Following in the footsteps of our successful “Blue Notes” series, this 10 CD-wallet box presents “Prestigious Hits”: original albums and stars playing the best of Modern Jazz from the 1950s.
New York had become the world's Jazz Mecca by the 1940s. The glamorous ballrooms, such as the Savoy, were the venues
for the greatest swing orchestras, the young beboppers experimented on a new sound and in Harlem's clubs that, as modern
jazz, was to form the basis for all Jazz styles from the 1950s on.
These musicians were mostly documented by the kind of independent record labels, that were constantly shooting up from
the ground, operated by fans with little finances but all the more ambition and enthusiasm. With the invention of the
long-playing album and its establishment in jazz circles from 1956 on, these small businesses, some of which enjoy cult
status today, experienced a strong momentum. Names like Norman Granz (Verve) or Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff (Blue
Note) are at the forefront, especially since their labels later and after many changes of ownership ended up with majors, who
repeatedly reactivated the logos for new musicians and re-issued their old treasures.
Bob Weinstock, who started his own label in 1949, is hardly known today except among experts, but his productions and
artists are all the more famous and notorious. In the mid-50s (almost) all future Jazz stars were under contract with him for a
few years: Miles Davis, John Coltrane, the Modern Jazz Quartet, Sonny Rollins, Gene Ammons, Sonny Stitt, Eric Dolphy,
Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Thelonious Monk, Art Farmer, Donald Byrd and also swing greats like Coleman Hawkins and Arnett
Cobb.
Here you can find a first selection of these all-time classics and favorites, including a few names that were always relegated
to the second row but still made important contributions to jazz history such as Lem Winchester, Mal Waldron or Jackie
McLean.
From today's perspective, it is rather astonishing that Weinstock was able to produce so many masterpieces in so few years
with his small label structure and despite such strong competition. Miles Davis, who eventually hurried off to Columbia, also
made many albums for Weinstock. But even after the departure of many now big and sought-after names, Weinstock was
able to concentrate on straight ahead and soul jazz (he always avoided Free Jazz) and to successfully direct his label until
1971with musicians such as Shirley Scott, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis, Sonny Criss, Charles Earland, Jack McDuff and many
others.