Miles Davis fans, check this out! (1 Viewer)

[KeithH]

A colleague told me about this a few days ago, and I just found it on the web:
The Complete Miles Davis at Montreux: 1973-1991
* 20 CDs, $200 at Amazon, available October 15th
Here is the link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...15169?v=glance
I am guessing that Sony will not be releasing this set on SACD. :frowning:

 

[Mike Broadman]

20 CDs!

Wow.
Oh well, here comes another delay in getting those rear speakers I wanted. This set looks freakin' amazing.
There is a DVD from Montreaux that I haven't picked up yet, but I would assume that the music from that DVD is on this new box set.

I am guessing that Sony will not be releasing this set on SACD.

Can you imagine? They would be all hybrids, so you'd have to buy it twice. Eep.
NP: Bela Fleck & the Flecktones, Live at the Quick

 

[KeithH]

Mike, yeah, knowing Sony, the 20-disc box set would be its first foray into hybrid discs. Of course, Sony would wait a few months after releasing the standard CD set before releasing the hybrid set. That way, Sony could get the true fans to buy it twice!
I am not really thinking about the Miles Davis box sets yet, especially this monster. There are still a lot of albums I want. Just this weekend, I picked up six Miles Davis CDs, and I have six coming in the mail. I'm on quite a quest here.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Mike, yeah, knowing Sony, the 20-disc box set would be its first foray into hybrid discs. Of course, Sony would wait a few months after releasing the standard CD set before releasing the hybrid set. That way, Sony could get the true fans to buy it twice!

I would mail them the receipt and demand a reimbursement.
As of now, I am seriously trying to decide between available funds for:
1. This freakin' box set
2. B&W 601s for surrounds
3. A big ol' order from elusivedisc for the new Analogue Production, Channel, and Mahler SACDs
4. Car payment

 

[KeithH]

Mike said:

As of now, I am seriously trying to decide between available funds for:
1. This freakin' box set
2. B&W 601s for surrounds
3. A big ol' order from elusivedisc for the new Analogue Production, Channel, and Mahler SACDs
4. Car payment

Hmmm...tough choice. Well, you could always walk, so deep-six the car. Besides, if you buy enough music, you will have no reason to leave the house!

 

[KeithH]

Oh, I said:

Besides, if you buy enough music, you will have no reason to leave the house!

Of course, there is no such thing as enough music.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Keith,
Of course, I do need to drive to my job, which is where I get the money for the music. If I still have it... (tech industry nowadays, you know... *eep*)
As for "enough" music- my latest count at number of CDs (not including high-res, classical, and other miscellaneous stuff) was 1170. Some would say I'm all set. I would disagree. I'm just gettin' started.
I'll be surprised to see this set sell a lot. There is a very small audience for Miles' 80s material.
Keith, with all your recent Miles collecting (good job, btw), have you dabbled into this era of his music?
NP: Nitty Gritty Surround, DVD-A

 

[KeithH]

Mike, I was thinking you could walk to work.
You said:

As for "enough" music- my latest count at number of CDs (not including high-res, classical, and other miscellaneous stuff) was 1170. Some would say I'm all set. I would disagree. I'm just gettin' started.

I hear you. I have around 1850 CDs, which does include CD singles, promos, and some duplicate copies of titles (i.e., original version, remaster, gold CD, import, etc.). I don't know how many different titles I have, but it's not enough. My jazz collection is still relatively small, so I have my work cut out for me.
My Miles Davis collection is growing, but there is still so much great stuff out there that I don't have. I am having fun discovering, and in some cases re-discovering, his catalog. Thus far, I am mostly buying his Columbia titles, and I have not bought anything from the '80s yet. His Columbia catalog alone is huge.

 

[Steven Hen]

1170, 1850 cds...wow and you guys are "just getting started"! I am at about 400 of which 70 are jazz, 50 reggae, handfull of blues, couple few classical and about 300 of yesterdays "alternative rock" that I've pretty much lost interest in and 56 SACDs.

Anyway, I'm looking to pick up Miles In a Silent way. Any suggestions on what version, cd, boxset cds and/or the SACD?

NP Dexter Gordon L.T.D.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Steven,
Your CD collection is too small. You are not cool enough to hang out with us.
*fixes pocket protector, snorts, and receives wedgy from jock*

For In A Silent Way, I have the recently released remastered CD. The SACD is multi-channel and I do plan on getting it, but I consider the CD a must because the SACD is not hybrid, therefore not playable in long car rides. I like to use that kind of music to bore all my friends to sleep on road trips when I want them to shut the hell up for a while.

I'm sure Keith could tell you about the original version, remastered version, remixed version, re-altered version, and Special Japanese Silver XRHDQW CD version. I just need one for the car and one for the home.

I am getting all the way into jazz now.

Btw Keith, quick nitpick: Some of Miles' 80s stuff is on Columbia.

