Helping Mosaic by Suggesting Artists and Sets, Part Deux

[scooter_phx]

Well, since I blew up the previous topic (completely by accident) with no hope of recovery, I figured it would be a good thing to have this topic around to fluff our feathers and suggest ideas to our beloved Mosaic Records.  Do they read this?  Heck, I don't know but it feels like a good place to put your ideas down and wait to see if Mosaic responds with a box set.  If they do, you win (actually, we all win... even with the Bill Barron suggestion 😁). 

I guess I'll start with a Pacific Jazz & Cadet box of Bobby Bryant.  Great trumpet player who made a small number of albums under his own name.  Hey, the Ferguson box sold out relatively quickly years ago and the resale for it is through the roof.  Glad I own a copy (and no, it isn't for sale) 🙃.  Trumpet players like that kind of stuff and I think it would be a worthy addition to the Mosaic catalogue. 

So, what's your suggestion?

[jazzbo]

If one really wants to seriously suggest a set for Mosaic. . . I recommend emailing or calling Mosaic. I've always gotten a response. (Rarely one I'd like!)

[JSngry]

Bill Barron. 

[gmonahan]

2 hours ago, JSngry said:

Bill Barron. 

Really Jim? I mean, was he *that* important?  😁😁

 

After Jim's Bill Barron box gets issued, I still want to see that Lionel Hampton Big Band 40s Decca box, with maybe the MGM stuff tossed in for good measure! And yes, Lon, I suggested it to them. They said they'd think about it.

 

[JSngry]

1 minute ago, gmonahan said:

Really Jim? I mean, was he *that* important?  😁😁

At least as important as Tina Brooks, if by "important" you mean having an original approach to the instrument and to music in general. Definitely.

If you mean easily packaged for Blue Note fetishists who would have not known any better had Cuscuna not justifiably taken up his cause, then no. 

 

[gmonahan]

1 minute ago, JSngry said:

At least as important as Tina Brooks, if by "important" you mean having an original approach to the instrument and to music in general. Definitely.

If you mean easily packaged for Blue Note fetishists who would have not known any better had Cuscuna not justifiably taken up his cause, then no. 

 

I was kidding, of course. It would be a great box.

[scooter_phx]

39 minutes ago, JSngry said:

If you mean easily packaged for Blue Note fetishists who would have not known any better had Cuscuna not justifiably taken up his cause, then no. 

 

I resemble that remark... 🤪

 

[Larry Kart]

I bought True Blue when it came out  way back when, and without any urging fron Cuscuna or anyone else I dreamt of hearing more Brooks. I'm sure I wasn't the only one.

[Dan Gould]

Really?

Couldn't we take advantage of Scooter's faux pax and start fresh on this new thread? No more Bill Barron, or Three Sounds, unissued or otherwise ... something or someone a bit fresher?

[Larry Kart]

Bryant? Fine man in a section, much respected, big rich sound, but IMO not a tremendously distinctive solo voice. I'd compare him to, say, Benny Bailey, who I don't think quite meets the Mosaic standard either, though he might have if he'd gotten a good deal more chances on record to show what he could do. There's the Candid that Nat Hentoff set up for him and two nice British label albums with Tony Coe, one with each of them as leader. Anything else? In terms of quality and amount of material, I think of  Fathead Newman, but most of that material is/has been readily available. Lucky Thompson's name comes up often, and he's a major player, but I've managed to acquire just about all the LT I'm aware of, and I'd bet that other LT fans have too. In my book, Al Haig and Jimmy Raney are major figures, but in both cases, is there much that hasn't been available in recent times?

[jazzbo]

I want to cast a vote again for Yusef Lateef's Impulse material. It's been out, but not as prominently as one might wish, nor in a proper compilation.

[scooter_phx]

19 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Bryant? Fine man in a section, much respected, big rich sound, but IMO not a tremendously distinctive solo voice. I'd compare him to, say, Benny Bailey, who I don't think quite meets the Mosaic standard either, though he might have if he'd gotten a good deal more chances on record to show what he could do. There's the Candid that Nat Hentoff set up for him and two nice British label albums with Tony Coe, one with each of them as leader. Anything else? In terms of quality and amount of material, I think of  Fathead Newman, but most of that material is/has been readily available. Lucky Thompson name comes up often, and he's a major player, but I've managed to acquire just about all the LT I'm aware of, and I'd bet that other LT fans have too. In my book, Al Haig and Jimmy Raney are major figures, but in both cases, is there much that hasn't been available in recent times?

