Key Elements of A Mosaic Records Box Set

Limited Editions | Complete Definitive Collections
Sound Restoration | Mosaic Booklets

 

Limited Editions

We appreciate the trust that our customers place in us. With so many of our sets sold out, we thought we'd better explain why our editions are limited. and spell out what that means.

As we've stated from the beginning, Mosaic box sets are limited to a specific number of copies. Rest assured, in no case do we ever manufacture more than the stated figure.

Mosaic does not own the Blue Note, Pacific Jazz, Atlantic, Columbia, RCA, or any other catalogue. With the exception of our Charlie Parker - Dean Benedetti set (which is not a limited edition), Mosaic leases all of it. These leases eventually expire. So, even if we haven't reached our stated goal, when the lease expires the set must be discontinued.

To prevent any disappointing surprises, we will continue to keep our customers informed about which sets are in danger of being discontinued or sold out. Signing up for our e-mail newsletters assures that you'll get the most up-to-date information.

We consider our customers a part of our family and our main imperative is that every Mosaic limited edition set be available to everyone who cares as these sets will pay dividends for a lifetime.

Complete Defintive Collections

The combination of the technology and the emergence of this art form resulted in vast number of great works of art that are available and unfortunately much is unavailable. There's a treasure trove of material that resides in record vaults and private collections.

It requires knowledge, experience, contacts and passion to bring this history to life and the founders of Mosaic Records, Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie , have proven with more than 100 sets issued that Mosaic Records can bring this music to life.

When deciding on the concept for a Mosaic Box set we are guided by two principles:

Important Artists - Not Just the Biggest Names. The artists we choose are selected for their place in the history of American music. Music, above all, is what determines if an artist belongs on Mosaic. You won't necessarily find us going for the big commercial names. But, neither will you find us discriminating against them.

Choosing the artist is only half the battle. The other half is deciding upon a historically viable concept. We want Mosaic Records Box Sets to be as important, and as complete as we can make them. Our sets include every significant track that falls within the scope of a given project, presented in an organized, chronological manner. We go into the vaults of as many record labels as necessary to examine all the original session tapes. In addition to all previously issued material, Mosaic box sets are usually rich with unreleased tracks and valid alternate takes. It's no accident we're considered the label for fans and collectors "who want it all".

"Jazz and the phonograph were made for each other. Without the medium of recording, a music so defined by spontaneity of invention, individuality of instrumental sound, and rhythmic complexity that defies musical notation could not have been so rapidly or widely disseminated, nor lent itself so readily to rehearing, studying and copying. Without recordings, jazz might have remained a temporary regional phenomenon." - Dan Morgenstern, Living With Jazz

Sound Restoration

Mosaic's superior sound quality is a combination of many factors including our ability to gain access to record company vaults, utilizing the best engineers, and having the passion to spend the time and resources to restoring this great music to the best you've ever heard.

For pre-tape recordings, once the source has been found, it is then transferred to 24-bit digital. The source must be cleaned and the proper stylus must be found to extract the most music from the disc. Once the transfer is complete, the process of audio restoration begins; reducing surface noise and disc damage without cutting into the full range of the music. Mosaic prides itself on hiring only the best of these restoration engineers and has taken us to those as close as Brooklyn (Doug Pomeroy) to as far as Herefordshire, England (Ted Kendall).

For tape era material, access to the vaults and understanding the methods of each vault's database is critical for state of the art sounds. It is essential to establish how a session was recorded and return to those three-track masters if they exist because they are first generation, undoctored and have the purest, warmest sound. Even if it means recreating edits to duplicate the issued master take, this is the only route to take. Our sets by The Jazz Crusaders, Sonny Stitt, Gerald Wilson and Sarah Vaughan, have all benefited immensely from this practice.

"The music has been lovingly restored and the sound quality matches the excellence of the music."- John Norris, Coda

The Mosaic Records Booklet

In the age of microsizing, every Mosaic Records Box Set booklet is still a big, beautiful 11 x 11 inches to allow our customers to appreciate all the extras we put into printing them (and for easier reading). We use high-quality, glossy-coated paper for pages that will stand the test of time. Included are session-by-session analysis by leading experts, thorough and complete well-researched discographical information including personnel and recording dates and fascinating essays by writers with either first-hand or known authorities regarding the particular musician or period of jazz. Exclusive archival photos are expertly retouched and masterfully reproduced as elegant duotones that brilliantly capture the depth, detail and richness of the artwork. It's the best product we know how to make, designed for the most discerning collector - You!

"Mosaic is the king of the boxed set, releasing beautifully packaged reissues with some of the most exhaustive liner notes in the industry." - David Germain, Associated Press