Author Topic: An Afternoon At The Crack House  (Read 280566 times)

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #285 on: September 06, 2011, 05:31:11 AM »
I have a pretty extensive library of Stan Kenton recordings.  For the 1940s stuff I have the Mosaic 10 LP boxed set.  I also have about 30 or so Kenton 78s from that period, including two of my favorite sides: Intermission Riff and Minor Riff.

Kenton's band was all about the arrangements and the overall sound of the music, not on instrumental soloists.  So few musicians distinguished themselves during their tenure with Kenton, though a lot of them went on to very distinguished careers as solo artists or leading a small group.  Stan Getz, Kai Winding, Shelly Manne, Art Pepper, Anita O'Day, and June Christy are just a few alumni of Kenton's orchestra that are pretty well known by most jazz aficionados.

Many, myself included, consider Stan Kenton the father of progressive jazz.  Woody Herman's Second Herd of the 1950s, recorded on Capitol, would be nearly as adventurous and daring as Kenton, and is also very much worth checking out.

As trailblazing as Kenton was, especially during the 1950s, not all of his experiments worked, however, and some of it can come off as pretentious and aimless jazz noodling with no real musical statement being made.  The stuff that does work, to be sure, is really top shelf and it's easy to see that Kenton was a little before his time.

What has been missing in my Kenton library were his 1950s recordings for Capitol.  I have most of them on CD but found a number of them on original minty Capitol vinyl so I snapped them up.

--Jerome

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #286 on: September 06, 2011, 09:37:32 AM »
Jerome, once again you are a fountain of knowledge. Thanks for filling us in on "the rest of the story......"  :thumb:
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #287 on: September 07, 2011, 05:09:50 AM »
New 45 RPM 180g vinyl buys...

Dexter Gordon - A Swingin' Affair (Music Matters)
Dexter Gordon - Gettin' Around (Music Matters)
Paul Chambers - Whims of Chambers (Analogue Productions)
Dizzy Reece - Soundin' Off (Analogue Productions)
Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage (Analogue Productions)
Hank Mobley - Workout (Analogue Productions)
Jackie McLean - Jackie's Bag (Analogue Productions)
Duke Jordan - Flight to Jordan (Analogue Productions)
Lee Morgan - Lee-way (Analogue Productions)
Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto (Analogue Productions)


33RPM 180g vinyl buys...


Art Blakey - The Jazz Messengers (originally issued on Columbia in 1956)
Charles Mingus - Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus


Vintage Vinyl Buys...

Nat King Cole - The King Cole Trio with Lester Young and Red Callender (This is on the Score label and was released in 1957, and collects music that was originally issued in 1942 by Aladdin on 78s)
Norman Granz Presents Jazz at the Philharmonic Volume 9 (Minty original Clef pressing)
Norman Granz Presents Jazz at the Philharmonic Volume 3 (Minty original Clef pressing
Max Roach - Max Roach + 4 (Minty original EmArcy pressing)
Pete Rugolo - Music for Hi-Fi Bugs (Minty original EmArcy pressing)
Pete Rugolo - Rugolo Plays Kenton (Minty original Mercury Pressing)
Pete Rugolo - Adventures in Rhythm (Minty original Columbia pressing)
Johnny Lytle Trio - Blue Vibes (Minty original Jazzland pressing)

For anyone curious about Pete Rugolo, he was Stan Kenton's principal arranger in the 1940s and 50s.

--Jerome




Offline etcarroll

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 2154
  • spin it!
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #288 on: September 08, 2011, 06:38:04 AM »
J. -

Do you do all your shopping via mail, or is there a record store hidden out there where the buffalo roam.

I wouldn't mind getting a 45rpm copy of Jackie's Bag and Lee-Way.
"...if you want to enjoy your gear, don't listen to anything that might be better."

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #289 on: September 08, 2011, 06:49:12 AM »
J. -

Do you do all your shopping via mail, or is there a record store hidden out there where the buffalo roam.

I wouldn't mind getting a 45rpm copy of Jackie's Bag and Lee-Way.

Right from the source:

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/41675/Lee_Morgan-Lee-way-45_RPM_Vinyl_Record

http://store.acousticsounds.com/d/41677/Jackie_McLean-Jackies_Bag-45_RPM_Vinyl_Record
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

Offline etcarroll

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 2154
  • spin it!
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #290 on: September 08, 2011, 06:58:30 AM »
Thanks brother!

Keeping your tubes dry I hope!  :)
"...if you want to enjoy your gear, don't listen to anything that might be better."

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #291 on: September 08, 2011, 06:59:40 AM »
J. -

Do you do all your shopping via mail, or is there a record store hidden out there where the buffalo roam.

There are a few decent vinyl shops in the Hartford and Boston areas but I don't visit them more than a couple of times per year.

