Mosaic Records-JazzTimes Promotion, New Selects and Price Change, New TB Box Sets
Order $50 or more from Mosaic Records and get a whole year of JazzTimes for just $5.00!. This offer is open ONLY to New Subscribers of JazzTimes and expires January 31st. International subscriptions are $20; Canadian subscriptions are $10. That's a full year (10 issues) of JazzTimes.
After you purchase $50 or more, go to JazzTimes Promotion Button on the left and click the Buy button. Your subscription will begin with the April issue. This offer expires January 31st.
JazzTimes is packed with fascinating features, interviews and information. Each issue includes:
- More than 100 CD reviews (DVD and book reviews, too)
- In-depth profiles of jazz's top talent and rising stars
- Jazz news from around the world
- Columns by renowned critics Gary Giddins, Nat Hentoff and Nate Chinen.
- Reviews of musical instruments, audio and video equipment
UPCOMING RELEASE - MOSAIC SELECTS
Mosaic Select - Gerry Mulligan (MS-021) - 3 CDs
The crown jewel of this set is The Gerry Mulligan Songbook, released on CD in stereo here for the first time. Bill Holman arranged six celebrated Mulligan compositions from various stages of his career for a sublime sax section that consisted of Lee Konitz, Allen Eager, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims and Mulligan, superbly anchored by Freddie Green, Grimes and Bailey. Mulligan wrote and arranged a seventh for the occasion. The writing and solos are excellent throughout. The stereo and mono versions of three tunes differ and all versions are included.
The most unusual date here is the one with the Vinnie Burke String Quartet, which consists of guitar, violin, cello and bass, with Mulligan and Dave Bailey. Eight of the nine selections were slated to come out as Stringtime, a cover was created, but the album never materialized. Five of the tunes are issued here for the first time.
Annie Ross Sings A Song Of Mulligan was the first and best of three albums that this extraordinary singer made for World Pacific. Her unerring sense of pitch and musicianship made her ideal for jazz settings, especially one such as this with no chordal instrument to provide a tonal center. At the December sessions, she plays with the reunion quartet and, in September 1958, with Mulligan's then current quartet with Art Farmer, Bill Crow and Bailey. Six bonus tracks have been added to the album.
The set is expected to be released mid - end of January.
Mosaic Select - Sidney Bechet (MS-022) - 3 CDs
Sidney Bechet's legacy as one of the key figures in traditional jazz, is brilliantly displayed here in this set of recordings from 1923 through 1947 for the Columbia family of labels. His mastery of projecting an extremely powerful soprano saxophone and clarinet could carry any size ensemble and was looked upon with reverence by anyone who came in contact with him.
A primary goal in selecting these Bechet titles was to cherry pick the best solos or obbligatos from the seminal Clarence Williams Blue Five recordings on OKeh and bring them to the high sonic standards of a Mosaic package. These recordings represent Bechet in his twenties, yet he is already a dominating master of his craft. Our dilemma, however, turned out that these mid 1920s recordings are extremely rare and to find one in a clean enough condition to transfer was a real daunting task. However with help from collectors all over the planet, our restoration man for this set Doug Pomeroy was able to present the music in the best sound to date of this precious material. We used the original metal parts and lacquer discs to transfer the rest of the recordings on this set
The recordings from 1937 to 1947 begin with Bechet single-handedly lifting a big band while as a sideman with the Noble Sissle Orchestra on the rare Variety label. After leaving that band, he was featured as a leader on a magnificent date for Vocalion, pairing him with the under appreciated baritone saxophonist, Ernie Caceres. The first session under his leadership for Columbia, has Bechet pared with his protg Bob Wilber who has graced our set by handling the notes giving us a greater insight of Bechet. The rest of the material comes from 1947 with Bechet's quartet that worked regularly at Jimmy Ryans. These quartet sessions reveal that Bechet did not only relegate his material to Trad tunes but to popular standards as well. An added bonus are the 14 previously unissued takes included here.
The set is expected to be released mid - end of January.
MOSAIC SELECT PRICE CHANGE
When we embarked on this series a couple of years ago, we had expected to distribute the sets at retail. While we do have some limited retail distribution, the state of the retail market has changed our assumptions. Without the ability to spread the costs over a wider distribution and to keep this series alive, we must raise our prices.
The new Selects to be released in January, Gerry Mulligan (MS-021) and Sidney Bechet (MS-022) are priced at $44 for each 3 CD set. The first 20 releases are still priced at $39 but will be raised to $44 on July 1, 2006. This is a financial decision that we did not make lightly. We think this is still a great value with generally 4 or 5 albums contained in the 3 CD set and while the music is priceless, personal budgets are limited and we do take this step only after much consideration.
Beginning with the Gerry Mulligan Select, the Select boxes will incorporate the B&W photo on a silver background which we believe will make for a more elegant look. Also, to trim some costs without affecting the production value, we are eliminating the preprinted set # although they will continue to be Limited Edition sets of 5000 each.
FUTURE PROJECTS
Unfortunately, our planned boxed set of the Felsted recordings produced by Stanley Dance is on indefinite hold because we have yet to find suitable master tapes for this project.However we have added a Dizzy Gillespie Mosaic Boxed set on our Future Projects page.
The Verve & Phillips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (7 CDs)
While most of Dizzy Gillespie's Verve albums were all-star or big band situations, he also recorded with his 1954 quintet with Hank Mobley, a 1957 octet with Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson, his 1959 quintet with Les Spann and Junior Mance and a 1961 live concert with Leo Wright. The following year, Dizzy signed with Philllips where he made six albums with his working bands featuring first Wright and Lalo Schifrin and later James Moody and Kenny Barron. Much of the material on set it on CD for the first time. The set includes 11 previously unissued tracks.
For a full list visit Future Projects
TRUE BLUE MUSIC NEW RELEASE BOX SETS SALE (Sale Ends Jan. 15th)
Miles Davis - The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 (Sale Price $98.98)
This set contains six full sets from December 16-19, 1970 with the band that consisted of Gary Bartz, Keith Jarrett, Michael Henderson, Jack DeJohnette, Airto Morreira and guest John McLaughlin. Four heavily edited excerpts were issued at the time on Miles's double album “Live-Evil", but hearing this group unbridled and unedited is a remarkable listening experience. Disc 1 is the first set on Wednesday (without Airto). Disc 2 is the second set on Thursday. Discs 3 & 4 are the second and third Friday sets and discs 5 & 6, which include John McLaughlin are the second and third Saturdays sets. The remaining sets could not be released because of problems with the recording equipment.
Billie Holiday-Complete Verve Studio Master Takes (Sale Price $59.98)
Newly transferred in 24 bit, this 6-CD set contains all 100 master takes from her mid-fifties Verve studio sessions. Sidemen include Charlie Shavers, Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Flip Phillips, Wynton Kelly and Jimmy Rowles. The 56-page booklet includes many rare photographs.
CALENDAR - RUNNING LOW
The Chuck Stewart Classic Jazz 2006 Calendar $13.98
Twelve stunning black & white images (Sonny Stitt, Sarah Vaughan, Chet Baker, Percy Heath, Stan Getz, Nancy Wilson, Dave Brubeck, Gene Krupa, Coleman Hawkins, Art Blakey, Oscar Peterson and Stanley Turrentine) are beautifully reproduced in this 12" X 26" hanging calendar.
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For more information contact All About Jazz.
