Extra Stuffs: Japan Releases

Mercury 40th Anniversary V.S.O.P. Album (Nippon Phonogram 25PJ-58/61

In 1984, this 4LP box was compiled and released, celebrating the Mercury label's 40th anniversary. This great box contains many of previously unreleased materials which were discovered by famous Mr. Kiyoshi Koyama. As much as 47 tracks, all of which are previously unissued, are from Mercury, EmArcy and Limelight recordings. On the liner-notes booklet, we can read Mr. Leonard Feather's impressive introduction essay, and Mr. Dan Morgenstern's tune-by-tune detailed commentaries.

Again, the contents of this box are all previously unissued. However, all takes are long hidden treatures: it's really unbelievable that they had not been available public for long years. The album starts with Eroll Garner's unreleased takes from first session on Mercury (Dec. 5, 1945); followed by nice but invaluable recordings by such as Gene Ammons, Jay McShann, Arnett Cobb, Clark Terry, all of which were recorded during 78rpm-to-LP transition era; a gem of EmArcy unissued recordings by Dinah Washington, Paul Quinichette, Paul Bley, Clifford Brown, Herb Geller, Maynard Ferguson, Jimmy Cleveland, Cannonball Adderley; Mercury recordings by Quincy Jones, Roland Kirk, Billy Taylor, Art Farmer - Benny Golson Jazztet, Bob James; and the last contents are awesome unissued takes by Dizzie Gillespie for Limelight's “Charlie Parker Memorial Album”

Additionally, this box contains special bonus EP disc: Mildama (Take 2 and Take 4) by Clifford Brown - Max Roach Quintet (recorded in August 6, 1954), both of which are now available in other format such as a famous and great CD box “Complete EmArcy Recordings”.

Of course, both the audio fidelity and pressing qualities of the platters included in the box are great. I may say it's better than the originally pressed platter :) It means, compared with original discs, pressed in many decades ago (when the quality of cutting machines and pressings were not so nice on the whole), those in the 1980s (and in Japan) were much better. Unfortunately, pressing quality of Mercury and subsidiaries was not so good (except legendary “Living Presence” series) in general (of course, there are a few “great” discs in pressing quality). I think it may be also because there were few talented cutting engineers for Mercury label (except Living Presence series) like Mr. Rudy Van Gelder on the Blue Note label.

Anyway, this is an awesome box.

Track Listing