Classic work from some of the best years of the Chick Webb group – with solos from Mario Bauza and Taft Jordan on trumpets, Edgar Sampson on alto, Elmer Williams on tenor, and Sandy Williams on trombone. 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

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

The roots of modern jazz never sounded this great before – and this is the first time ever that all the early bop recordings by Savoy have been properly brought together in one place! Savoy was one of the most important labels to record the early bop pioneers – and had a dedication to the music that begin in 1945, and moved well into the 50s – as the label captured some of the brightest young stars who'd go onto shape a generation! Almost all of this material was originally issued just as 78rpm singles – then later scattered and repackaged in a confusing way – although many tracks here also never made it into the LP or CD generation, either. The folks at Mosaic have worked incredible magic to correct that error – and have pulled together a stunning 10CD package that finally presents this amazing legacy of music in its proper form – complete with notes and session details that were never given in later years, too. There's way too much here to list in this space – but the set features dates recorded under the name of Dexter Gordon, Fats Navarro, Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, Sonny Stitt & Kenny Dorham's Bebop Boys, Allen Eager, Kai Winding, Ray Brown, Eddie Davis, Serge Chaloff, Kenny Hagood, Leo Parker, Tadd Dameron, Teddy Reig, Brew Moore, Milt Jackson, Kenny Clarke, and Gil Fuller – all with groups that are filled with equally hip and important musicians too. We love Mosaic all the time – but with a collection of 78rpm material, they really knock it out of the park – and do us, and the jazz history books, a mighty big favor! CD

41 tracks in all – some fantastic early work by Erroll Garner! CD

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 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". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Lee Morgan's first-ever recordings as a leader, cut way back when he was just a hip teenager from Philly with a bucketful of promise on the trumpet! The session's a crack hard bop date – with an all-star cast that includes Hank Mobley on tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – and although the proceedings are a bit rough around the edges compared to some of the Blue Note sets, the album's still filled with a heck of a lot of fire, and like all Morgan albums, is totally worth owning! Tracks are longish, and filled with imagination – and titles include "Bet", "Hank's Shout", "Nostalgia", "That's All", and "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise". 70s pressing of the sessions – with the previously unissued track "A-1"! LP, Vinyl record album

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A nice little collection of some of Dizzy Gillespie's best bop material for Savoy – tunes that were originally recorded as 78rpm singles – then issued together on this classic album of all-star players! The tunes are short, catchy, and often very grooving – that mix of whimsy and modernism that made Dizzy stand out from the start – handled by a few different groups of players, with musicians who include Milt Jackson on vibes, John Coltrane on tenor, Wynton Kelly on piano, and Percy Heath on bass. Titles include "Tin Tin Deo", "Star Dust", "The Bluest Blues", "The Champ", "Birk's Works", "Caravan", "Time On My Hands", and "Ooh Shoo Be Doo Bee". CD

A rarity from the bop era – hard-blowing tracks that run for a duration that's way longer than the standard three minutes of most 78rpm singles. Here, Gordon and Gray blow head to head in some of their famous "battle" sessions – working with players like Sonny Criss, Howard McGhee, Hampton Hawes, and Barney Kessel in a format that was very popular on the LA bop scene. Each side of the 2LP set features one long track – and titles include "Disorder At The Border", "Cherokee", "Byas A Drink", and "The Hunt". Great 70s package – with notes on all the material the material. LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Coleman Hawkins work for Savoy – featuring Hawk blowing in a number of small group settings. We're not really sure where he "returns" from on this one – but the playing is great, and tracks include "Flight Eleven", "Should I", "Modern Fantasy", "Last Stop", "I'm On My Way", and "Goin Down Home". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work ever recorded by Jackie & Roy – cut when the fab vocal duo was still in the company of Charlie Ventura, forging a bop harmony sound that was as groundbreaking as the early vocalese work of Jon Hendricks, Dave Lambert, or Annie Ross! The pair had a hip swinging style that was always great – with a strong talent for riffing vocally on a bebop tune, then shifting over for a serious interpretation of a moody ballad, and rolling back again into a hard uptempo number. This set has them in the company of some tight members from Ventura's group – including Charlie himself on tenor, Norman Faye on trumpet, and Benny Green on trombone. Titles include "Lonely Woman", "Pina Colada", "FYI", "Euphoria", and "Deed I Do". CD also features one bonus track not on the original LP! CD

