Helping Mosaic by Suggesting Artists and Sets, Part Deux

[Larry Kart]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Moody!!!!!!!! 

Again -- if you like Moody, what Moody wouldn't you have? That French 10-inch album with Andre Hodeir arrangements?

[Larry Kart]

Out of left field -- Terry Gibbs. Should probably exclude all of his LA Crescendo big band albums -- if you like those, you have them -- plus  his recent Concord stuff. But there's one NYC  big band album from the late '50s on Emarcy plus a good many quartet albums, one on Impulse with Kenny Burrell, a fair number more (on Emarcy IIRC) with the semi-forgotten but excellent Detroit pianist Terry Pollard and others with Alice Mcleod on piano (later Alice Coltrane). And let's throw in Pollard's Emarcy trio album for good measure. Thinking of how Gibbs found all those tapes of his Crescendo band on a closet shelf, I wouldn't be surprised if he has some unissued tapes lying around of his '50s quartet with Pollard. There's also that Mode album with Gibbs, Larry Bunker, and Victor Feldman, all on vibes. Sounds gimmicky, but it's not. 

[Chuck Nessa]

Once again, I'd kill for an expanded edition of Columbia/Sony's "The Okeh Ellington" to include the Pathe/Cameo/Romeo sides. Forget about the Victor sides, they've been done and no reason to include them just because "corporate" has access to them..

[Dan Gould]

12 hours ago, scooter_phx said:

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... 

You won't find many of those other recordings very easily but ...

www.percyfrance.info

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=percy+france+playlist

The latter has many private recordings of Percy on stage in NY clubs in the 1980s.

[Dub Modal]

16 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

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.

This is part of why I think they should redesign and update their marketing efforts. Most other high profile reissue programs are on social media, creating new fans or at least enticing folks who don't listen to jazz even most of the time. LT's material is good enough to cross over into non-jazz centric circles I would think. 

[Joe]

As long as they are focused on upgrading the sound of classic BN sessions, I feel like we're overdue for a Horace Silver set. Specifically, the post Cook-Mitchell bands (though I'd love to hear SILVER'S SERENADE brightened up). Probably some logistical challenges with such a set, but it would be nice to have.... especially if something could be done to improve the on the existing THE JODY GRIND transfers.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Joe

[JSngry]

11 hours ago, Larry Kart said:

Again -- if you like Moody, what Moody wouldn't you have? That French 10-inch album with Andre Hodeir arrangements?

Argo/Cadet, with the Scepter material thrown in.

It's all been out, but in ragtag at best fashion. 

[medjuck]

On 3/29/2023 at 8:49 PM, Chuck Nessa said:

Once again, I'd kill for an expanded edition of Columbia/Sony's "The Okeh Ellington" to include the Pathe/Cameo/Romeo sides. Forget about the Victor sides, they've been done and no reason to include them just because "corporate" has access to them..

Ditto.  There's also a couple of  "Hit of the Week" recordings from that period.  

Edited March 31, 2023 by medjuck

[jazzbo]

I'd love that too.

[scooter_phx]

10 hours ago, Chuck Nessa said:

Once again, I'd kill for an expanded edition of Columbia/Sony's "The Okeh Ellington" to include the Pathe/Cameo/Romeo sides. Forget about the Victor sides, they've been done and no reason to include them just because "corporate" has access to them..

Sign me up for this one.  In a heartbeat. 

[Mark13]

The Complete Billy Mitchell and Al Grey Smash/Argo Sessions.

[Joe]

What would you all say to an Andy Kirk set? Or a John Kirby Sextet set?

[Chuck Nessa]

1 hour ago, Joe said:

What would you all say to an Andy Kirk set? Or a John Kirby Sextet set?

Both worthwhile but finding a sufficient audience would be a challenge.

[miles65]

7 hours ago, Joe said:

What would you all say to an Andy Kirk set? Or a John Kirby Sextet set?

Andy Kirk recorded 1929-1930 for Brunswick. These are on one Frog CD and 1936-1946 for Decca. This would yield 5 or 6 CD's depending how many alt takes there are and keeping the sessions together.  

John Kirby sextet recorded less than 3 Cd's worth of music for Sony (Columbia, Vocalion Okeh and Victor). Scott once told met the small sets are not profitable.

But there are plenty transcriptions. Those could make as nice set.

[scooter_phx]

If Mosaic wants a large set that I'm sure would sell, a complete Sun Ra on Saturn would fit the bill... So big, it might fill a room.  I know... not gonna happen but I can dream.

[jazzbo]

27 minutes ago, scooter_phx said:

If Mosaic wants a large set that I'm sure would sell, a complete Sun Ra on Saturn would fit the bill... So big, it might fill a room.  I know... not gonna happen but I can dream.

Normally I love the Mosaic black and white and Francis Wolff photo format, but Mosaic is just not the right label for a Saturn Record box with all those amazing color covers that would HAVE to be included.

