Another question about Blue Note Conns

[sheldonm]

Several of the early Connoisseurs didn't say "Connoisseurs" on the front of the disc. Does anyone know which one they were? For example, Kenny Dorham's "Whistle Stop" doesn't say it on the front, but says it in the liner notes. Thanks for any help you can give me on this!

Mark

[kazak]

Ornette Coleman: The Empty Foxhole, Johnny Griffin: The Congregation, and Bobby Hutcherson: Components do not have the Conn on the front (from the first twelve releases, Series 1 - 1994).

Jackie McLean: Destination Out and Grachan Moncur: Some Other Stuff do have the Conn style case/see-through spine (from the second twelve releases, Series 2 - 1995).

My guess is that the first twelve in the series are not marked on the front. Can anyone else confirm this?

Edited April 24, 2003 by kazak

[sheldonm]

Thanks!

[Philip]

The first 12 Connoisseurs were identified as such by an obi (sash around the jewel case hinge).

[BruceH]

I have Griffin's "The Congregation" and indeed, the jewel case hinge is opaque white. I believe the re-release of Brooks' "True Blue" is the same.

Edited May 8, 2003 by BruceH

[AfricaBrass]

You guys are right.

The first 12 came with a white tray. After those 12, BN started using the clear tray and listing the titles underneath it.

Here's the list of the titles that didn't have the clear tray.

(Thanks to couw, for the list!)

SERIES I (1994)

Ornette Coleman – The Empty Foxhole

Don Cherry – Symphony for Imrovisers

Cliff Jordan and John Gilmore – Blowing in from Chicago

Kenny Dorham – Whistle Stop

Freddie Redd – “The Connection”

Andrew Hill - Judgement

J.R. Monterose – S/T

Bobby Hutcherson – Components

Wayne Shorter – The All-Seeing Eye

Johnny Griffin – The Congregation

Tina Brooks – True Blue

Baby Face Willette – Stop and Listen

:rsmile:

[connoisseur series500]

One question on this:

Are the Conns from the first series, therefore, generally harder to find than the later series?

Shorter's "All Seeing Eye" seems to be all over the place. At least in my area, or was that reissued as an RVG?

It also appears as if BN is remastering and reissuing some of the Conns as RVGs like "Blowing In From Chicago." Was Grant Green, "Green Street" originally a Conn? It was recently reissued.

[JohnJ]

I have the Connoisseurs of 'The All Seeing Eye' and 'Green Street' and I know that these were both reissued as RVG's. I think as a general rule, the older the Conn the more difficult it is to find. Of course there are exceptions.

[connoisseur series500]

Interesting, though, that BN is remastering and reissuing older Conns.

Wonder if any of us who are missing some of the earlier issues should hold out to see if they get remastered and reissued.

[pryan]

Kenny Dorham's WHISTLE STOP is another album that was a Connoisseur and then, eventually, a RVG.

[BruceH]

Considering how many older Conns have been released as RVG's later, perhaps someday we'll see Ready For Freddie and Davis Cup as domestic RVG's. I hope so, because I completely missed the Conns of these two when they were in the stores.

[Kevin Bresnahan]

Interesting, though, that BN is remastering and reissuing older Conns.

Wonder if any of us who are missing some of the earlier issues should hold out to see if they get remastered and reissued.

In general, it's always good to wait and see if it gets remastered and reissued. Of course, a lot of that comes down to patience, a virtue which I seem to lack right now. Man, when I look at all these Japanese CDs in my collection (and I'm not talking solely BN).

We had many conversations about this on the BN board but it bears repeating: we are very lucky record collectors right now! We've have nearly had the entire BN catalog put out on CD (if you consider Japan). I know many collector's who searched for 30 or 40 years and have not been able to do that with the vinyl counterparts. In fact, I know a few of the holes in their collection weren't filled until someone traded in an LP copy of a title after they bought the CD. I remember how ecstatic the guy at Dynamite Records was when Booker Ervin's "Structurally Sound" was reissued on CD. He finally got his hands on that LP after searching for nearly 30 years.

Later,

Kevin

[connoisseur series500]

Man, when I look at all these Japanese CDs in my collection (and I'm not talking solely BN).

We had many conversations about this on the BN board but it bears repeating: we are very lucky record collectors right now! We've have nearly had the entire BN catalog put out on CD (if you consider Japan).

Yes, Kevin, you are completely correct here. We are fortunate in that way.

