Search - Modern Jazz Quartet :: Sheriff (Mlps)

My favorite MJQ

01/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"My original acquaintance with MJQ hearkens back to college days in the late 60s and early 70s. I waited for years for a CD release (and remastered!) of both Sheriff and Lonely Woman, my two favorites by MJQ for decades. To me, these two just swing, and in the Sheriff we also have a Latin/bossa nova touch. Every piece is special. I can only think the guys really were mentally together or "on a groove" when in the recording studio for the Sheriff session(s), because everything seems just right. It's not the lengthiest MJQ issue, but quality exceeds quantity here. I'm ordering the last copy on hand from Amazon after completing this review, but if you have to wait a few days, or even weeks, in my opinion it will be worth your wait."

Masterly, but remastered?

12/02/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"There is no indication on the package or disc that this is a remaster - it is however labled Atlantic Masters and that is where there may be some confusion. This 1964 recording initially appeared to me to have transfer-to-CD problems - for example there is a hum between the initial interplay between Lewis and Jackson on the title song and at one point on Natural Affection, a beautiful bluesy bossa nova, Lewis seems at one point to receed into the next room. However, upon listening to the original phonograph record it's apparent that they were already there - I had simply not listened to this recording with headphones before. It appears that this CD has been made directly from the original tapes with no additional treatment.However, the MJQ is in wonderful form on this recording and the disc is well worth buying."