[Mark Stryker]

On 3/29/2023 at 4:00 PM, Larry Kart said:

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.

Larry -- if you still have that original True Blue, and if it's in great condition, that's a $5,000 to $7,000 record now on a good day at auction. https://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=tina brooks true blue&sortord=dprice&pagenum=1&incldescr=&layout=&sprice=&eprice=&endfrom=&endthru=&bidsfrom=&bidsthru=&currsel=&flabel=&fcatno=&ovrsug=

On 3/29/2023 at 11:49 PM, Chuck Nessa said:

Once again, I'd kill for an expanded edition of Columbia/Sony's "The Okeh Ellington" to include the Pathe/Cameo/Romeo sides. Forget about the Victor sides, they've been done and no reason to include them just because "corporate" has access to them..

Co-sign

[Mark Stryker]

Off the top:

1. Frankie Newton across a zillion labels and his whole career as a leader and sideman -- anything where he has solo space or makes a significant ensemble contribution. There's a 3 CD set on Acrobat that kinda does this but it's by no means complete and there are no notes/context etc. on a remarkably individual music and life. 

2. Complete George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet Studio and Live Sessions.  This would at least include everything on Soul Note, Timeless, and Blue Note -- that's 10 LPs if you include the Timeless record from Montmartre with Scofield as a gues. (There are also 11 unissued tracks from this performance recorded the day before.) You would also have to think about whether to include the (presumably) bootleg live stuff that's some out on Palcosenico (two LPs), Flock (three tracks), and Repertoire (three tracks with Lewis Nash in for the Richmond). 

3. Complete Frank Strozier as a leader on Mercury, Vee Jay, Jazzland, SteepleChase, and Trident -- there are seven LPs that got released, but what would have been his debut on Mercury date (c. 1958) remains unissued, so eight LPs total worth of material, plus alternates.  

4. I haven't thought through the concept and organization yet, but I would LOVE to see a set devoted to Budd Johnson.

 

[Joe]

Great call on Frankie Newton. A Hot Lips Page box would be awesome, too. But, again, logistical challenges.

Also, would love to see Mosaic start to work with / rescue some of the small label output from the 80s and 90s. Leaning House comes to mind. 

[Larry Kart]

2 hours ago, Mark Stryker said:

Larry -- if you still have that original True Blue, and if it's in great condition, that's a $5,000 to $7,000 record now on a good day at auction. https://www.popsike.com/php/quicksearch.php?searchtext=tina brooks true blue&sortord=dprice&pagenum=1&incldescr=&layout=&sprice=&eprice=&endfrom=&endthru=&bidsfrom=&bidsthru=&currsel=&flabel=&fcatno=&ovrsug=

Co-sign

Thanks , Mark, I'll take a look. I suspect that the cover got damaged in a basement flood some years ago and I ditched it when the Mosaic set arrived.

1 hour ago, Mark Stryker said:

Off the top:

1. Frankie Newton across a zillion labels and his whole career as a leader and sideman -- anything where he has solo space or makes a significant ensemble contribution. There's a 3 CD set on Acrobat that kinda does this but it's by no means complete and there are no notes/context etc. on a remarkably individual music and life. 

2. Complete George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet Studio and Live Sessions.  This would at least include everything on Soul Note, Timeless, and Blue Note -- that's 10 LPs if you include the Timeless record from Montmartre with Scofield as a gues. (There are also 11 unissued tracks from this performance recorded the day before.) You would also have to think about whether to include the (presumably) bootleg live stuff that's some out on Palcosenico (two LPs), Flock (three tracks), and Repertoire (three tracks with Lewis Nash in for the Richmond). 

3. Complete Frank Strozier as a leader on Mercury, Vee Jay, Jazzland, SteepleChase, and Trident -- there are seven LPs that got released, but what would have been his debut on Mercury date (c. 1958) remains unissued, so eight LPs total worth of material, plus alternates.  

4. I haven't thought through the concept and organization yet, but I would LOVE to see a set devoted to Budd Johnson.

 

Good suggestions, especially Newton and Page. I like Storzier but don't think he is in the category artistically with Newton and Page.

[sidewinder]

13 minutes ago, Larry Kart said:

Thanks , Mark, I'll take a look. I suspect that the cover got damaged in a basement flood some years ago and I ditched it when the Mosaic set arrived.

😱

[Rooster_Ties]

So I know it’s been discussed a little in the prior/lost thread — but I would pre-order day #1 anything by or having any Billy Harper.

A number of his own leader dates are super hard to find (especially on CD) and/or a few(?) have never been issued on CD at all.

And of course there’s at least 3-4 hours of the Max Roach Quartet with Billy Harper from 1977-78 — none(?) of which has ever been on CD at all, far as I know (or else it’s rare as hen’s teeth). But it’s spread across four (4) different labels — including Horo, which is impossibly difficult to reissue.