One of the best-known 50s jazz sessions from the Savoy label – a laidback classic that's a great illustration of the label's shift in modes after the early bop years! The setting here is relatively informal – with Milt Jackson as the ersatz leader, working almost in blowing session mode with hip players who include Frank Wess on flute and tenor, Hank Jones on piano, Eddie Jones on bass and Kenny Clarke on drums – all players who relax into a groove wonderfully, and really open up on the album's four long tracks. Titles include the classic reading of "Opus De Funk", plus "Opus Pocus", "You Leave Me Breathless", and "Opus & Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest material ever recorded by the Modern Jazz Quartet – early 50s sides that were originally issued as 78rpm singles! Some of the material was first released under the name of the Milt Jackson Quartet – but featured the lineup of Jackson on vibes, John Lewis piano, Percy Heath bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Yet other tracks on the set have bassist Ray Brown in for Heath and drummer Al Jones in for Clarke – both players who make for a slightly different groove in the company of Jackson and Lewis. Tunes are short, but already show that Lewis love of chromatic tones – and titles include "Yesterdays", "Love Me Pretty Baby", "Milt Meets Sid", "Moving Nicely", "D&E", "True Blues", and "Autumn Breeze". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful work from Brother Yusef, cut during his early days with Savoy, when he was hitting a perfect mix of soul jazz, hardbop, and more exotic instrumentation. This set features his great quintet with Curtis Fuller, Hugh Lawson, and Louis Hayes – and Yusef plays a number of other strange percussive and reed instruments, in addition to his usual tenor. The tracks are haunting, and all originals. Titles include "Blues In Space", "Morning", "Metaphor", and "The Beginning". Very nice! CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Unusual material from these two British pianists – McPartland with a trio that features Bob Carter on bass and Mousie Alexander on drums – Shearing with either Gene Ramey or Curley Russell on bass, and Cozy Cole or Denzil Best on drums! CD

A classic session of modernist jazz – and some of Mingus most groundbreaking early work! The album was recorded for Savoy with 2 different groups – one's got Mingus leading John LaPorta on alto, Teo Macero on tenor, and Mal Waldron on piano, and the other group's a quartet with Macero, Kenny Clarke, and Wally Cirillo. The set marks a strong shift for Mingus – into tightly composed tracks that arc out in complex lines, hinting at the ferocity of later years – and it offers a showcase for a strong set of soloists carefully picked to match Mingus' rich vision. Titles include "Gregarian Chant", "Rose Geranium", "Purple Heart", "Transeason", "Smog L.A.", and "Level Seven". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent collection of overlooked tenor players from the late 40s and early 50s – put together from rare Savoy 78s and 10" sessions – with excellent notes, too! Features a full side each of work by Brew Moore, Allen Eager, and Phil Urso – plus tracks by Teddy Reig and Bernie Privin. LP, Vinyl record album

Edith Moreno really soars in the lead here – making "Judgement Day" a mighty gospel groover – working with strong backup singers, fast-riffing guitar, and a groove that's a lot funkier than you might expect – a fantastic mix of spiritual message and soulful clubby rhythms! That vibe also follows strongly on the flipside – the fantastic "He Gave It To Me" by The Helen Hollins Singers – a tune that reminds us a lot of early 80s Clark Sisters at their best! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Classic early bebop from trumpter Fats Navarro – a seminal album that brings together earlier famous 78s recorded for Savoy Records! The set features the late great trumpeter leading 3 different small groups – all top-shelf lineups, with players that include Charlie Rouse or Dexter Gordon on tenor, Tadd Dameron or Al Haig on piano, and Art Blakey on drums! The recordings have the raw bebop energy that characterized the best of these Savoy sessions, but Navarro's playing adds touches of lyricism not usually heard on recordings like these. Certainly one of the albums that will convince you why Fats was so great – with the tracks "Barry's Bop", "Dextrose", "Stealing Trash", and "Hollerin' & Screamin". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better of the many posthumous albums that Savoy issued after Bird's death. The set combines master takes and alternates of classic Parker material for the label, and includes pivotal bop tracks like "Parker's Mood", "Constellation", "Ah-Leu-Cha", "Perhaps" and "Another Hair Do". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the better of the many posthumous albums that Savoy issued after Bird's death. The set combines master takes and alternates of classic Parker material for the label, and includes pivotal bop tracks like "Parker's Mood", "Constellation", "Ah-Leu-Cha", "Perhaps" and "Another Hair Do". CD

