Need your help! Best recorded CD of a few artists...

70'sMusic

70'sMusic

Well-Known Member
Hi AK,

Happy Saturday everyone! Got a question for the collective wisdom of the group - I'm searching for a great CD recording for these artists. Given everyone's experience in this forum, I'm sure you will know which format and remastered version to purchase.

The first is George Benson's original "Breezin' " CD from Warner Bros. The original is not very good and there must be a really "sweet" remastered version out there.

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The second is Bob Marley & the Wailers "Live." I have these files from iTunes but would like a really well recorded version of this album.

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From your experience and in your opinion is this the best recording of Bob Marley live? If "yes" does the CD stack up against the vinyl version?

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Next, I have a bunch of iTune files from this band and one CD from the 80's that isn't that good. What is your recommendation for a really well recorded version of Earth, Wind and Fire's greatest hits?

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Finally, do you know of a really well mastered recording of the band "Chicago's" greatest hits?

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Thank you in advance for all of your help and I look forward to learning of your recommendations. :lurk:
 
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cipriano said:
The digital copy of BMW Live you have - how many tracks does it feature? Is it the expanded version with 22 tracks?
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Hi cipriano! I have this version from iTunes and I downloaded 7 tracks, don't know how many there were in total.

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Alright, what you need is the 2-CD remaster from 2017 on Tuff Gong / Island. 22 tracks in all. One fly in the ointment is it's from The Lyceum, July 17 & 18 1975. The tracks you have are from The Rainbow. If you want that specific set then the best way to go is the Japanese SHM-CD which adds 1 track (so 8 in total).

Another top notch CD is the Japanese SHM-CD of Babylon by Bus. That's not to say the Tuff Gong / Island US remastered CD is bad. But I like to go SHM-CD when available.
 
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cipriano said:
Alright, what you need is the 2-CD remaster from 2017 on Tuff Gong / Island. 22 tracks in all. One fly in the ointment is it's from The Lyceum, July 17 & 18 1975. The tracks you have are from The Rainbow. If you want that specific set then the best way to go is the Japanese SHM-CD which adds 1 track (so 8 in total).

Another top notch CD is the Japanese SHM-CD of Babylon by Bus. That's not to say the Tuff Gong / Island US remastered CD is bad. But I like to go SHM-CD when available.
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OK, cool! Thank you for sharing cipriano. Any thoughts on the other bands?
 
Have the Mobile Fidelity "Breezin" on vinyl, from 1976, no need for the CD. Also the most of the EW&F sounds better on vinyl than the CD's
 
Just put it on, Thanks, confirms what it said. Another to find from that era is The Crusaders - Street life and Free as the Wind

Man from the '70s , VFMA 70
 
Re: Chicago. The Chicago Box set first issued on Columbia, "Group Portrait" is definitive. This was also available on Chicago Records for a while after the group took control of their Columbia masters. This was mastered by Mark Wilder, who did a superb job with it.

Re: George Benson. The vinyl is superior, the Mobile Fidelity much better pressed. The Warner Brothers original LP discs sound excellent in a better pressing. CD is OK but not as fine. But a pretty flat mastered recording from good tapes.
 
Maybe out-of-print, but the multi-channel hybrid SACD of "Breezin'" is excellent

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Mystic said:
@BlindBoyGrnt / @KrisM / @KeninDC

Advice re: the OP's question re: The Marley Material?
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KrisM said:
I'll double back on this when I can. Live is one that still need to sort out properly.
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KeninDC said:
The Barry Diament mastered Marley CDs are great.
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Ken is right, as always.

But I will throw a bit of wrench into Marley stuff, in general. The Diament releases are the ones to get, sound wise. But, many of the deluxe reissues from the 2000s sound darn great, too, and have bonus tracks. Some, like the remixes on Legend are kinda pointless, IMO. Some, like the live tracks on a few albums are keepers. And then there's the bonus Jamaican mix of Catch A Fire. Essential.
I don't have it, but the Deluxe of Live adds a pile of tracks. Which is good. Then again, the 'flow' of the original release is a thing to keep in mind as well. It's a YMMV thing.

I will also say that as format agnostic as I am, I'm a complete sucker for Marley on vinyl. I've got a tidy(but incomplete) collection of nice copies of a bunch of the Island/Tuff Gong albums, and always reach for them if I'm in the mood. Sadly Live isn't one of them, so I can't comment on it vs the CDs.
 
If you just want to save some money pick up the valu-pac on Tuff Gong "Bob Marley & the Wailers 5 Classic Albums", 5 CDs including Rastaman Vibrations, Exodus, Kaya, Survival and Uprising. I don't know if they are the best, but they all sounded good to me.
 
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