(Sidenote: Has there ever been ANY reissue of ANYTHING on Horo that was ever done legitimately? Certainly not on CD, far as I know — though I know of at least one really nice ILlegit-reissue of one of the Sun Ra Horos (or is the plural ‘Hori’?) on CD, with fab liners and everything, and on a silver disc to boot! — pun intended.)

Anyway, even if you leave out the Horo Max Roach Quartet with Billy, there’s still — what? — four(?) single albums, probably barely 3 hrs of music. But maybe there’s some unreleased stuff too? But, yeah, even without the Horo, it’s across 3 other labels.

All that said, Billy Harper would seem like exactly the sort of artist deserving of the Mosaic treatment in some way.

[gmonahan]

I still think packaging all of those 1957 Newport albums that Norman Granz put out on Verve would make a nice box. I used to babble on about a Hodges 60s Verve box, but then the Andorrans put paid to that by issuing almost all of them as twofers.

What about labels? They've done Savoy, Dial, Bee Hive, and Black and White. Is there enough material on Mercer for a box? Maybe grouped with some other small labels from that era??

[T.D.]

6 hours ago, Mark Stryker said:

Off the top:

1. Frankie Newton across a zillion labels and his whole career as a leader and sideman -- anything where he has solo space or makes a significant ensemble contribution. There's a 3 CD set on Acrobat that kinda does this but it's by no means complete and there are no notes/context etc. on a remarkably individual music and life. 

2. Complete George Adams-Don Pullen Quartet Studio and Live Sessions.  This would at least include everything on Soul Note, Timeless, and Blue Note -- that's 10 LPs if you include the Timeless record from Montmartre with Scofield as a gues. (There are also 11 unissued tracks from this performance recorded the day before.) You would also have to think about whether to include the (presumably) bootleg live stuff that's some out on Palcosenico (two LPs), Flock (three tracks), and Repertoire (three tracks with Lewis Nash in for the Richmond). 

3. Complete Frank Strozier as a leader on Mercury, Vee Jay, Jazzland, SteepleChase, and Trident -- there are seven LPs that got released, but what would have been his debut on Mercury date (c. 1958) remains unissued, so eight LPs total worth of material, plus alternates.  

4. I haven't thought through the concept and organization yet, but I would LOVE to see a set devoted to Budd Johnson.

 

I'd buy the Strozier in a nanosecond, even though I already own a large majority of the material on single CDs.👍

7 hours ago, scooter_phx said:

If Mosaic wants a large set that I'm sure would sell, a complete Sun Ra on Saturn would fit the bill... So big, it might fill a room.  I know... not gonna happen but I can dream.

Of course it'll never happen, and I may get flamed for this, but I truly don't believe Mosaic would be the right firm for the project. I fear their treatment would suck the life out of the material.

4 hours ago, Rooster_Ties said:

So I know it’s been discussed a little in the prior/lost thread — but I would pre-order day #1 anything by or having any Billy Harper.

A number of his own leader dates are super hard to find (especially on CD) and/or a few(?) have never been issued on CD at all.

And of course there’s at least 3-4 hours of the Max Roach Quartet with Billy Harper from 1977-78 — none(?) of which has ever been on CD at all, far as I know (or else it’s rare as hen’s teeth). But it’s spread across four (4) different labels — including Horo, which is impossibly difficult to reissue.

(Sidenote: Has there ever been ANY reissue of ANYTHING on Horo that was ever done legitimately? Certainly not on CD, far as I know — though I know of at least one really nice ILlegit-reissue of one of the Sun Ra Horos (or is the plural ‘Hori’?) on CD, with fab liners and everything, and on a silver disc to boot! — pun intended.)

Anyway, even if you leave out the Horo Max Roach Quartet with Billy, there’s still — what? — four(?) single albums, probably barely 3 hrs of music. But maybe there’s some unreleased stuff too? But, yeah, even without the Horo, it’s across 3 other labels.

All that said, Billy Harper would seem like exactly the sort of artist deserving of the Mosaic treatment in some way.

Billy Harper was mentioned many times on the original thread. I'd certainly like to see such a release, though he doesn't really strike me as a "Mosaic kind of artist". Gotta believe there would be rights problems.

Vaguely related (BH had some Soul Note releases), I really mourn the demise of the Black Saint / Soul Note box sets. They never got around to a number of worthy projects, e.g. Billy Bang, and I wish somebody could resume the series.

Edited March 31, 2023 by T.D.

[JSngry]

re Ra/Saturn - I put together a chronological set of all Chicago Ra using existing CDs (including the Transparency mega-set that has since been withdrawn) and the Robert Campbell website.

It works REALLY well like that. Anybody with even a little bit of interest and maybe a little bit more free time would be well-advised to DIY!