Cheap box sets from Sony/BMG int'l

Message

anton · #1 Post by **anton** » Tue May 12, 2009 1:23 pm

These are almost a year old now, but I haven't seen them mentioned on this forum. Last summer Sony/BMG Int'l released a batch of cheap CD collections, perhaps in response to the unauthorized European collections that flood the market. These are 3 and 4 cd sets with Billie Holiday, Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Glenn Miller, Duke Ellington. There are also a number of single-cd collections (less interesting). Curiously, the collections are not featured on any of the Sony/BMG websites.

At least one of the box sets is essential: Duke Ellington Columbia & RCA Original Masters 1932-1939:

http://www.amazon.com/Best-Duke-Ellingt ... B0018BF1GI

95 remastered tracks for $12!

Some of the tracks have never had a legitimate CD release before, like 'Stepping into Swing Society' (a favorite of mine).

On the minus side: no discographical data.

trev · #2 Post by **trev** » Wed May 13, 2009 7:18 am

I bought them all as soon as they came out and they are brilliant for the price and quality. Ellington and Billie especially.

lipi · #3 Post by **lipi** » Wed May 13, 2009 11:12 am

thanks for mentioning these, anton. i hadn't seen them yet.

the duke set does look pretty good. i already have the rca centennial and the columbia years sets, but it looks like this has some missing tracks (stepping into swing society for one!).

does the holiday set have things unavailable before?

Haydn · #4 Post by **Haydn** » Thu May 14, 2009 9:44 am

lipi wrote:the duke set does look pretty good. i already have the rca centennial and the columbia years sets, but it looks like this has some missing tracks (stepping into swing society for one!).

Yes - that looks good, and very reasonably priced too. I hadn't noticed these box sets before.

J-h:n · #5 Post by **J-h:n** » Thu May 14, 2009 12:09 pm

Theoretically it's great that you can get collections including both Columbia and RCA Victor material, but the result is not so impressive. The only set I have is the Glenn Miller (because I needed a greatest hits collection of his for certain non-lindy hop functions) and it really feels carelessly thrown together. NO discographical details WHATSOEVER - hell, those are the main reson I keep buying CDs instead of downloading - and transfers that are nowhere near the best ones available.

Yeah, yeah, they're cheap, but I would still have expected much more from the company that actually owns these recordings.

anton · #6 Post by **anton** » Fri May 15, 2009 8:38 am

J-h:n wrote:transfers that are nowhere near the best ones available

Which transfers would you recommend for rare mid-30's Ellington (Steppin into Swing Society, et al)?

I only had those sides on Chronological Classics before and this box set is a drastic improvement in sound quality.

CafeSavoy · #7 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Fri May 15, 2009 9:41 am

anton wrote:
J-h:n wrote:transfers that are nowhere near the best ones available
Which transfers would you recommend for rare mid-30's Ellington (Steppin into Swing Society, et al)?

I only had those sides on Chronological Classics before and this box set is a drastic improvement in sound quality.

'Steppin into Swing Society' is on "Braggin' in Brass".

lipi · #8 Post by **lipi** » Fri May 15, 2009 10:14 am

there are rumours of mosaic preparing columbia big band ellington set. there's nothing on their own site about it, but there've been some rumours at organissimo and the like. so if you want to wait a year (?), i suppose you can get them there.

J-h:n · #9 Post by **J-h:n** » Fri May 15, 2009 1:08 pm

anton wrote:Which transfers would you recommend for rare mid-30's Ellington (Steppin into Swing Society, et al)?

I honestly hadn't bothered to take a closer look at the Ellington set. If there's rare stuff there, of course that may be reason enough to get it - thanks for the tip! I was just very disappointed with the set I did get.

anton · #10 Post by **anton** » Sat May 16, 2009 12:00 am

CafeSavoy wrote:'Steppin into Swing Society' is on "Braggin' in Brass".

Do you mean this Portrait disc?

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... fexqugldhe
http://www.amazon.com/Braggin-Brass-Imm ... B000008ATJ

Looks like they have the wrong track list, cause the review talks about songs that are not in the list...

Or perhaps this Naxos disc?

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp ... e=8.120706

Or?

anton · #11 Post by **anton** » Sat May 16, 2009 5:07 am

J-h:n wrote:I was just very disappointed with the set I did get.

The Glenn Miller set is available on Spotify and you're right - it sounds quite awful - some of the tracks seem to be dubbed from LP. Many of the tracks are tagged '1989 remaster' which is not a good sign...

The Billie Holiday set sounds good, but there all material was already issued on recent complete box sets. Same thing with the Armstrong set.

CafeSavoy · #12 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:01 am

anton wrote:
CafeSavoy wrote:'Steppin into Swing Society' is on "Braggin' in Brass".
Do you mean this Portrait disc?

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=am ... fexqugldhe
http://www.amazon.com/Braggin-Brass-Imm ... B000008ATJ

Looks like they have the wrong track list, cause the review talks about songs that are not in the list...

Or perhaps this Naxos disc?

http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp ... e=8.120706

Or?

That's it, but it's really a two disc set. And it's his dance band orchestra. That was when he was on the road doing lots of dances. In the liner notes, the author mentioned that Ben Webster told him that Duke would change arrangements during band breaks based on the response of the crowd.

CafeSavoy · #13 Post by **CafeSavoy** » Sat May 16, 2009 9:06 am

This looks more like the track list...
http://new.music.yahoo.com/duke-ellingt ... ar--174331