Lon Armstrong

I really like Land. . . . He was my favorite tenorist with Brown and Roach, which is like. . . sacriledge to some Rollins fans. Coming out this year on compact disc from Blue Note is "Now" by Bobby Hutcherson which is one of my favorite of his Blue Notes with Land. . . . !

Actually, since most of the appearances of the band were for dancing, I think that fifteen minute romps would be very very very rare. . . even live, in fact more likely in the studio. Granz did a series of nine "Jam" lps (10"s I think) that had long long jams, and about a third of these were heavily populated with Basie men. I have these and they are fun. . . not the same thing as the whole Orchestra would be live and stretching out of course. There is talk that Verve will be putting out a box set of all these jam releases soon, I'm all for it! The fifties Verve and Roulette sides are also averaging more than the three minute 78s from Decca and Columbia (more like four to five minutes for a lot of them), so there is a little stretching out going on.

I can't make up my mind either. I agree that anything sung by Jack Teagarden is a favorite. I'm a big fan of Louis' singing as well. . . . But I would probably have to say my favorite jazz tune would be something from the Strayhorn and Ellington camp. . . . I have about 7000 jazz recordings now, been through and out of the Blue Note worship trip, have fallen hard for prebop jaza, and I have a special feeling for the Ellington Orchestra.

If sonics is a big concern, Pablo and stereo Verve sides, and Roulette vinyl would be my suggestions. Though for music itself, Decca and Columbia get the nod, but it's going to be old mono recordings mostly (all Decca, much of the Columbia) recorded on disc, not tape. Fidelity is good as this type of recording goes, but many don't dig this type of recording. (About one-quarter of my collection is mono material of this nature, so I'm a believer).

I hear ya Randy, thanks for the response! I'm a Lester Willis Young completist too; that man was so important to American music. . . as important as Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker and very few others!

So sad to hear of the passing of one of the real drum giants. A man whose talent and spirit and drive was rarely matched. Adios maestro!

Quote: "He (the Count) was the epitome of the "jazz players standing behind white boxes with notes printed on them" jazz." Wow, whatever gave you that idea? I'd be interested in knowing because. . . well it's so far from my impression! Basie's band with Lester Young was a catalyst for so many innovations in jazz and one of the most important bands ever. . . . imho.

HF81s were also sold factory assembled and wired. I have one. I also have a 1959 "Stereo Handbook" that has a full page ad for EICO that shows this integrated and all the line and has prices for kit or factory assembled and wired.

Let's not forget Johnny Griffin's grasp of Monk's music as well. . . I'd like to see anyone else be so glib and fleet about it all!

I have used a PS Audio P300 since their introduction and I LOVE it. Takes care of power problems, period.

Yeah, I take it to mean "a little on the slower side". . .

I've heard both the Cary and the Zen in his system, and in important ways he prefers the Zen and I think I do too. It was clearer and less euphonic than the Cary, and there was no clipping with the Zen at the listening levels he enjoys. So res gustibus non disputandae sunt I guess.

At what point does this become "object worship"? I know the feeling of wanting stuff like this, but just can't afford them. . . . I'm contenting myself with more affordable issues of great material like this! (I have the Japanese RVG cd!) I just finished reading a book on archaeological digs in Eurasia that shows at least some of our predecessors really did believe you could take it with you!

I think he just DID.

New box set on the Mosaic site this week: Complete Verve recordings of Tal Farlow. I have more than half of the material in this set and man is it good stuff!

Hi Rob! Folks, seems to me that this thread is serving a purpose, so it was okay to bring it up. If not, then why doesn't the forum delete old posts? Anyway, I'm enjoying my Decware amp(s) every day and I loaned my Revision A to a friend of mine who seemingly won't give it back and has told me he is selling his Cary 300b Integrated because it doesn't sound quite as good. . . .!

I'm using Cat-6, one single strand per leg of cable, between my Decware E34L Mononblocks and my Decware Radial RL2s. Best stuff I've ever used!

I'm another big fan of Mosaic, and I really am glad they have gone in the direction of assembling sets of "prebop" jazz! A quality label for musical content and presentation, and great with customer service as well. I've been buying their sets since 1990.

Others might!

I've had three Decware amps, and still have two. I bought the twenty-seventh he sold nearly seven years ago, and then had it upgraded (for free) to "Revision A" (he now sells the "C" version). I then bought a Select amp, which I LOVED, had for three years, but sold because I had also bought his Radial speakers, and felt that I needed just a little more power. . . . So before Christmas I bought his EL34 Monoblocks and sold the Select. I LOVE the monoblocks, they have that clarity and precision that I love in the Select, and a bit of EL34 warmth, and drive my Radials (which are the gem of my system) excellently. I'm a Decware lover and loyal customer!

Hello friends! Yes, a great recording. . . timeless as stated above. I've neither the K2 nor the SACD, have an lp somewhere and I listen to this in the Riverside box set version. . . . The music doesn't care which version I listen to, and it always enthralls me!