mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 The LP version of Saxophone Colossus is a far cry above the CD version (hell, the OJC release is even better than the K2 20bit version). But if going CD, get the best remaster you can find as the stock CD is merely ok and this album deserves attention. Still, GO FOR THE VINYL if possible (The 20bit K2 version is the best CD for the money - Better than regular CD and $15) This 1956 lineup includes Sonny Rollins on tenor sax; Tommy Flanagan on piano; Doug Watkins on bass; and the great Max Roach on the drums. For those wanting to hear TWO dynamite cuts from perhaps Rollin's greatest works, listen to these two in full. That drum work from Max Roach in Blue 7 is just pure gold and I think it's the backbone of what makes this cut so amazing. Christ, you just cant get any MORE INTO THE GROOVE than this! Blue 7 is one of those cuts that appeals to people that dont even LIKE jazz as the swing and groove is just completely first rate. Blue 7 has one of the BEST opening few bars of any number as Doug Watkins lays a GREAT bass line...and the drum breaks from Roach, as noted above, are just perfection. And Rollins' lines and interplay with this quartet break new ground in '56. The end of BLUE 7 still GIVES ME CHILLS to this day. Man, this is GREAT stuff! Listen to the WHOLE cut...over 11 minutes. Pay attention to Rollins phrasing and especially to Max Roach's drum work on his solo breaks. His first break comes at the 4:06 mark and doesnt stop until 6:20! How can a high hat and cymbal say this much? Dont miss it. What a damn SUPER SOLID GROOVE behind his excellent fills.... no BETTER! And when Rollins comes back....lordy. NOTE: This was taken off my Linn LP-12 TT to NAKAMICHI CR-7a, then moved to the digital domain via .WAV and then to the lowly MP3. Still, it grooves even when moved to digital despite the format! YEs, it's a touch bright with all the media changes but still survives relatively intact. These files are BIG since I recorded to MP3 via 256k. So....cable modem is recommend. Give this a listen: SONNY ROLLINS - BLUE 7.MP3 St. Thomas is a far more playful cut but with GREAT interplay and drum work by Roach. It features a calypso beat that is quite distinctive - and yet another excellent, compelling solo from Max. Rollins' work is not to missed either. SONNY ROLLINS - ST. THOMAS.MP3 kh EDIT: I just listened to this again off the server and realized I had been listening to the .wav file via HD when I sampled it early this a.m. The levels came in a little hot via the .MP3 now that I hear this version - apologies. Still, worth a listen. Sounds like speed might be ever so slightly off as well (somewhere between speed adj Nak, TT, and this swine machine. It's not a car wreck, however. Give it a listen. The music speaks for itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 Someone better listen to this (even at a whopping 20mb for that Blue 7), or I am coming for blood! This took me WAAAY too long to complete and is a LAST time for the vinyl - Nakamichi - SoundBlaster 64 - WAV- HQ 256k MP3 conversion. What a royal PITA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Kelly, You are barking mad my friend. I have the K2 20 bit XRCD blah blah blah version. Before I launch into downloading this thing (at 64Kb/s connection speed) am I going to hear a difference? I am sure the viny sounds better but will an MP3??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 What? Max, you always read something else into my posts, mostly drawing conclusions not stated in the text. I have come to appreciate this as the MAXG FACTOR as it happens with us about 95% of the time you address a post of mine. If you read the post, you will notice several references to the fact that this is an MP3, and therefore not the quality of either the vinyl OR the CD (or the .wav file for that matter). Yes, it's got some good sound for an MP3, probably better than most, but will it displace the 20Bit K2 version? Nope. Hardly. Even though it DID originate from vinyl, this is still a rather lousy form of recording even done to very best levels (Not to mention the extra stage of the Nak CR-7a, a great recorder but only used to keep from carrying the computer into the listening room). This post and the samples were put up for people to HEAR the complete BLUE 7 and St. THOMAS in about as good an MP3 version as possible. IT sure beats the 30 sec samples on Amazon! I am hoping people with cable will give this a listen, even those that dont appreciate jazz. Blue 7 is a great entry cut and I find it loved by those that have no real affinity for jazz and a great introduction to something besides the standard "TAKE FIVE" that everyone seems to reference. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 ---------------- On 9/30/2003 9:32:22 AM mobile homeless wrote: Someone better listen to this (even at a whopping 20mb for that Blue 7), or I am coming for blood! This took me WAAAY too long to complete and is a LAST time for the vinyl - Nakamichi - SoundBlaster 64 - WAV- HQ 256k MP3 conversion. What a royal PITA! ---------------- Kelly, I REALLY appreciate your doing this ... PITA, indeed. I will surely listen to it tonight, but the IT loons have blocked your website here at work (webhosting is a no-no ... you should mark it "high volume electronics manufacturing", hee hee). So I'm FRUSTRATED too! Actually, I'm hoping my vinyl copy will show up here at work shortly! Thanks for everything you're putting into this. BTW, that was a really nice analysis of Blue 7 up above. Coming from a musician himself, it really makes sense. Looking forward to hearing it tonight! