[78-L] The new Boswell Sisters Collection on Storyville - Someone really dropped the ball on this!

[Thomas Stern]

Hi Steve,
  Below I've copies the review I sent, their review, and the corrected DVD content.
  For anyone who bought the set, usually glue on the discs can be removed with rubbing alcohol - check the sleeve for additional
seepage and clear it.  Also, put the disc in the sleeve with the label side facing the jacket seams so additional glue will not
get on the playing surface, or put the disc in another sleeve.  I've seen this problem with a number of badly designed
collections - both CD and DVD.  IIRC, there was an Alfred Hitchcock set which had glue problems, and also tended to warp the discs
into unplayable.....
  The artsy-fartsy designers of some packages seem to have no idea of practical issues.
  The small print in many cd and dvd booklets is a problem for those of us beyond a certain age, probably not a problem for
younger eyes.  I have problems with 'art directors' who use red for text (I know others who also find it difficult to read), or
who put text on a background which produces little contrast between text and background. (There was a Robbie Basho CD whose notes
were (for me) impossible to read.)
  It seems foolish to make it hard for a target audience which is older - however perhaps
these folks think there is a younger demographic buying these - does anyone know??
  It is disappointing, and a good reason not to buy the set, that the film clips have not been included - I wonder if they
had trouble from the film industry, or simply opted not to risk problems?  Many of the clips are or were on youtube (usually
very poor quality).
  Are any of the films available on DVD or through Warner Archive DVD-r's ??

  Best wishes, Thomas.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The review was, I think from Bozzies.com, which I copied without the signature of the writer:

"In fact, it is something of a rip. In this case the rip is the original
Nostalgia Arts collection sounds as if it were ripped from You Tube.

I listened to Volume 1 side by side. Gone on the new set are the great
John R.T. Davies remasters. My sense is the they did a robo-remaster. No
longer do you hear the sound of background noise that is there even on the
freshest of presses. What you hear instead is the ever so faint but distinctive
signature of an over produced recording. If you prefer forgetting these
songs were ever on shellac, this might do for you. But if you know how it is
supposed to sound, you will be disappointed.

This made in China set has other significant flaws. On volume 1, the song
"It's You" is missing and "Making Faces at the Man in the Moon" is
repeated. Volume three does not display title info. On most of the songs the
very first notes seem to be cut off. The DVD lists the Big Broadcast, Sleepy Time
Down South, Moulin Rouge and Trans-Atlantic Merry Go Round. But all you
get are screen scrapes from You Tube of Close Farmony, the famous Senators
clapfest to We gotta Put the Sun Back in the Sky, and Lou'siana Waddle.

The good things going for it are the full set of David McCain liner notes.
I am struggling to come up with something else nice to say.

OK, so I am a purist. I want everyone to hear the Boswells as wonderfully
as I have. It is nice to have this collection available but a darn shame
that the remastering had to be so bad. The violin, guitar and trumpet top
notes suffer most. At worst it sounds life the Boswells are under a blanket.
While that might conjure up some odd fantasies for some fans, it is
frustrating for me."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is the "review" Storyville sent:

"Dear friends,
I have just found time to check out the above package in detail.
Older collectors will find that, apart from the DVD of unknown video sources,
it is a reissue of the 5 CDs issued (1993-2001) by DJML lurker,
Carl Hallstrom, on Collector's Classics COCD-21 and
Nostalgia Arts NOCD 3008/3009/3022/3023.
Nothing wrong with that, other than I bought them as they were released.
For those who do not have these CDs, it is a great Boswell Sisters' reissue,
I suppose, in my enthusiasm, I was hoping for the unissued 1930s broadcast transcription material.
All the material on the new 5-CD set is from commercial Victor, Okeh, Brunswick and Decca recordings.
Kind regards,
Bill.  "

--------------------------------------------------------------------
CORRECTION TO DVD CONTENT:
THE BOSWELL SISTERS - DVD
UM & M Corporation
Close Farm-ony
c. 1931-32
Night Life
Give, Cow, Give
Unknown title
Time: 5:06
NRA US - Newsreel
Newreel:
Washington May 7, 1932
Put That Sun Back In The Sky
Time: 1:30
Vitaphone - Jerry Wald
Ramblin' Round Radio Row #1:
Louisiana Waddle
Time: 2:10
Total time: 8:46
The Boswell Sisters: Martha (p & vo) Connie & Helvetia (vo)
Til

-----Original Message-----
From: 78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com
[mailto:78-l-bounces at klickitat.78online.com]On Behalf Of Steve Ramm
Sent: Wednesday, August 17, 2011 7:42 PM
To: 78-l at klickitat.78online.com
Subject: Re: [78-L] The new Boswell Sisters Collection on Storyville -
Someone really dropped the ball on this!



Mona of Storyville wrote: "> I have included below a review from a collector that is happy with our new box set.
"> I have included below a review from a collector that is happy with our new box set."

Thomas - do you have the review she included? I'm sure others would like to read it.

Which "anonymous" review did you send to her?

Steve

>



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