suzanne," which many jazz vocalists can't resist, for some reason.

I like "Suzanne" by Judy Collins and especially by Roberta Flack.  Also like "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye" by Flack a lot.  I like "Priests" by Richie Havens.  I like "Hallelujah" by Jeff Buckley.  I guess that means l like his songs when done by someone who can, you know, sing, rather than by him.  

[mikeweil]

14 hours ago, felser said:

I guess that means l like his songs when done by someone who can, you know, sing, rather than by him.  

[northwood]

On 6/8/2022 at 2:34 PM, GA Russell said:

Am I the only one to accidentally buy something twice?

In my case, it was the Elis Regina OAS.

More time than I'd care to admit.

[sidewinder]

20 hours ago, Brad said:

 

I like Lou but I’ve only played that box once. Probably need to pull it out. 

Same here !

[northwood]

18 minutes ago, sidewinder said:

Same here !

...and here.

[porcy62]

The sets I find hard to digest are the sets with dozens of alt takes, false starts, etc, one after the other. I have the Parker's Complete Savoy on vinyl, and the Dial on separate records, that is too much for me, I understand the importance for scholars, but "I am just a guy who play records" cit.. The Bud Powell Verve are on cd, but I am too lazy to program them.

Edited June 11, 2022 by porcy62

[felser]

55 minutes ago, porcy62 said:

The sets I find hard to digest are the sets with dozens of alt takes, false starts, etc, one after the other. I have the Parker's Complete Savoy on vinyl, and the Dial on separate records, that is too much for me, I understand the importance for scholars, but "I am just a guy who play records" cit.. The Bud Powell Verve are on cd, but I am too lazy to program them.

+1

[JSngry]

Is "singing" really the point of any Leonard Cohen "song"? I mean, a little goes a long way, but still, they don't really seem to exist to be sung as much as...conveyed.

Does this work with anybody else? 

Then again, maybe Leonard Cohen should have used different players on his records? 

[jlhoots]

17 minutes ago, JSngry said:

Is "singing" really the point of any Leonard Cohen "song"? I mean, a little goes a long way, but still, they don't really seem to exist to be sung as much as...conveyed.

Does this work with anybody else? 

Then again, maybe Leonard Cohen should have used different players on his records? 

I believe Leonard Cohen's body of work is being underrated here. It's not about the "singing". He was always great in person.

[Bluesnik]

On 6/8/2022 at 2:41 AM, Teasing the Korean said:

A lunchbox with hideous artwork, and the discs fold out accordion style.

That sounds a lot like The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve, or titled something like that. It's the exact same concept. I bet the whole series was designed by the same guy or organization. Though I don't have data to prove this.

[Teasing the Korean]

2 hours ago, Bluesnik said:

That sounds a lot like The Complete Charlie Parker on Verve, or titled something like that. It's the exact same concept. I bet the whole series was designed by the same guy or organization. Though I don't have data to prove this.

Setting aside the aesthetics and the clumsiness, it also takes up way too much space.  I guess designers in the 1990s didn't envision an era in which listeners would have accumulated as many CDs as they had LPs.  I'm tempted to toss the box and place the discs in flat sleeves.

[Bluesnik]

4 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

I'm tempted to toss the box and place the discs in flat sleeves.

[danasgoodstuff]

On 6/10/2022 at 11:08 AM, mikeweil said:

The two Art Pepper Galaxy box sets. Listening through I found out I do not like his solos enough. I like his early recordings better. 

I was able to sell the live box at a good price, the LP-sized studio box is still waiting for a new home. In case somebody is interested, pm me.

I got that at a very good price and quite enjoy it.  The Faces' box Five Guys Walk Into a Bar is problematic since it seems to have been selected and sequenced while drunk, which I guess is kind of fitting, but still...

[Brad]

On 6/11/2022 at 2:56 PM, porcy62 said:

The sets I find hard to digest are the sets with dozens of alt takes, false starts, etc, one after the other. I have the Parker's Complete Savoy on vinyl, and the Dial on separate records, that is too much for me, I understand the importance for scholars, but "I am just a guy who play records" cit.. The Bud Powell Verve are on cd, but I am too lazy to program them.

I have the Complete Savoy and Dial on cd and just love all those alt takes and false starts. For me, that’s an added bonus. With some sets I can do without all the takes but for Bird it’s essential. 

[HutchFan]

On 6/11/2022 at 2:56 PM, porcy62 said:

The sets I find hard to digest are the sets with dozens of alt takes, false starts, etc, one after the other. I have the Parker's Complete Savoy on vinyl, and the Dial on separate records, that is too much for me, I understand the importance for scholars, but "I am just a guy who play records" cit.. The Bud Powell Verve are on cd, but I am too lazy to program them.

This is my biggest issue with box sets too.  The alt takes, false starts, and (in some cases) chronological programming often make them difficult to absorb.  My work-around: If the music was originally released in LP format, I usually create MP3 playlists files to re-create the LP sequencing.   

I like the idea of albums -- something that artists and/or producers assemble and present in a specific way to create an arc or line for the listener.  But that's not what box sets are about.

Aside from this this one quibble, I don't regret purchasing any box sets in my collection.  

 

[Teasing the Korean]

24 minutes ago, HutchFan said:

This is my biggest issue with box sets too.  The alt takes, false starts, and (in some cases) chronological programming often make them difficult to absorb.  My work-around: If the music was originally released in LP format, I usually create MP3 playlists files to re-create the LP sequencing.   

I like the idea of albums -- something that artists and/or producers assemble and present in a specific way to create an arc or line for the listener.  But that's not what box sets are about.

Exactly.  If they are going to include the alternates, the least that they could do is break them up so they are not all in a row.  For example, create alternate album using one alternate take of each tune.

I think the default should be to create a cohesive listening experience.  Placing all of the alternates in chronological order IMO should fall to the listener and not the producer.

[John L]

Lu Watters on Good Time Jazz.   I bought it out of curiosity because the price was discounted and very few of these recordings were otherwise available.   But it is more than overkill for me.  

[JSngry]

Whenever I did a recording session, I would try to get a dub of the entire session, because that's what really happened. The final product is not that.

But from the typical consumer standpoint... most people go to movies, not theatre. And there's a reason why most rehearsals are not open to the public. Maybe they should be, but they aren't. Mingus was the most noble of exceptions. And he was one splicing motherfucker when it came to records. 

Illusion is where the money is! 

[porcy62]

12 hours ago, JSngry said:

Whenever I did a recording session, I would try to get a dub of the entire session, because that's what really happened. The final product is not that.

But from the typical consumer standpoint... most people go to movies, not theatre. And there's a reason why most rehearsals are not open to the public. Maybe they should be, but they aren't. Mingus was the most noble of exceptions. And he was one splicing motherfucker when it came to records. 

Illusion is where the money is! 

I am a consumer, so I like the Ludwig Van’ Ninth in a consumer way: the second movement after the first and the choral after the third.

[Late]

21 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said:

If they are going to include the alternates, the least that they could do is break them up so they are not all in a row.  For example, create alternate album using one alternate take of each tune.

I think the default should be to create a cohesive listening experience.  Placing all of the alternates in chronological order IMO should fall to the listener and not the producer.

Exactly. I've made Lester Young "albums" (playlists) collected solely from alternate takes. It makes for interesting A/B listening with the "real" album.