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 ---------------- On 9/30/2003 11:07:20 AM mobile homeless wrote: Blue 7 is a great entry cut and I find it loved by those that have no real affinity for jazz and a great introduction to something besides the standard "TAKE FIVE" that everyone seems to reference. kh ---------------- Max, your post made me laugh out loud. Surely you were kidding Or perhaps it was the lovely Greek wine ... it's about that time of day! Kelly, I've heard the Brubeck/Desmond combo in Take 5 too many times for sure. Wasn't there a second version put out by those guys, or a second release of that album? Can't quite remember. I'll go to Amazon to poke around. BTW, WRT to the IT Loons, now going on two years, they won't let me onto your website but they'll let me roam around Motley Crue Go figure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fini Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 ---------------- On 9/30/2003 11:07:20 AM mobile homeless wrote: MAXG FACTOR ---------------- Is this made up? fini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 MAXG FACTOR? I think there have been a few papers on the subject but these by graduate students, only accessable within their school libraries. I could inquire if interested. Max holds no patents, however. The play on words is thy FINI trademark. Thanks for the comments Chris. It was a once in a blue moon experiment that will surely never be repeated from this end unless bribed or threatened. As per the response, hardly worth the time it took to even make the graphic, let alone samples! heh... kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisK Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 ---------------- On 9/30/2003 9:32:22 AM mobile homeless wrote: Someone better listen to this (even at a whopping 20mb for that Blue 7), or I am coming for blood! This took me WAAAY too long to complete and is a LAST time for the vinyl - Nakamichi - SoundBlaster 64 - WAV- HQ 256k MP3 conversion. What a royal PITA! ---------------- Kelly, I am listening to it as I type. GREATLY APPRECIATED!!! What's next? How's 'bout one of the singers you and Jazz Sensei have talked about? Helen Merrill? Billie? Etta? Someone Else? Thanks Again, Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBryan Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Nice job Kelly! Sonny Rollins' Sax Colossus is one of my favorite jazz LPs and I would certainly recommend it to anyone wanting a taste of jazz. I started listening to jazz when I found a sealed box of the Smithsonian Collection of Classic Jazz - 7 LPs for $2. Figuring I couldn't go wrong, I picked it up and was absolutely wowed by what I heard. BTW, the recordings are very nice - not the finest by any stretch but fairly detailed, quiet and for the most part, excellent staging. The selections on the box set run chronologically from the earliest recorded examples of Scott Joplin, Bessie Smith and Louis Armstrong through the works of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Ornette Coleman. I listened to the entire collection several times through while I read along in the booklet. While its not the final word in jazz history (it basically peters out around the mid-seventies with emphasis on the late 40s through early 60s), it offers a wonderful overview and critique of the basics and some of the more popular and influential artists. Its a fine learning tool for anyone who wants a starting point and I would suggest this set over the Ken Burns' series- especially if you can get it on LP. Getting back to Sonny Rollins, I heard a couple of his pieces on the Smithsonian set and was so impressed, I ran out and picked up 3 of his albums - Our Man in Jazz, Way Out West and Saxophone Colossus. I enjoyed all 3 but SC really struck a nerve and was the catalyst for my quest into more jazz. I now have 100s of jazz albums and I still listen to SC quite a bit and recommend it to anyone who wants to hear a good example of recorded jazz. On another note, the album also was my first serious foray into mono. I didn't realize that the LP was in mono and might not have purchased it had I not been so taken with SR's work. Upon first listen, I noticed the difference but I heard the instruments "placed" around the stage. I had always thought that mono recordings basically sounded like the music came from a single point and I might as well listen to them through a clock radio. How wrong I was! Mono recordings can have tremendous imaging and a great soundstage. I now find myself seeking out mono recordings and I have pulled all my mono records, cleaned them up and am enjoying them again for the 1st time with a whole new perspective. I'm sure many already know this but for those who haven't discovered the sublime properties of mono - give it a listen and hear for yourself. Sorry for the rant. I'll step down from the soapbox now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOSValves Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 