An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. A great 3CD set – with a huge amount of work – music by The Davis Sisters, Gospel Chimes, Jimmy Scott, Roberta Martin Singers, Swindell Brothers, Christones, Gospel Harmonettes Specials, Harmonizing Five, Famous Ward Singers, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Stars Of Faith, Gospel Cavaliers, Staple Singers, The Metro Tones, Betty Hollins, Gene Martin, Swan Silvertones, Artistic Sounds, James Moore, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Brooklyn Skyways, World Wonders, Myrna Summers, Brockingham Ensemble, Prof Charles Taylor, Exciting Supreme Highlights, Highway QCs, Solomon Burke, Genobia Jeter, World Wonders, Edith Moreno, Glenn Jones & The Modulations, Hollywood Stars, James Cleveland, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Sensational Williams Brothers, Gospelaires Of Dayton, Helen Hollins Singers, Edith Moreno, and The 4th Of May. CD

Great small group work from Don Byas – some of his most important American sides of the 40s! Other players include Rudy Williams on alto, Emmett Berry and Benny Harris on trumpet, Jimmy Jones and Clyde Hart on piano, and Slam Stewart on bass. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of Stan Getz' earliest sides for Savoy – 78rpm material from some of his youngest years on record, accompanied by Kai Winding, Shorty Rogers, Shelly Manne, Hank Jones, Max Roach, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Duke Jordan, Jimmy Raney, and many more! LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little album of soul jazz organ tracks by Jack McDuff, and proof that he was always still burning strong! Unlike other Hammond players, who got a bit sloppy in later years, McDuff always kept things interesting, and managed to come up with some creative arrangements and soulful solos that pushed his work way past the usual soul jazz bag. This set was recorded with Cecil and Ron Bridgewater, Houston Person, and Cecil Brooks III – and features a nice set of longish groovers like "Another Real Good'Un", "Rock Candy", "Off The Beaten Path", and "Summertime", which McDuff always does nicely. CD

Norvo may have cut some sleepy recordings in his day, but his early sides are usually all pretty great – especially this material, recorded with Tal Farlow on guitar and Charles Mingus on bass! The drum-less combination of vibes, guitar, and bass makes for an almost-exotic approach – one that rings out with some new moods and tones on tracks that are old standards – in a manner that really helps us understand why folks from the old days think Norvo's so great! Titles include "Night & Day", "Godchild", "September Song", "Have You Met Miss Jones", "Swedish Pastry", "Time & Tide", "Little White Lies", and "Prelude To A Kiss". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s issue looking back on alternate takes of seminal bop material cut by Bird for Savoy. The recordings here are all of alternate versions of those originally released by Savoy on 10"s and 78s, and feature Parker alongside Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Max Roach, Bud Powell and others. 16 tracks in all, including "Tiny's Tempo", "Romance Without Finance", "Billie's Bounce", "Thriving On A Riff", "Donna Lee", "Chasin' The Bird", "Milestones", "Half Nelson", "Bluebird" and more. . . LP, Vinyl record album

The Savoy jazz catalog gets the remix tradition – following nicely in the mode of similar projects on Verve or Blue Note! The work here is all pulled from classic bop sessions of the late 40s and 1950s – key tracks that defined the sound of Savoy back in the day, but cut down here to their core elements – then laid out over more contemporary rhythms for the modern dancefloor! The best numbers actually preserve some sense of jazz soloing – an approach that we like better than other too-abstract remakes of older jazz on the market – and titles include "Moose The Mooche (Quantic rmx)" by Charlie Parker, "Night In Tunisia (DJ Jazzy Jeff rmx)" by Duke Jordan, "Lover Man (King Britt's Speakeasy mix)" by Dizzy Gillespie with Sarah Vaughan, "Minor Vamp (Basement Boys 12")" by Curtis Fuller, "Yardbird Suite (St Etienne mix)" by Herbie Mann, "Bohemia After Dark (Diamond D rmx)" by Cannonball Adderley, "Caravan (DJ Smashish rmx)" by Dizzy Gillespie, and "Movin Nicely (Eclipse rmx)" by Modern Jazz Quartet. CD