Through ebay and elsewhere, I've been able to pick up many of the older issues. I've got 78/99 Conns right now and do not feel an overwhelming urge to complete the series. Combined with other Blue Notes and other labels I've got enough to listen to. I think I'm done as a collector. I'll only buy the new Conns as they come out.

[Son-of-a-Weizen]

I've got 78/99 Conns right now and do not feel an overwhelming urge to complete the series.

Translation: I'd certainly never nail some guy in the head with a tire iron in order to score a Conn or two for my collection.....but if he happened to be leaning out the window and my foot suddenly.....oh well !

[connoisseur series500]

I've got 78/99 Conns right now and do not feel an overwhelming urge to complete the series.

Translation: I'd certainly never nail some guy in the head with a tire iron in order to score a Conn or two for my collection.....but if he happened to be leaning out the window and my foot suddenly.....oh well !

Cripes, Weizy!! You know too much!!!

How true!

[Ed S]

All the recent Conn talk had me compare my collection of Conns to the list that was posted here. When I did, I found out that I was 3 shy of a full set - Judgement, Smokestack and On the Spur of the Moment. I figured that was close enough to getting a full set, so - thanks to some board members - I now have a complete set. I did have these recordings as parts of Mosaic sets, so this was - admittedly - a "collector" thing.

I'll tell you though, in my case those series things work. Conns, Rare Grooves, 10" Conns, West Coast Classics, Lost Sessions. I've got 'em all. Mind you, I would not collect them if the music sucked. But, just like Mosaic sets, once you know that the chances that the music will be good to excellent, you have enough faith to purchase material that is part of these series (or series within a series)

I really have not gotten into the whole RVG thing though. I kind of view them as the standard BN reissue right now. I've replaced only a handfull of older releases with RVGs. Of course I buy all the material that I don't have that is issued as an RVG.

Confession time - I made my Dexter GO RVG into a clock. Looks excellent.

[kumakuma]

I am also a sucker for series. I've got all of the Conns except for a few that are in Mosaic Sets as well as most of the Rare Grooves.

What are the West Coast Classics? Are they the Pacific Jazz reissues that BN did a few years ago? Does anyone have a list of what's in the series? I seem to remember something on the BNBB but didn't copy it when I say it. Too late now ...

[AfricaBrass]

I got on the connoisseur bandwagon when the first series was released. I remember the excitement I had about that series. I purchased all the cds and most of their vinyl counterparts.

I've kept up with the releases and I have them all except for three titles which I already had as TOCJ's. I just couldn't justify buying them again (especially when I had paid so much for the TOCJ's already).

Now I wish I would have bit the bullet and bought the conn. versions too.

I can't wait for the next batch.

:rsmile:

BTW - I loved that West Coast series. Too bad it didn't do as well as they had hoped.

Edited May 20, 2003 by AfricaBrass

[sidewinder]

I remember when that first couple of batches of Conns came out. 'True Blue', 'Congregation', 'Judgement', 'Some Other Stuff'. I can remember picking up TB (maybe I should rephrase that) in that Tower Records on Broadway in NYC. It was on special too. Ah ..... those were the days ...

Edited May 20, 2003 by sidewinder

[Ed S]

Did anyone get the watch they were giving away?

[AfricaBrass]

Did anyone get the watch they were giving away?

No!

But I still have all the Obi strips.

As Herman Munster so wisely put it, "Darn, Darn, Darn, Darn, Darn!"

Did you get one, Ed?

:rsmile:

[Late]

I just wish that this album

... had been included with the West Coast Classics series. Don Ellis, Paul Bley, Gary Peacock, and two drummers?! Argh! I have wanted to hear this album forever, but don't think I will any time soon. Where is the emoticon of a crying face (due to unrealized reissues)? We need one of those ...

By the way, that photo comes from an excellent site on Don Ellis's music. Definitely worth checking out. Did someone here create it?

If anyone has a copy of this album, and could manage dubbing a copy (any format, even 8-track ), I'd compensate happily. Then I would use this guy ...

[Ed S]

No watch for me unforunately. Times were a lot tougher financually back then and I never bought enough when it was available.

[Tjazz]

Did anyone get the watch they were giving away?

No!

But I still have all the Obi strips.

As Herman Munster so wisely put it, "Darn, Darn, Darn, Darn, Darn!"

Did you get one, Ed?

:rsmile:

Yeah,

I saved the OBI strips, but then I realized that since I bought some of the CDs from used stores, they would not qualify for the watch.

Any watches on ebay????