Complete Jazz At The Philharmonic Concerts On Verve 1944-1949 CD

This deluxe 10-disc set comes housed in a small black teak wooden box in the shape of a marquee containing disc sleeves replicating the original JATP album covers. It also includes a 220-page booklet complete with rare photos and artwork, a complete JATP discography and intinerary prepared by Ben Young, an interview with producer Norman Granz conducted by Nat Hentoff as well as essays by Keith Shadwick, Bill Kirchner, Randy Hutton and John Clement.

THE COMPLETE JAZZ AT THE PHILHARMONIC ON VERVE 1944-1949 was nominated for the 2000 Grammy Award for Best Historical album and for Best Boxed Recording Package.

Starting in 1944 and continuing for 13 years, producer Norman Granz put on a series of touring all-star jam sessions that frequently matched together many of the top swing and bop musicians on standards and ballads. Critics of the period called the music exhibitionistic and did not think much of the howling audiences, but in reality, the performances were often quite rewarding and consistently exciting. This miraculous ten-CD set has every existing JATP performance from the 1944-49 period, including plenty of unissued performances. The highlights are many including a Nat King Cole/Les Paul tradeoff on "Blues," some screaming Illinois Jacquet solos, Flip Phillips' masterful use of repetition on "Perdido," Charlie Parker creating remarkable solos (particularly on "Lady Be Good" and "Embraceable You"), Ella Fitzgerald holding her own with the very best players of the day, etc. In addition to the jams, there are individual features for Slim Gaillard (the humorous "Groove Juice Symphony"), Meade Lux Lewis, Billie Holiday, the Gene Krupa Trio (including a mini-set from 1952 that was originally included as part of a late-'40s album), Coleman Hawkins, Ken Kersey, Slam Stewart, and Lester Young, among others. A special bit of history is included: Oscar Peterson's first performance in America, which is played to a visibly impressed audience. Among the other all-stars heard from are Roy Eldridge, Buck Clayton, Dizzy Gillespie, Howard McGhee, Bill Harris, J.J. Johnson, Trummy Young, Willie Smith, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, and Buddy Rich, among many others. In addition, on the final disc, there are a few numbers from a Leonard Feather-sponsored concert in 1947 that used similar personnel (including a showboating Charlie Shavers). Every true jazz fanatic has to own this set, which has extensive liner notes and is housed in an attractive box. Get it while you can! ~ Scott Yanow

All tracks have been digitally remastered.

Producer: Norman Granz.

Reissue producers: Michael Lang, Ben Young, Phil Schaap.

10 CD Set