An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. This first volume focuses on work from the earliest years of Savoy's gospel productions – and features 24 tracks by The Davis Sisters, Gospel Chimes, Jimmy Scott, Roberta Martin Singers, Swindell Brothers, Christones, Gospel Harmonettes Specials, Harmonizing Five, Famous Ward Singers, Blind Boys Of Alabama, Stars Of Faith, Gospel Cavaliers, and even the Staple Singers! LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds that bridge the worlds of swing and bop – mostly recorded for Svoy in 1944, the earliest days of the label – with a few tracks from 1949 as well – and a number of alternates appearing here for the first time ever! LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. This second volume features work from Savoy's prime 70s gospel years – 20 tracks by artists who include The Metro Tones, Betty Hollins, Gene Martin, Swan Silvertones, Artistic Sounds, James Moore, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Brooklyn Skyways, World Wonders, Myrna Summers, Brockingham Ensemble, Prof Charles Taylor, Exciting Supreme Highlights, and Highway QCs. LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from Finnish saxophonist Timo Lassy – a straight jazz set that reunites him with members of the Ricky Tick Big Band – including some of the musicians who first made big waves with Timo on record in the early part of this century! Lassy's at his best here – really creative as a soloist, and dropping some of the more groove-oriented qualities you'd hear on his other records – to work in an array of soulful sounds with a core quintet that includes electric piano, bass, drums, and percussion – augmented by larger horns from the Ricky Tick band, arranged by Valtteri Laurell Poyhonen, and featuring solos from Jukka Eskola and Kalevi Louhivuori on trumpets, and Aaro Huopainen on trombone. The tunes move along with a nice sense of rhythm, but also have all these amazing colors and tones that burst out with a great sense of delight throughout the performance – on titles that include "Teddy The Sweeper", "Waltz Unsolved", "Grande Opening", "Universal Four", "African Rumble", and "Sweet Spot". CD

A beautiful 100th Birthday tribute to the legendary altoist Charlie Parker – a special set that recreates the feel of some of his first important recordings – sides done in the mid 40s for the Savoy label, originally issued in LP form on very limited 10" albums! The early Bird 10" releases are impossible to find on vinyl – and are maybe reproduced here in a form that's even better than the original – with great vinyl, newly restored and remastered audio, and a quality level that's not nearly as likely to split and fall apart as the vintage versions. The box also features a big booklet of notes and other information – plus rare photos, ephemera, and other Charlie Parker material – and the whole thing's a great treasure from the early years of bop! Four full albums – all volumes of New Sounds In Modern Music with Charlie Parker in the lead, plus work from Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie on trumpets. Includes key versions of "Milestones", "Cheryl", "Billie's Bounce", "Chasin The Bird", "Ko Ko", "Now's The Time", "Constellation", "Parker's Mood", and "Confirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. Savoy kept going strong into the 80s, in a mix of styles that includes some funk and boogie – served up here on 17 tracks by artists that include Solomon Burke, Genobia Jeter, World Wonders, Edith Moreno, Glenn Jones & The Modulations, Hollywood Stars, James Cleveland, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Sensational Williams Brothers, Gospelaires Of Dayton, Helen Hollins Singers, Edith Moreno, and The 4th Of May. LP, Vinyl record album

A sampler from the larger three disc set. Tracks include "I'll Be Seeing You", "Guilty", "Please Be Kind", "All Or Nothing At All", "Talk Of The Town" and "Laughing On The Outside" – 14 cuts total. CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Birth Of Hard Bop brings together four different sessions – most recorded under the leadership of tenor Hank Mobley – and features work by Donald Byrd and Lee Morgan on trumpet, Barry Harris and Horace Silver on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Kenny Clarke and Art Taylor on drums. CD

Early Savoy sides – other musicians include Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor, Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Sony Stitt on alto, Leo Parker on baritone sax, and Tadd Dameron on piano. 22 tracks in all. CD

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Both sides feature vocals from Mel Walker! 78 RPM, Vinyl record

Rare live work by Parker, with titles that include "Fine & Dandy", "Hot House", "These Foolish Things", and "There's A Small Hotel". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Includes Safranski on bass, Vido Musso on tenor, Sanford Gold on piano and Danzil Best on drums. 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A great collection of early work by tenor giant Hal Singer – a wonderful player who recorded for Savoy during the late 40s and early 50s, and whose work was a key part of the shift from swing-based tenor work to R&B. The set brings together 16 tracks that were only ever issued on 78s – and which really haven't been reissued properly since this mid 80s album – complete with great notes and session information. Titles include "Hot Rod", "Crossroads", "Hound's Tooth", "Hometown", "Cornbread", "Swing Shift", "Rice & Red Beans", and "Rent Party". CD

