Search - Various Artists :: Jazz in Paris

An indispensible investment for the discerning jazz musician

Christopher Bales | Terre Haute, IN | 08/12/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"First of all, you must realize what this is. It is a 75 disc set which contains volumes 1-76 (due the the exclusion of volume 8) of the Gitanes' 'Jazz In Paris' CD series which they have been releasing for quite some time. I suggest that you order it used, if for no other reason than to save money--as you can see, it is rather expensive.



Basically, I don't know what else to say except that this has been the most valuable investment in recordings that I have ever made. I work as a professional jazz musician and this set opened my mind to ensemble settings, arrangements, and tunes that I might otherwise never have heard. There are no bad discs here, each one has a wealth of knowledge to bestow upon the listener. The sound quality is pristine, despite the age of many of these recordings. The artwork is impeccable as well--sometimes listening to these recordings can transport you in your mind to the places pictured in the black and white photographs which grace the cover of each individually wrapped disc.



This is a true haven for the jazz entusiast and I heavily recommend that you also purchase the second box which has the same name here on Amazon, but lists for much cheaper. That set has volumes 77-101 of the series. I listened to the entire set in order, taking time to savour each disc on its own, and it took all summer! However, just imagine having a new CD to listen to every day for 100 days, and have every one be a 10/10.



If you can possibly afford this set and you are debating on whether or not you should partake in such a large musical investment--stop thinking about it and just buy it. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed. These won't be around forever so take the opportunity now!"

Confusion

David Egan | Seattle, WA USA | 11/15/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is some confusion about the user reviews here. There is a 75-CD box set containing volumes 1-76, and a 25-CD set containing volumes 77-101. All the reviews show up under both sets, so if you order, make sure you have the one you want! I have them both, and I think they are both excellent. IMO there are a couple duds in the series, but they are much outweighed by the gems that you won't find anywhere else. I recommend these sets highly!"