Well, it's not the whole Charlie Parker Story – but the album does feature some great material from a very famous session, recorded on 11/26/1945, originally issued on 78s, along with extra tracks, compiled here in one of Savoy's posthumous Bird LPs from the early 60s. The group includes Miles Davis on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Curley Russell on bass, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include original and alternate takes of "Thriving From A Riff", "Meandering", "Koko", "Now's The Time", and "Billie's Bounce", all in early famous versions! CD

Well, it's not the whole Charlie Parker Story – but the album does feature some great material from a very famous session, recorded on 11/26/1945, originally issued on 78s, along with extra tracks, compiled here in one of Savoy's posthumous Bird LPs from the early 60s. The group includes Miles Davis on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, Curley Russell on bass, and Max Roach on drums – and titles include original and alternate takes of "Thriving From A Riff", "Meandering", "Koko", "Now's The Time", and "Billie's Bounce", all in early famous versions – with alternate takes too. LP, Vinyl record album

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

This record collects some unreleased takes as well as some original masters of some of his better known recordings. Included on this collection are "Bird Gets The Worm", "Bluebird", "Klaunstance", "Barbados", "Merry Go Round", "Chasing The Bird", "Koko", "Perhaps", "Warming Up A Riff", "Slim's Jam", "Popity Pop", "Dizzy Boogie", and "Flat Foot Floogie". LP, Vinyl record album

Older Bird material – originally recorded as 78rpm releases for Savoy, packaged up here in full LP form, along with alternate takes and a great cover, in the years after his early death. Titles include "Red Cross", "Sippin At Bells", "Little Willie Leaps", "Donna Lee", "Chasing The Bird", and "Half Nelson". LP, Vinyl record album

... 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

... LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

A later issue of some seminal recordings of some of the most influential, yet unde-documented jazz pianists of the bop and post bop eras. There's three tracks by the Bebop Boys, with Bud Powell, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Al Hall and Kenny Clarke: "Bebop In Pastel", "Seven Up" and "Blues In Bebop". Following that there's 5 stellar tracks from Lennie Tristano's trio with Billy Bauer and John Levy, performing his cerebral and vastly influential music on two takes of "Supersonic", plus "On A Planet", "Air Pocket" and "Celestia" and fouor popping bop numbers from Herbie Nichols in a small group rolling through "'s Wonderful", "Nichols & Dimes", "Who's Blues" and "My Lady Gingersnap". There's also a batch of trio sides from Dodo Marmarosa and the under-recorded George Wallington, and a nice handful of bop numbers from the Kenny Clarke Quintet featuring Horace Silver. 27 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

Great 40s work from this Kansas City legend – recorded in New York, Chicago, and LA – with work from players who include Don Byas and Wild Bill Moore on tenor, Camille Howard and Pete Johnson on piano, Red Saunders on drums, and Riley Hampton on alto sax! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A rare quintet session from George Wallington – and a smoking little record we'd rate right up there with his other non-trio sides of the 50s! The set's done in that hard-edge Savoy mode of the time – relaxed and open, with lots of dark elements in the rhythms – and beautifully blown solos over the top from Donald Byrd on trumpet and Phil Woods on alto, plus plenty of piano from George! Knobby Totah handles bass and Nick Stabulas handles drums – and titles include "Dance of the Infidels", "Ow", "Before Dawn", and "Strange Music". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard-swingin tracks from Ernie Wilkins – one of the most soulful arrangers of his time, working here in a wonderful all-star session from the 50s! The album's definitely got the "top brass" promised in the title – a lineup that features Donald Byrd, Ray Copeland, Idrees Sulieman, and Joe Wilder on trumpets – all working at a level that allows plenty of space for well-blown solos, but tied up in tighter ensemble formation overall – all with that Wilkins sense of swing that really set Ernie apart at the time. Rhythm is from a trip that includes Hank Jones on piano, Wendell Marshall on bass, and Kelly Clarke on drums – and titles include "58 Market Street", "Trick Or Treat", "Speedway", "Dot's What", "Top Brass", "Imagination", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD features 2 bonus tracks: "Blues In 6/4" and "Trumpets All Out". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