With the Voice Of Bountiful Blessings Temple Of Deliverance COGIC Choir. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A helluva great CD – one that brings together both volumes of the legendary Night At Boomers live dates on Muse Records from the 70s! The core material is a great little session of soul jazz – and very much in a classic mode, but with touches of the Strata East sound of the 70s. Although Blue Note and Prestige had seemed to abandon straighter soul jazz by the early 70s, Muse was cranking out some nice sides with older players of the 60s scene. This set features Cedar Walton's crack trio with Sam Jones and Louis Hayes, joined by tenorist Clifford Jordan, who was blossoming into a whole new player during the decade. Titles include "Holy Land", "Down In Brazil", "Cheryl", "Naima", "I'll Remember April", "All The Way", and "Bleeker Street Theme". CD

Hey, these guys are mad! Not really, though, but the "angry" in the title refers to the fact that these are early recordings by the players – mostly done during the 78rpm years at Savoy, when all of them were getting their start in small group sessions. Webster plays with Oscar Pettiford and Johnny Guarnieri on a quartet session that includes "Blue Skies", "Kat's Fur", and "I Surrender Dear". Quebec is with Guarnieri in a quintet with a guitar, on the tracks "Jim Dawgs", "Scufflin", "IQ Blues", and "Girl Of My Dreams". And Illinois Jacquet rounds out the record in a sextet with Bill Doggett on piano and Freddie Green on guitar – on tracks that include "Savoy Blip", "Doggin With Doggett", and "Minor Romp". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure modern jazz albums on Savoy – an obscure album that's also one of the few dates as a leader from pianist Ronnie Ball! Also features Ted Brown on tenor, Willie Dennis on trombone, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums – on titles that include "Pennie Packer", "Citrus Season", "Feather Bead", and "Little Quail". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Gus Johnson on drums, Keeter Betts on bass, and Charlie Byrd on guitar. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Marc Copland on piano with Gary Peacock on bass, Bill Stewart on drums, Joe Lovano & Michael Brecker on tenor saxophone & Tim Hagans on trumpet. CD

Mike Cuozzo didn't cut many records back in the day, but all of them are pretty darn nice – definitely the case with this one, which features Eddie Costa on vibes, Ronnie Ball on piano, Vinnie Burke on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums! CD

Killer stuff from Booker Ervin – and one of his first sessions as a leader! The album was recorded during a stretch when Ervin was coming into fame as a member of the Mingus group – and he's playing here with a number of Mingus-ites like Richard Williams on trumpet, Horace Parlan on piano, and Dannie Richmond on drums – plus some great bass work from George Tucker – not exactly Mingus, but with a soulful undercurrent that's totally great! The record's got a hardbop groove with a modernist tinge, and it features some excellent playing by Booker that shows off both sides of his style – the deep Texas tenor roots, and some of the sharper tones he picked up with Mingus. Tracks include "Mister Wiggles", "Well Well", "Dee Da Do", and "Down in the Dumps". CD

A killer Japanese-only collection of rare bebop vocals done for Savoy Records – with some very obscure material from both Babs Gonzalez and Eddie Jefferson! Babs sings the cuts "Ham Nose", "Sad Eyes", "Ornithology", and "Get Out That Bed" – and Eddie Jefferson works with the Walt Harper Quintet, on material that appeared on the Hi-Lo label – titles that include "The Birdland Story", "I Got The Blues", "Honeysuckle Rose", and "Body & Soul". The set also features Joe Carroll singing with Dizzy Gillespie on some Dee Gee Records sides, and one cut with Freddie Strong singing with Dizzy too! LP, Vinyl record album

LA bebop jam session material, featuring two long tracks recorded live in the city of angels, probably illegally by Savoy's Herman Lubinsky, who was a noted crook. Who cares, though, as the sides give us a great picture of the kind of lively cutting jam sessions that were ripping through the Central Ave scene of the old days. Players include Dexter Gordon, Sonny Criss, Hampton Hawes, Howard McGhee, and Wardell Gray in the lead – and the two long tracks are "Disorder At The Border" and "The Hunt". CD

The piano of Vijay Iyer with the vocals of Mike Ladd! CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

The one and only album that Sun Ra ever cut for the Savoy label – a beautifully understated session that mixes more conventional jazz with some particularly Ra-like touches! The group on the set is extremely tight – especially the horn work of John Gilmore, Marshall Allen, and Pat Patrick – who glide together along with some of the best mainstream modernists of the 50s, but break out with earthier tones and phrases that clearly mark their playing as different from the norm. Ra plays relatively straight piano for the album, but there's more than enough Arkestra touches from other players on bells and assorted percussion – emphasizing the rhythmic qualities of the tunes, and really living up to the promise of titles that include "Bassism", "China Gates", "Of Sounds And Something Else", "Tapestry From An Asteroid", "Jet Flight", "Space Jazz Reverie", and "Where Is Tomorrow?". CD

