Music Improvisation Company/Bennie Maupin Conundrum

Alastair · April-2nd-2004, 06:49 PM

So I went into a local second-hand emporium today and found vinyl copies of Music Improvisation Company's self-titled LP on ECM (promo-only sticker, slight clip of top right corner but other wise EX) and Bennie Maupin's "The Jewel in the Lotus" on the same label. The former was priced at 30 pounds ($54), the later at 20 pounds ($36). As far as I know, neither is available on CD, apart from an expensive Japanese version on the MIC title. So my question is, as a fan of the other MIC record and of Warner Bros era Herbie Hancock, should I pick up either, both, or none? And are these sensible prices?

Sergio Zamora · April-2nd-2004, 06:53 PM

That's a dilly of a pickle.

Alastair · April-2nd-2004, 07:12 PM

Jason Bivins · April-2nd-2004, 10:29 PM

Alastair, have you checked the DMG site lately? I'm not sure if they still have copies in stock, but I got the MIC disc for about $25 in October.

lazarus · April-3rd-2004, 12:53 AM

I have both on vinyl and I love them but I don´t know about the prices. It´s a lot of money but if you really want them, got the cash but can´t find cd-íssues I say go for it. It´s fantastic music.
I have been looking for the jap-issue of the MIC here in Sweden but haven´t been able to find a copy.

If you like Hancock´s Mwandishi group and not already have it you should also look for Julian Priester´s great ECM album "Love, Love". Like the others unfortunely not yet released on disc but well worth looking for on vinyl.

What is the other MIC album?

Alastair · April-3rd-2004, 11:06 AM

Jason: I'll check it out. $25 aint so bad with the exchange rate the way it is these days.

Lazarus: The other MIC album is "1968-1971" on Incus. I bought it (on CD) at my first gig as a resident of London, at the Treble Clef, Hoxton Square in 1993. No singer on that one.

I really don't have the spare cash, but I've never even seen either of the records I mentioned before so I was very tempted. I think I'll pass on both for now.

What's with ECM not reissuing at least the Maupin and the Priester? Now the Eddie Henderson LPs are out again there must be a market for that sort of thing.

And if anyone wants to burn me a CD-R of any of these records I'd be very grateful