Comments on: Interesting Prices, Know What I Mean?

By: geoffrey wheeler

geoffrey wheeler — Sat, 29 Apr 2017 19:48:10 +0000

Back in the Fifties, and perhaps beyond, certain Down Beat reviewers may have received too many review copies and listened to too many records they became blase. The same was certainly true in the 1930s and ’40s when reviewers dinged records that later became classics. With certain artists, I bought their records anyway regardless of the reviews.

By: Rudolf

Rudolf — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 07:56:22 +0000

it is bizarre that the rating in DB (the star system) had such an influence on the buying behaviour of people. Speaking of myself, I did not buy “Reunion” of Mulligan and Baker on Pacific Jazz at the time because it had only three stars. When it was out of print I only started to chase after it.
I remember the reason for the three stars: the album did not live up writer’s expectations in comparison to the original quartet performances.
When I had the record finally, the reviewer proved to be totally wrong.

By: Upstate Bill

Upstate Bill — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 17:42:56 +0000

“A routine date!” Wow. The only excuse we could give that reviewer would be that the music recorded in that era was routinely great!

By: Al

Al — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 20:14:42 +0000

I remember finding an old DownBeat and reading the original review of the Cannonball/Evans album. The reviewer gave it three out of five stars, calling it a routine date. History has judged otherwise.

By: Mike F

Mike F — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 18:50:23 +0000

“Know What I Mean” is both my favorite Bill Evans and Cannonball albums(I know it’s a Cannonball date but I consider it like a co-bill). I prefer it to even “Kind of Blue”. Is that sacrilege?

That “Davis Cup” surely went for a nice price, wow! I think of that as around a $500 record or so.

By: Michel

Michel — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 07:16:00 +0000

Interesting to see how TRUE jazz masterpieces (just like “know what i mean) are enventually recognized and accordingly priced to their artistic value. It is good news.

By: jack

jack — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 21:32:42 +0000

reserve on Davis Cup was hit.