An excellent overview of the early Wallace Roney work for Muse Records – brilliant sessions that helped Roney redefine the sound of the trumpet for a whole new generation! Roney's sound was one of the boldest, brightest on the label – and on records like this he really shines – working with an array of like-minded young lions who include Ravi Coltrane, Donald Brown, Antoine Roney, Christian McBride, and Cindy Blackman – on titles that include "Blue In Green", "Obsession", "Daahoud", "Lost", "For Duke", "Donna Lee", and "Love For Sale". CD

An excellent overview of the early Wallace Roney work for Muse Records – brilliant sessions that helped Roney redefine the sound of the trumpet for a whole new generation! Roney's sound was one of the boldest, brightest on the label – and on records like this he really shines – working with an array of like-minded young lions who include Ravi Coltrane, Donald Brown, Antoine Roney, Christian McBride, and Cindy Blackman – on titles that include "Blue In Green", "Obsession", "Daahoud", "Lost", "For Duke", "Donna Lee", and "Love For Sale". CD

A later pressing of classic early work from Jimmy Scott – airy ballads and love songs, done in that incredible vocal style that has made Scott an enduring legend for countless years! Backings are very nice – sad and dreamy, perfectly fitting the mood of the tunes. The record's one of Jimmy's key early sides, and titles include "How Else", "Please Forgive Me", "An Evening In Paradise", "Things That Are Love", "Once", and "What Good Would It Be". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes a quintet session – featuring George Shearing on piano, Chuck Wayne on guitar, and Marjorie Hyams on vibes – and trio material with Red Norvo on vibes, Tal Farlow on guitar, and Charles Mingus on bass. CD

A very nice session by baritonist Sahib Shihab – and one of the most far-reaching works he cut in this country before disappearing to Europe for the better part of the 60s! The album's broken into two different groups – both have Sahib playing with Phil Woods on alto and Benny Golson on tenor, but one rhythm section is Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and the other is Bill Evans on piano, Oscar Pettiford on bass, and Taylor again on drums. Tracks are long, and mostly have a hardbop sort of approach – but there's also a slight undercurrent of mysticism too, of the sort that would show up more strongly in Sahib's later work. Titles include "Ballad To The East", "Jamila", "Le Sneak", and "The Moors". CD

2LP set that brings together early R&B sides recorded for the Savoy label – not really rock and roll as the title might imply, but a good set of cuts that's sort of an overview of the label's classic hits in the pre-soul universe! Includes the sublime "Bad Boy" by The Jive Bombers, plus "Misery", "Lost In A Dream", and "Head Hunter" by Johnny Otis; "Hot Rod" and "Cornbread" by Hal Singer; "Marie", "Count Every Star", and "Old Man River" by The Ravens; "Candy" and "Mean To Me" by Big Maybelle, and "The Hucklebuck" by Paul Williams. Lots more obscure stuff, too – and a good set of notes! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Never-issued material from reedman Frank Wess – done around the same time as his other all-star sessions for Savoy, but even more obscure! The lineup features Frank on flute, tenor, and alto – with Thad Jones on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, and Hank Jones on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes performances by Cannonball Adderley, Kenny Burrell, Modern Jazz Quartet, Charlie Parker, Kenny Clarke, Art Pepper and many more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few full albums ever issued under the name of trumpeter Fats Navarro – and like most of them, a posthumous collection of material cut before his untimely early death! The set's a memorial of sorts, and it compiles some important sides from the mid 40s, recorded for Savoy – material that really helped set the stage for bop at the time, even though most folks were still just finding a name for the form. There's some really standout elements here – like a handful of tracks that feature sparkling arrangements from Gil Fuller, with Sonny Stitt on alto and Morris Lane on tenor – on titles that include "Boppin A Riff (parts 1 & 2)", "Fat Boy (parts 1 & 2)", and "Webb City (parts 1 & 2)". The moody singer Kay Penton makes an appearance on a few other great cuts – "Bebop Carroll", "Gone With The Wind", "The Tadd Walk", and "That Someone Must Be You". And other numbers feature Kenny Dorham on trumpet and Sonny Stitt on alto – on titles that include "Good Kick" and "Serenade To A Square". CD