Also, when you venture outside Columbia, be sure to check out the stuff before it. There is a ton of sweet music, and you can find him playing with everyone from Art Blakey to Thelonious Monk to Jacke McLean to Sonny Rollins. That kind of variety was given up for the stability of his regular groups later on (though the early 60s also finds him with a revolving door of band members). At least three of those early discs are on DCC Gold, a couple others are re-fancy-mastered, a couple are on XRCD, and Cookin' is, of course, on SACD.

I've been collecting Miles on CD for 5 years and there's still stuff I wanna get- and all this without having any redundant music except for the Sony SACDs. Miles is one of only two artists for whom I have an entire row in my shelves for (the other being Frank Zappa).

NP: Peppino D'Agostino, DVD-A

 

[KeithH]

Mike said:

I'm sure Keith could tell you about the original version, remastered version, remixed version, re-altered version, and Special Japanese Silver XRHDQW CD version.

True!
Yes, Miles did have some titles on the Columbia label in the '80s. Very true. I'll get to the '80s stuff eventually, but for now, I am working on the older Miles stuff from Columbia. That said, I do have a version of Cookin' coming from BMG, but I don't know which version I will get. It will either be the standard $11.99 CD or the 20-bit K2 remaster, which usually sells for $15.99. I'm thinking I may luck out and get the 20-bit K2 remaster because I recently ordered John Coltrane Blue Train and Creedence Clearwater Revival's self-titled debut CDs from BMG and got the "better" versions. In the case of Coltrane, I got The Ultimate Blue Train, which sounds great (haven't had a chance to check the CD-ROM extras yet). With the CCR CD, I got the 20-bit K2 remaster instead of the standard Fantasy CD. So, maybe I'll get the 20-bit K2 remaster of Cookin'. To be complete, however, there is still the standard CD, XRCD, and SACD out there.
I've seen those Miles Davis DCC gold CDs, but I'm not sure I'll pay the money for them. If they have been remastered recently for release in the regular stores, those remastered versions might be as good or better than the DCC gold CDs anyway. I have been very impressed with recent remasters of older music (rock and jazz) from the major labels.
Steven,
Regarding In A Silent Way, I have the original CD (Columbia Jazz Masterpieces logo on front), remastered CD, boxed set, and SACD. The music is great, so you can't go wrong with any version. That said, if you have SACD capability, get the SACD. As Mike said, it is not a hybrid disc, so you may want to get a version on CD.
Sony made a mistake in packaging the SACD initially in that the back insert was the one for the remastered CD. As a result, the barcode in the SACD package is incorrect, and many stores were selling the SACD for the price of the remastered CD when it first came out. I do not know if Sony corrected the packaging on subsequent copies. If they didn't, stores might have caught on to the error and might have slapped a new barcode on the back of the package. In any event, you might be able to find a bargain. If you find the SACD at a local store, see if the back insert has the SACD or DSD logo on it. If it doesn't, you are looking at the CD insert. Also, the catalog number for the CD begins with a CK, so check the catalog number on the spine. The catalog number for the SACD starts with a CS. I was able to find the SACD the week it came out for $11.99 -- a steal!
I have not yet listened to the multi-channel SACD track, but the stereo track sounds great. The remastered CD is quite good too, but not as good as the SACD. Still, you might want the remastered CD for the car or office. The remastered CD is much better than the original CD. There is no comparison. If you are a collector or enjoy comparing different versions of an album, look for the original CD. Some stores in my area still have copies lingering around.
If you really like the music on In A Silent Way, get the boxed set. I lucked out in that I got it very cheap recently at a store that was going out of business. However, it is easily worth the full $40-45 to me. Highly recommended.

 

[Mike Broadman]

I've seen those Miles Davis DCC gold CDs, but I'm not sure I'll pay the money for them.

Keith, I found three in Newbury Comics' used section for $15 a piece. None of those have gotten the golden-glove K-20 thing treatment.

New Miles Davis Quintet- the first recording of the famous quintet ('Trane, Jones, Chambers, Garland). The music isn't as tight as their next bunch of albums (Cookin', Relaxin', etc), but it's cool to hear this legendary group take its first steps.

Musings- A quartet session with Garland, Jones, and Oscar Pettiford on bass. This is a great one because Miles is the only horn, so the album is all about him playing. Sometimes, with all the insane stuff he did later and the great musicians he played with, one forgets just how good of a trumpet player he actually was.

Quintet/Sextet w/ Milt Jackson- Bags and Miles, how can you go wrong? Jackie McLean plays a couple of tracks (making the sextet).

As far as I know, the gold discs are currently the best digital versions of this music out there. The original CDs from this era can sound pretty painful (I just picked up Dig, where he plays with Sonny Rollins, and it is sorely in need of some sort of remastering or something). The Prestige box set, which has all this music, is supposed to sound pretty good, though, but I don't like box sets.

