Baja Marimba Band Fresh Air CD

[Steve Sidoruk]

Right after I placed the HMV order, I got an e-mail from Dusty Groove telling me that Fresh Air was back in stock!!!

 

[Harry]

...a true comedy of errors!



Harry

 

[Mike]

By-the-way, I bought my copy of “Fresh Air” at the Shinseido music store. It’s a smaller chain of stores than HMV, but they have good service. Unfortunately, their website is not English friendly.

Mike--can you tell if they sell SACDs there? Japan market SACDs are big among audiophiles here. For instance, they have a lot of Miles Davis product that will never see release here.

Rudy, the Shinseido music store in Yokohama has a small section of SACDs in the Jazz area. I haven’t scrutinized those CDs very closely before, but the next time I go there (maybe in a couple weeks) I’ll check it out and report back to you.

 

[Rudy]

Rudy, the Shinseido music store in Yokohama has a small section of SACDs in the Jazz area. I haven’t scrutinized those CDs very closely before, but the next time I go there (maybe in a couple weeks) I’ll check it out and report back to you.

Cool...thanks! The big retailers here really don't give a hoot. One month they have them, the next month the section is gone. Then they get some in again. I order everything online now, but most import dealers are too expensive. The only good one I find is Amazon Japan--their shipping is very reasonable IMHO to the US. No other US-based retailer can touch the prices, I've found, for the titles I've been looking at. Santana's "Caravanserai" SACD usually goes for $40-$50, and Amazon US shows it for $64.99. Amazon Japan has it for just under $30 US. Even with shipping, I still come out cheaper. Now I just have to take the plunge.

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Santana's "Caravanserai" SACD

I'll bet that sounds nice. I got the regular remastered version and it sounds very good too.

 

[Rudy]

Santana's "Caravanserai" SACD

I'll bet that sounds nice. I got the regular remastered version and it sounds very good too.

You should hear Toto's "Hydra" on SACD. It's not in surround (neither is "Cravanserai"), but you'd think you had the original 2-track tape on your system. There is a lot of detail in "Caravanserai" that would come through nicely in this format. "Abraxas" sounds pretty good, too.

 

[Harry]

I got the Baja Marimba Band FRESH AIR CD in the weekend's mail. It's just amazing to me that after all these years, I'm actually holding this one in my hand.

Nice artwork reproduction on the booklet - both original front and back covers are there and accurate, down to the A&M catalog numbers.

The disc is a fairly good representation of the classic A&M label - the color's a bit on the yellowish side, but an A for effort here.

Oh - and it sounds pretty good too. I've only give a quick perusal through the tracks and will listen in more detail tomorrow. We're still unwindingand unpacking from the long weekend away.

Harry

 

[Mike Blakesley]

Glad you're finally in the FRESH AIR club, Harry!

I played it on my computer speakers last night while working at home. There's just not a bad track on this album...I like it now even more than I did in its "glory days." "Cielito Lindo," "I'll Marimba You" and "Samba Nuevo" remain faves along with the title track but the whole thing is terrific.

 

[JOv2]

Was fortunate enough to recently acquire this CD. Wonderful album. Particularly like the totally-up drumming. The vocal number was an unexpected treat: very good singer there...fine match of voice, song and ability. BMB's catalogue is pretty consistent. Do You Know the Way to San Jose? and Those Were The Days were always favs, but I've gotta say Fresh Air may dethrone both!

Can only hope for a few more...

-James in (thank-goodness-we-have-a-bay-and-an-ocean-for-all-this-water-to-drain-into) storm-wreaked San Francisco