Yes, Jason is in especially fine form.
The local community continues to encourage his return to the form.
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New artist/album for me - The cover reflects a vibrant street scene capturing the essence of summer through sound and imagery. I’m looking for the music to reflect same.
Henry Cow - ‘Legend’. Or leg end. Sort of jazzy in spots. This album is just amazing, it’s been a favorite of mine for a long time.
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Been a fan of Henry Cow for some time. May queue this on up tonight.
What a lineup. This is an astonishing set, can’t wait to hear their new one that is out in September.
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Hristo Vitchev Quartet “In Search of Wonders” First Orbit Sounds 2 cd set, disc 1
A very interesting jazz guitarist, in the tradition but sounding fresh. The equally interesting pianist Weber Iago is on board, a PLUS.
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Every year or so I listen to this box set start to finish and, each time, I wonder how they pulled SO much music from the 1920s and 1930s sources.
I like everything about this box including the effort put forth by designers and art directors for the internals.
The Duke Ellington Centennial Edition: The Complete RCA Victor Recordings (1927-1973)
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I negotiated hard with my first wife to spend our income tax refund on this box set when it was first released. I had much of the material before hand, but not all, and so much sounded better here. A real treasure trove! That was a time of financial hardship for me, but great enjoyment of musical envelopment.
Generally I enjoy most of Billie’s work, but the Decca’s stand-out as her voice is in fine form, and the arrangements are supportive of her presentation.
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The Columbia years are my favorite. For the Decca (and Commodore) years on digital I generally recommend the Hip-O-Select collection, it sounds a bit better at least on my systems.
https://www.discogs.com/release/2693840-Billie-Holiday-The-Complete-Commodore-Decca-Masters
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The GRP is just fine, as the source copies are the limiting factor no compelling reason for me to upgrade. That and I already own two GRP long box CD versions. I have the Columbia set as well, by all means extensive and worth having. The two disc Deccas are easier to accommodate in a single listening session.
In past years it was important to me to have the very best sound of these and many important recordings and noticed some real differences in releases. Yes, this set does not have the alternates but it really did prove to sound better to me and I enjoy the difference. Certainly the GRP set is fine. Fine just isn’t enough for me for this material. That’s just me.
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Sonically I get better leverage financially with the remastered recordings from the mid-50’s and going forward. Best example are the Tone Poets LP series.The old acetates, it depends. Yahoo has done well with some shellac blues.
I know those are nice remasterings as well. I’ve bought that material enough times to not want to purchase again, especially at the price points I see, and my interest is perhaps a bit more focused the last twenty years or so on earlier material. Different strokes.
Some things such as early Ellington, Monk, Basie, Holiday et al I spent a lot of time finding the best sounding editions, and for Commodore and Decca this Verve/Hip-O-Select was a decided improvement that I found mattered. Just me, just how I valued that music that I knew I would play for decades.
Somewhat sounding like cocktail lounge music, Ahmad Jamal Happy Moods featuring Israel Crosby and Vernell Fournier.
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An original 1958 Riverside Mono LP, RLP-12-278, Chet Baker Sings It Could Only Happen to You. Plays NM-.
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Gush Afro Blue, featuring Mats Gustafsson (ts,ss) Sten Sandell (p), and Raymond Strid (dr). A 1998 recording released early in 2024 on the Trost Recording label. A live free jazz set from Stockholm’s Jazzclub Fasching.
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