Best proper box sets

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GemZombie · #16 Post by **GemZombie** » Tue Aug 16, 2005 11:23 pm

Nando wrote:Did anyone review the Anita O'Day Proper Box Set yet?

I have it. It's pretty good for the kind of set it is. It's mostly pop, so you have to enjoy that.

Lots of overlap with the Gene Krupa set of course too.

Campus Five · #17 Post by **Campus Five** » Wed Aug 17, 2005 2:28 am

I like the Anita O'Day box. Its got some of her stuff w/Krupa that is not on the Krupa box - with both boxes you've got the bulk of Gene's band. The stand outs are some really good solo sides recorded in LA 1945-1948. The sideman are Zutty Singleton, Allan Reuss, Benny Carter, etc., among others. There are several really good tracks from these solo sessions, most of them are swing standards, "Rosetta", "I Can't Believe that Your In Love with Me", "Ain't Misbeahavin'", "Them There Eyes", etc,. I've never heard anyone but me DJ any of those solo sides, so they are good, non-played out versions.
The Kenton stuff I never listen to, but I'm sure there's some playable material. The fourth disc is pretty boppy, but still I'm sure there's some stuff worth having.
Suffice it to say, there's no easier or cheaper way to get the good material on here, and other tracks don't really cost anything - there's easily 2 full discs worth of good stuff. At ~$20 I can't complain.

Ryan · #18 Post by **Ryan** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:37 pm

Ok, so beyond dancing for a second...

Has anyone listened to the Miles Davis Proper Box? Reviews?

Matthew · #19 Post by **Matthew** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 11:06 pm

I've seen the Bechet box mentioned, and I'm sure it's great. For the money, though, I'd try to find the 10-disc Past Perfect set, which is what I have. The sound quality may not be as high as the Proper (I haven't compared them), but, well, it's good enough and there are 10 discs of killer stuff.