Brubeck-Desmond 1975 DUETS on CD

[LPJim]

The Verve CD reissue of Dave Brubeck and Paul Desmond's 1975 DUETS album is in the stands. It's in a cardboard sleeve which looks like a miniature version of the gatefold cover of the original A&M-Horizon LP. I hope there's a good inner sleeve so the disc won't get scratched. There's a Japanese style obi strip on the left side beneath the shrink wrap with a prominent A&M logo. No bonus tracks.
Price is $17.99 sealed; about $6 more than this type of package should cost. Since I've got the LP there's no big hurry to buy this one; until a used copy shows up.
JB
PS: I'm still holding out for a trade-in of the PAUL DESMOND QUARTET (Horizon) Verve-A&M reissue, which does contain a bonus track.

 

[William]

I bought mine from Dusty Groove last week ($16.99--yes, I'm a sucker). The disc sounds great but the cardboard sleeve is indeed a total bust. The CD itself (which sports yellow & tan "Horizon" printing on it just like the old LPs) has an inner sleeve of soft cloth, which envelops the CD and slips into the larger cardboard sleeve. I haven't heard the older CD reissue, but this one does sound very nice. (It still costs too much, though.)

The bonus track on the Desmond Quartet disc, "Line For Lyons," was previously released on the LP Paul Desmond (on Jon Snyder's Artists' House label), along with "Too Marvelous For Words," "Audrey," "When Sunny Gets Blue," and "Darn That Dream." This LP is just as good as the one on Horizon, and Verve ideally should've paired the whole thing with the Horizon disc on a 2-CD set. But we're talking about Verve here, so of course they didn't. :|

- William

 

[LPJim]

I wasn't aware that DUETs had a previous CD reissue. Must have been an import. However, the Brubeck Quartet's 25TH ANNIV. REUNION on A&M-Horizon was reissued domestically in the 1988 digi-pack series, later repackaged in standard jewel box and remaining in print (to the best of my knowledge) to this day.
Oddly, my vinyl copy of DUETS has the regular '70s gray A&M label instead of the gold Horizon label art. I wonder if other Horizon albums which remained in print after that series' late 70s run ended exist this way. Your observations about Verve are on target. They made a good beginning but haven't followed through as I had hoped.
JB --- glad he scooped up as many digi-packs as possible when they were cutouts, online

 

[Captain Bacardi]

I bought mine from Dusty Groove last week ($16.99--yes, I'm a sucker). The disc sounds great but the cardboard sleeve is indeed a total bust. The CD itself (which sports yellow & tan "Horizon" printing on it just like the old LPs) has an inner sleeve of soft cloth, which envelops the CD and slips into the larger cardboard sleeve. I haven't heard the older CD reissue, but this one does sound very nice. (It still costs too much, though.)

I got my copy Sunday for $14.99, along with Ornette Coleman's Dancing In Your Head for $13.99 at Fry's Electronics. I hadn't listened to Duets in a long, long time. Desmond sounds great. I just love his sound! His solo on "Stardust" is gorgeous. I need to pick up the 25th anniversary CD. I see it all the time, but have always passed on it.

And how 'bout that nutty Ornette, eh? Actually, I've always enjoyed Dancing In Your Head, although I remember when I first heard it in the 70's, I was just a bit confused. but I adjusted. Definitely worth picking up.


Capt. Bacardi
...happy to see some of the great jazz on A&M getting reissued online...