An excellent selection in excellent sound
bukhtan | Chicago, Illinois, USA | 02/17/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"These four CD's stand, in my opinion, as one of the monuments of the work of the late great John R. T. Davies, scarcely less remarkable than his remastering of the Armstrong Hot Fives and Hot Sevens. Alas, they stand in direct competition to the new Mosaic set, also documenting the symbiosis of Frankie Trumbauer and Bix Beiderbecke. Both sets make available much of the best work of these two musicians, Bix lionized, Tram far less well-known but certainly worth the attention of anyone who cares about music, whether it is called "jazz" or not. As for Bix, these CD's include not only his work performances with Trumbauer, but his beautiful "Bix Beiderbeck & his Gang" sides, and his occasional piano work.
There has been increasing criticism of JSP, with the purport that it steals sound recordings in ways that clearly go beyond the law, not limiting itself to picking up performances, such as these, which have fallen out of the fifty-year international copyright protection. This particular set is clearly a legitimate re-mastering, not a burn-over. Listeners will have to make their own decision between this and the Mosaic set."
No less than a time machine!
C. Redenza | Finland, Europe | 12/15/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rarely you are able to hear as well remastered recordings as these ones. Actually, they will bring you to the year 1927! You will get shivers when you listen to this, especially record # 1 in this box. One of the best cd boxes I have ever purchased."