I believe that much the same was said about Maynard Ferguson as well (except that it was added that he didn't have good taste which I generally disagree with until the disco years).  The point was that people who like trumpet players of that genre tend to lead with their wallets.  As far as I know, there are three Pacific/World Jazz albums and perhaps a couple on Cadet.  He was definitely a west coast player during his career.

An Al Haig box would be interesting.  I honestly had never thought about that one.  Didn't he beat a murder charge?  Great player though.  Another one might be Paul Smith.  He did a number of Capitol albums in the 50s.

 

Edited March 29, 2023 by scooter_phx

[Larry Kart]

Just to be silly, I''ll add a few names that IMO don't make the grade for fairly obvious reasons -- Conte Candoli (very good but not great), Stu Williamson (not that good IMO even annoying), Herb Geller (good on a good day, but how many of those days were there?) Dave Schildkraut (to satisfy Allen Lowe), Micky Tucker (to satisfy me -- but then I think I have about all the MT there is), Jack Montrose (you gotta be kidding), JR Monterose (I'd go for that in a minute if more stuff could be found),  -- I could go on, but that might call for an intervention.

Duke Jordan is almost a god to me, but too much is too similar and is/has  been readily available

[JSngry]

1 hour ago, Dan Gould said:

Couldn't we take advantage of Scooter's faux pax and start fresh on this new thread? No more Bill Barron... 

Bill Barron was an extremely fresh player and writer! 

[JSngry]

3 hours ago, gmonahan said:

 😁😁...5at Lionel Hampton Big Band 40s Decca box, with maybe the MGM stuff tossed in for good meassure... 

 

I would love to get that one!!! 

[Dan Gould]

The Complete Percy France 80s Recordings

Four produced by Allen Lowe (one "issued")

Oliver Jackson Presents Le Quartet (Black & Blue - about 1/2 of tracks feature Percy)

Two recordings led by Lance Hayward on Town Crier - one features Percy as sole saxophone, other features front line of Percy and Buddy Tate)

This is, in my totally unbiased and disinterested opinion, a latter day Tina Brooks set. A man whose few widespread recordings got him pigeon-holed as a grits and gravy organsouljazz tenor who was in fact much more than that.

 

[scooter_phx]

8 minutes ago, Dan Gould said:

The Complete Percy France 80s Recordings

Four produced by Allen Lowe (one "issued")

Oliver Jackson Presents Le Quartet (Black & Blue - about 1/2 of tracks feature Percy)

Two recordings led by Lance Hayward on Town Crier - one features Percy as sole saxophone, other features front line of Percy and Buddy Tate)

This is, in my totally unbiased and disinterested opinion, a latter day Tina Brooks set. A man whose few widespread recordings got him pigeon-holed as a grits and gravy organsouljazz tenor who was in fact much more than that.

 

I love this place because I get to look up folks I never heard or gave much thought about.  The only things I have of him are on other artists' recordings... Freddie Roach and Jimmy Smith.  Guess I need to go back and listen to them again... 

Edited March 29, 2023 by scooter_phx

[T.D.]

I like Richie Kamuca, and his output as leader would fit into a Mosaic-size package, but there are too many questions I can't answer in the affirmative: 😢

A "Mosaic-type" artist?

Was he a major enough figure?

Would it be feasible rights-wise?

Would enough people care?

[JSngry]

Bill Barron, Lionel Hampton, and Percy France. Winners all.

Pre-order now! 

[scooter_phx]

13 minutes ago, T.D. said:

I like Richie Kamuca, and his output as leader would fit into a Mosaic-size package, but there are too many questions I can't answer in the affirmative: 😢

A "Mosaic-type" artist?

Was he a major enough figure?

Would it be feasible rights-wise?

Would enough people care?

The other Richie would be good, too.  Richie Cole with the Eddie Jefferson stuff.  Most of it is/was available on CD. 

[Larry Kart]

I thought of Richie K. but had to say no. Not enough under his own name, and too much is/has  been available in piecemeal fashion. Much the same for his running mate Bill Perkins.  Also, those of us who like those guys have been collecting their stuff for a good while.

[JSngry]

Moody!!!!!!!! 

[dougcrates]

4 hours ago, jazzbo said:

I want to cast a vote again for Yusef Lateef's Impulse material. It's been out, but not as prominently as one might wish, nor in a proper compilation.

I'd like this to happen as well.  They could also include his one off albums for Argo and Verve.

[jlhoots]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

Bill Barron, Lionel Hampton, and Percy France. Winners all.

Pre-order now! 

Good luck!!

[kh1958]

The Complete Andre Previn Broadway Musical Albums. (Just kidding.)