I buy my audiophile vinyl reissues primarily from Acoustic Sounds and secondarily from Elusive Disc.

For vintage vinyl I buy mostly from five sellers on eBay that I have come to trust.  One of those grades his vinyl a little aggressively but he has told me that he will take back anything I am not happy with.  I have probably had to send back two LPs out of the several dozen I bought from him...so his track record is pretty good.

I probably pay a little more for my vintage vinyl than someone would pay in a local shop.  But usually when I buy vintage jazz records on eBay I am looking for a specific title or artist rather than making random impulse buys where I might be able to find a deal.

Quote
I wouldn't mind getting a 45rpm copy of Jackie's Bag and Lee-Way.

Acoustic Sounds has both of those in stock right now.

--Jerome
« Last Edit: September 08, 2011, 07:11:18 AM by jsaliga »

Offline etcarroll

  • Audio Neurotic
  • *****
  • Posts: 2154
  • spin it!
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #292 on: September 08, 2011, 07:34:10 AM »
"For vintage vinyl I buy mostly from five sellers on eBay that I have come to trust."

That's what I was wondering about, guess I'll have to try.
"...if you want to enjoy your gear, don't listen to anything that might be better."

Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #293 on: September 08, 2011, 07:41:58 AM »
Thanks brother!

Keeping your tubes dry I hope!  :)

Don't worry, they throw off enough heat to boil away any moisture that comes their way.   :rofl:
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #294 on: September 08, 2011, 04:45:01 PM »
"For vintage vinyl I buy mostly from five sellers on eBay that I have come to trust."

That's what I was wondering about, guess I'll have to try.

I'm sure you know this but it bears saying anyway.  Be careful. 

Ebay can be a great place to buy vinyl but it also has a lot of dishonest sellers who pretty much grade every piece of junk they sell as VG++ or better.  I have found that for some shady dealers, eBay is where all the beat up records that they can't sell in their retail store end up. 

Sometimes being a repeat customer doesn't really get you very far.  I had one seller who I bought from several times send me a supposedly NM record that was all scratched up.  When I complained and said I wanted to return it he said that I would have to include $20 with the record.  If he agreed with my complaint he said I would get a refund plus the $20 back.  If he did not he would keep the $20 and send the record back to me media mail.  I filed an eBay buyer protection claim against the guy and reported him because demanding money outside of eBay violates their policy.  Ebay refunded my money (including the original shipping cost).  They didn't suspend the seller's account, but they did revoke his power and preferred seller status.

I suggest you know who you are dealing with before buying a single record.  Contact the seller before you buy and ask about their customer satisfaction and return policies.  If they dance around your questions or don't give you complete and honest answers then don't buy from them.

While I am doing very well with the five eBay dealers I buy from now it wasn't always that way.  I endured more than a few headaches dealing with internet jerks that had me questioning whether or not shopping for vinyl on eBay was worthwhile.

--Jerome

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #295 on: September 15, 2011, 04:16:39 AM »
Just bought a bunch of original vintage 1st pressings...

Mose Allison - Creek Bank (Prestige)
Etta Jones - Don't Go to Strangers (Prestige)
Etta Jones - From the Heart (Prestige)
Kai Winding and J.J. Johnson - The Great Kai & J.J. (Impulse!)
J.J. Johnson - Proof Positive (Impulse!)
Johnny Hartman - I Just Dropped By to Say Hello (Impulse!)
Ralph & Joachim Quartet - Impressions of New York (Impulse!)
Pee Wee Russel & Oliver Nelson - Spirit of '67 (Impulse!)
Clark Terry - The Happy Horns (Impulse!)
Gary McFarland - Profiles (Impulse!)
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers - A Jazz Message (Impulse!)
Archie Shepp - On This Night (Impulse!)
Gerry Mulligan - Presenting the Gerry Mulligan Sextet (EmArcy)
Gene Ammons & Sonny Stitt - Boss Tenors (Verve)
Art Farmer & Benny Golson Jazztet - Big City Sounds (Argo)
Shelly Manne & His Men - Peter Gunn (Contemporary)
Clifford Brown & Max Roach (EmArcy)
Clifford Brown and Max Roach - Brown and Roach Incorporated (EmArcy)
Andre Previn Trio - King Size! (Contemporary)
Andre Previn & Russ Freeman - Double Play! (Contemporary)
Sonny Rollins Trio - Sonny Rollins Brass (Verve)

--Jerome
« Last Edit: September 15, 2011, 05:09:34 AM by jsaliga »

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #296 on: September 16, 2011, 08:59:08 AM »
Ordered some jazz vinyl reissues from Soundstage Direct