Kelly, Great job recording and transferring it to digital ! I feel for you since I messed with this myself and it is time consuming to say the least ! My only question is when do we see the rest of the tracks Craig Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrot Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 I have Way Out West on SACD and recommend it for anyone who can't locate mint vinyl or doesn't want to bother with vinyl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 Some great comments here. I can only whole heartedly second JBryan's endorsement of the complete SMITHSONIAN COLLECTION OF CLASSIC JAZZ (6 LPs - 12 sides). IT also come with an excellent book with some of the history behind each recording. IF you can find this box of LPs anywhere in good condition, GO FOR IT. I have a copy that was given to my Dad by a friend and I can report JBryan is right on the money. They even did an "ok" job of getting this to vinyl. Some of the time, these box sets can be very disappointing. This one is one of the better ones, especially for the first timer interested in getting into jazz. In fact, there is a copy on ebay right now in supposedly near mint condition. LINK: SMITHSONIAN COLLECTION OF CLASSIC JAZZ - Currently $12 on ebay (6 LPs) I second Sir Paul Parrot's rec for the WAY OUT WEST as well. I have not heard the SACD, but imagine it to be good. The 20Bit K2 recording is VERY good but throws some people off with the horn of Sonny's placed from one speaker. Great sonics for a CD however. I am tempted to retry the Sonny Blue 7 again to see if I can better it. I actually am not as happy with that take to MP3. IT's a little saturated. kh ps- Coming Up: CHRISK's request for a 256k sample MP3 of a female vocalist/guitar duo, one of the best of the genre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Robinson Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 ---------------- On 9/30/2003 1:35:12 PM mobile homeless wrote: I am tempted to retry the Sonny Blue 7 again to see if I can better it. I actually am not as happy with that take to MP3. IT's a little saturated. kh ---------------- Kelly, rather than invest the time with bettering the MP3, why not use the time to post another great artist/example? I'm going to guess that the quality is good enough (while not optimal) for folks to hear the sytle and illustrative points you are making. I for one would love to hear some other great cuts from the center part of your collection's bell curve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 Agree, Chris. I will throw up a couple of other Sonny favorites, most notably some stuff off his Village Vanguard sessions. I love that disc and Allan sent me a nice copy as well. I cant thank him enough for the great exchanges we have had regarding music trading. None better in my experience. I hope someone just getting into jazz that wants to sample a huge cross section of the classics will pick up that Smithsonian on ebay. For 6 LPs, and a cool little reference book, it's hard to beat. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymd Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 I may try and grab it. What's this thing worth? $25? more? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobile homeless Posted September 30, 2003 Author Share Posted September 30, 2003 I want to say one thing about that collection. Notice how I said "they did an 'OK' job of getting it to vinyl." This is the problem with these collections; they dont quite equal the sonics of the originals (some are far worse than others). This collection does an ok job but the originals or even the later editions of the albums tend to sound a bit better. STILL, I really recommend this set. Many wouldnt notice any difference at all. As for worth, I dont know what that set will go for. To be honest, I havent even thought about it for years until Jbryan brought it up. I have it at home but not in my collection here. I would imagine you could get it for $25 or less but this is purely conjecture. I think you would be very happy with this, even if you paid more. I found listening while reading the book with it very rewarding at the time. IT definitely has some GREAT tracks that are must haves in my opinion. IF this truly IS a mint condition set, I would really go for it. kh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 I appreciate this kind of stuff, I never get to sample any Jazz. I never listened to Sonny Rollins before. And I agree those 30 second MP3's are pretty worthless. How much reference can you get from a 11 minute song with 30 seconds? Nonetheless, I'm picking this up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 maxg factor....hurrumph....kinda reminds me of the joke that followed me around at school... why did Nivea Cream? Because Max Factor! Endless mirth with that one.... As for my orginial post it was merely a response to Kelly's begging for someone to download the thing. Shan't bother now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike stehr Posted September 30, 2003 Share Posted September 30, 2003 "Why did Nivea Cream? Because Max Factor!" That's pretty good!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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