Belafonte at Carnegie Hall Q8/CD-4/Stereo: ?

I'm wondering if this release is a bit confusing... let me explain:
Stereo is a 2Lp set.
Cd4 shows the cover with "the complete concert"
Q8 shows the cover with "highlights of the concert".
Quad version is only highlights - both in q8 and cd4 - or what else?

if it's a double lp set it will be the complete concert.
some cd issues were single cd's with a couple of tracks missing.
The Q8 is probably highlights if it is just one tape.

I.M.O. the best sounding/enjoyable tracks are on side 1.

I see no sign of 2LP on the CD4, so both CD4 and Q8 are single releases.
"The complete concert" on the CD4 cover IS misleading.

They probably just used the standard stereo cover.

I've seen covers with "Highlights" or "the complete concert" covered up by a crude black bar.

Has anyone heard this release? The concert is from 1959. How did they get a quad mix out of this? Is it a fake quad mix? Anyone know?

Q8/CD-4? How about the reel? I seem to remember the rear channels emphasize the audience. I'll have to play it again sometime.

There's a CD4 up on eBay now and I'm a big Belafonte fan. Maybe RCA had some mics up in the hall. Their "Living Stereo" series often used three mics, so maybe....

It may have used multiple microphones, but IIRC, it was ultimately taped onto 3-track. The Quad mix is actually really good.

The CD, XRCD and the 2 ch Hong Kong SACD, which I own, are all 15 track abbreviated.

Quad Linda said:

The CD, XRCD and the 2 ch Hong Kong SACD, which I own, are all 15 track abbreviated.

Click to expand...

15 tracks is abbreviated. That's not too bad. How about this tracklist?

Here's the complete tracklist (on the 2 channel tape)

This is an album I wish they'd issued years ago for SACD release. It must be a 3-track recording, and given what's on the tapes, should have been a simple matter to put the musicians L/C/R and ambiance and audience everywhere, though the latter probably best positioned predominantly in the rears. Another missed opportunity.

ED

Has anyone heard this? CD4, complete concert:

If it's a single LP, it can't be complete. 2,500 yen would be the price of a single LP. I have the original stereo, which is 2 LP's. The SACD is 71:27 and it is still not complete.

And why the fixation with a single CD/Lp edit? Jeez, this was a #1 album back in 1959, on the charts over three years, sold a million copies over the course of the '60s. I suppose we should be glad Miles Davis and Chicago recorded for Columbia and not RCA....

ED

My parents had this, it was a childhood favorite of mine and the first gatefold sleeve I was fascinated by. Now I'm interested to hear it in quad (or triphonic (?)). Hmmmm.

There's a lot in his catalog worth releasing in SACD. He's a great talent and Tom Waits's favorite singer. if old Tom says something is good, it's good.

The worst part of the abbreviated Belafonte Quads is that they leave off the best song, which the abbreviated CD's include:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JPKZefbYG4

I agree. The Canadian Q8 has 10 songs and still shows the cover from the complete concert. I'd call it a ripoff except it does sound pretty darn good for a 1959 recording.

This one is a classic example of record company stupidity. Despite the fact that this album easily sold over a million copies since its 1959 release, and despite the fact that many consider it a great, even iconic, Lp, someone later on decided to first hack it down to one Lp/tape for quad release (can you imagine the reaction if someone had tried to do that with Miles?!), but then, in the digital age, put the album on one CD instead of giving it the treatment almost every other 2-Lp reissue on CD got--the complete album? Simply ridiculous. Not only that, but BELAFONTE AT CARNEGIE HALL, like Harry's CALYPSO, are key commercial and prestige markers in the history of RCA. But then, it may be proof that, by the early '70s, the bean counters were taking over record companies and didn't care nor appreciate the artist or his music.

ED