These were my first gold discs and my first introduction to the work of Steve Hoffman. The only one of the three albums I listed that I had (and have since sold) was New Quintet. I did a little A/B and the difference is quite clear. I was actually surprised that I could tell, since it's still the same format. The cymbals, for example, on the original all blurred together during the faster tunes, but sounded a lot clearer on the gold. This alone makes a huge difference, as the cymbals are the primary rhythmic driving force of bop jazz.

After that, I picked up gold discs by John Coltrane, Shelly Mann, Oscar Peterson, Art Pepper, and Wes Montgomery.

NP: Marillion / Michael Hunter, River

 

[Mike Broadman]

allmusic.com has a very positive review of this set:
Montreaux box
Oh man, I want this so bad.
NP: Thelonious Monk, Jazz Workshop

 

[Ryan Spaight]

Of course, if you want to get a bunch of prime Miles *really* cheap, emusic.com has a *lot* of the Fantasy/Prestige catalog available. $9.99 a month for the all the MP3s you can download. (The MP3s are open, fully burnable and copyable.)

Obviously, the sound quality will not approach a decent CD, but the price is sure right. This is great (and legal) way to sample hours of music, then you can go cherry-pick the best stuff on the real CDs.

They've got a wide range of classic Fantasy jazz albums, other Fantasy artists like CCR and Issac Hayes, tons of 50s rock (like the Chuck Berry Chess Box, Little Richard, Buddy Holly, etc.), newer stuff (like the current album by the Hives) and a ton of George Carlin comedy records. Check it out.

Ryan

 

[KeithH]

Mike, I'll look around for those DCC gold CDs. Perhaps I can find them cheap as you did. I'm sure there is some great stuff there. It has to be great.
I would love to buy the Montreux box set, but I will hold off on while I continue picking up the albums.
The review on allmusic.com says:

I picked up gold discs by John Coltrane

Which Coltrane disc did you buy? I won a sealed copy of the Coltrane Blue Train DAD on eBay last night for $11.52. I can't wait to get it.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Which Coltrane disc did you buy? I won a sealed copy of the Coltrane Blue Train DAD on eBay last night for $11.52. I can't wait to get it.

That DAD is simply marvelous. I have been enjoying the DADs as much as the SACDs of the jazz titles. Probably not surprisingly, the DADs from Classic records and the jazz SACDs from Sony, Telarc, and especially Analogue Productions are by far my favorite thing to listen to at home.

I know you've been digging Blue Train on CD, so you will find much delight in the DAD. I love hearing high-res music that I'm familiar with (and I pretty much know Blue Train by heart), as it lets me hear it in a new way and just revel in the technology.

One reason I'm dying for something like A Love Supreme to come out on SACD is because Coltrane's tone become stronger and more complex. Some of the later 'Trane material needs to come out. So far it's all been early stuff.

Gold DCC Coltrane discs I have:

Lush Life- I had the original CD pressing and was glad to get rid of it and replace it with this. A fine album that finds 'Trane developing his sound and trying to win an audience. I believe he was in Miles' band at this time.

Traneing In- An album with the Red Garland trio (basically Miles Davis' rhythm section). This is actually a comparitavely non-exciting album. The playing is competent and pleasant but lacking in some of the fire of 'Trane's later work.

Paul Quinchette- An album with another sax player who had a very toned-down, melodic style and was often compared to Lester Young. This a very cool album. I didn't have this one before, so I got all kinds of fun listening to it.

I don't even know how much these are sold at for full price. I just saw a bunch used so I snatched 'em up as I saw 'em.

 

[Rich Malloy]

Dumb question - what's "DAD", will it play on a redbook CD player, and, if so, where do I get "Blue Train"? Is my only option to luck out on eBay?

 

[Mike Broadman]

Rich,
DAD is "Digital Audio Disc," which is the least helpful acronym I've ever heard.

It's actually a DVD that has music in 24/96 resolution for two channels. Therefore, it is not playable on CD players but is on all DVD players.

Blue Train and other DADs from Classic Records can be purchased on elusivedisc.com which is where I get them from. I also found one by John Lee Hooker in Tower Records.

NP: Anekdoten, From Within

 

[Mike Broadman]

For anyone actually interested in ordering this monster, Best Buy has it for $250, so Amazon looks like the place to get it for now.
I just opened a credit account for them so that I could order it. They estimate it's arrival at my doorstep for the end of the month.
I can't wait.
I will post many reviews if you like.

 

[Rich Malloy]

DAD is "Digital Audio Disc," which is the least helpful acronym I've ever heard.
It's actually a DVD that has music in 24/96 resolution for two channels. Therefore, it is not playable on CD players but is on all DVD players.

Hey, I've got one of those!
So, generally speaking, the sound quality would be superior to the same recording on a CD?