Sonny Rollins - The Bridge (Classic Records 200g)
Sonny Rollins - Sonny Rollins and The Contemporary Leaders (Contemporary)
Roy Haynes with Booker Ervin - Cracklin' (New Jazz)
Howard Rumsey's Lighthouse All-Stars - Volume 3 (OJC)
Cliff Jordan - Cliff Jordan (Blue Note)
John Jenkins, Cliff Jordan and Bobby Timmons - Jenkins, Jordan & Timmons (OJC)
Serge Chaloff - Blue Serge (Capitol)
Lee Morgan - Cornbread (Blue Note)
Jackie McLean - A Fickle Sonance (Blue Note)
Kenny Dorham - Trompeta Toccata (Blue Note)
Kenny Dorham - Jazz Contrasts (Riverside)
Hank Mobley - Hank (Blue Note)
Hank Mobley - Mobley's Message (Prestige)
Hank Mobley - Mobley's Second Message (Prestige)
Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh - Atlantic
Blue Mitchell - The Thing to Do (Blue Note)

--Jerome

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #297 on: September 18, 2011, 04:47:51 AM »
I've been on something of a vinyl buying tear.  Here's a few more vintage LPs I just picked up.

The Modern Jazz Quartet - MJQ (Prestige)
The Modern Jazz Quartet - Django (Prestige)
The Modern Jazz Quartet - Fontessa (Atlantic)
The Modern Jazz Quartet - Blues at Carnegie Hall (Atlantic)
The Modern Jazz Quartet - European Concert (Atlantic)

I had the MJQ's Prestige recordings on CD but an opportunity presented itself to grab a number of nice vintage vinyl albums so I took advantage of it.

--Jerome


Offline tmazz

  • Out Of My Speaker Cabinet
  • ******
  • Posts: 12088
  • Just basking in the glow of my tubes.....
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #298 on: September 18, 2011, 11:32:47 PM »
Ordered some jazz vinyl reissues from Soundstage Direct


I placed and order with them for the first time last week and was very impressed. They have a very user friendly web site, the online ordering went very smooth and the order I placed at 11AM was shipped out by 3 PM the same day.

Mdeia Mail shipping was free and because LI is so close to PA the order that shipped out 3PM  Monday afternoon was in my hands by noon on Wed.

All in all a very positive experience.

Were the Lee Morgan and Hank Mobley reissues nyou picked up "audiophile" reissues (180g etc) or just the stock $10-15 reissues that Blue Note has been putting out? I have pick up quite a few from that series and have been very happy with them. I'm sure they are not the sonic equal of a 200g 45 RPM pressing, but IM0 they are a great value for the money. Was wondering if you bought from that same series and if so, what your opinion was of them from a SQ basis. (Not a long specific analysis, just a general opinion.)
Remember, it's all about the music........

• Nola Boxers
• Sunfire True SW Super Jr (2)
• McIntosh MC 275
• ARC SP-9
• VPI HW-19 Mk IV/SDS/SME IV/Soundsmith Carmen Mk II ES
• Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 DAC/Rasp Pi Roon Endpoint
• DigiBuss/TWL PC&USB/MIT Cables

jsaliga

  • Guest
Re: An Afternoon At The Crack House
« Reply #299 on: September 19, 2011, 04:31:41 AM »
I have ordered a lot from Soundstage Direct in the past through not so much over the last year or so.

I ended up cancelling the order I placed above Tom.  Seth Frank asked me to call him about the order because there were a number of cheap Blue Note reissues in it.  Three or so years ago I was buying a lot of those because I wasn't happy with the CD versions and thought that even a $10 record would probably sound better.

The problem was that a number of those records had some very bad pressing defects.  Seth took those records back and issued a refund.  When I spoke to him about the order above he made it pretty clear that he did not want to take more records back, so he said that if I went forward with the purchase that any bargain priced Blue Note reissues would be non-returnable.  That wasn't acceptable to me, so I cancelled the entire order.

I like Seth and think he's a great guy to deal with.  But I also expect people I do business with to stand behind the sale.  I appreciate that he wanted to talk to me about it before sending the records and leaving me stuck with anything that was problematic.  My expectations are much lower with budget records than they are with audiophile vinyl.  I am more forgiving of pressing defects but that forgiveness is not infinite.

As far as SQ, I still have a lot of budget Blue Note records and I think they are all quite decent.  They do have a higher incidence of pressing defects but that said, I also have a large number of them that have no defects.  The vinyl is not as quiet as a good 180g or 200g audiophile pressing...but for an average price of $12 it doesn't have to be.  I also have a lot of Prestige and Riverside budget reissues from OJC and their quality is comparable.  I have had fewer pressing defect issues with those than with the Blue Notes, but I have also bought more Blue Notes than OJCs.

At some point, whenever I can find the time,  I plan to start a shootout thread comparing some of my original vintage jazz pressings to reissues.

--Jerome
« Last Edit: September 19, 2011, 05:12:58 AM by jsaliga »