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

Great set of rare doo wop and R&B vocal group recordings from the Savoy label – most of which were only ever issued on super-rare 45s and 78s! The set includes loads of material, 32 tracks in all, including "Poor Butterfly" and "Milk Shake Stand" by The Three Barons, "It All Comes Back To Me Now" and "My Life Is My Life" by The Marshall Brothers, "These Are The Things I Want To Share With You" and "Out In The Cold Again" by The Syncopaters, "Call For Me" and "I Got A Feelin'" by The Carols, "I'm Losing My Mind" and "My Little Honeybun" by The Dreams, "Say You're Mine" and "(I Love Only) You" by Jimmy Jones & The Savoys, "I Won't cry" and "Wah Diddy Wah" by Little David & The Harps, and "I'm Living For You" and "Palace OF Stone" by The Toppers – and it comes with a great set of notes and discographical information. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic mid 40s work from Billy Eckstine – whose band at the time was a breeding ground for bebop – with players here that include Miles Davis, Gene Ammons, Art Blakey, Sonny Stitt, Fats Navarro, Dexter Gordon, and Kenny Dorham! CD

A seminal session from Curtis Fuller – one of a handful he cut for Savoy, recorded during that late 50s/early 60s period when he seemed poised to become one of the biggest trombonists in jazz! (Whatever happened? How did he cut so many records as a leader so fast, then slide back into being a sideman for most of the rest of his career?) The set's cut in that laidback blowing session mode of the Savoy hardbop years – with tremendous work from Benny Golson on tenor, plus Tommy Flanagan on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Al Harewood on drums – all working through easily-handled tunes that include "Minor Vamp", "Love Your Spell Is Everywhere", "Five Spot After Dark", and "Twelve Inch". Think soul jazz with a slight touch of mysticism! CD also features 3 bonus alternate takes of tunes on the album. CD

An incredibly hip batch of tracks from Curtis Fuller – leading a group here that includes Lee Morgan, McCoy Tyner, Milt Hinton, and Roy Haynes. The vibe is straight hardbop – but there's also a darker edge than usual for a Savoy session, perhaps because of Lateef's presence on the set. Tracks are long with lots of solo space – and titles include "Accident", "Be Back Ta Reckla", "Darryl's Minor", and "New Date". CD

One of the coolest albums that Curtis Fuller ever recorded for Savoy – a sharp-edged set of modern jazz that really matches the abstract painting on its cover! Fuller's material from this point is always pretty darn great, but this album seems to go ever farther than usual – coming across with a strong conception overall, and not just a bunch of hardbop jamming – a careful presentation of the material that almost places the record in the territory of some of the Yusef Lateef Savoy work of the time – although perhaps not as exotic. Benny Golson is in the group on tenor, and you can definitely hear some of his influence in the music – and other players include Thad Jones on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Jimmy Garrison on bass, and Dave Bailey on drums. Titles include "Kachin", "Bang Bang", "Blues De Funk", and "Lido Road". LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting record that collects the output of the rare Savoy subsidiary Signal. The label released recordings in the Music Minus One vein, but used the then new stereo technology to separate out the soloist, and always featured top flight soloists and rhythm sections. For this reissue the mix has been restored so it plays like a normal recording. The list of participants is great, and includes Gigi Gryce, Duke Jordan, Oscar Pettiford, Kenny Clarke, Phil Woods, Hall Overton, Teddy Kotick, Art Farmer, Horace Silver, Thelonious Monk,Percy Heath, Art Blakey and more, and the playing throughout is a step above what you'd expect from this sort of recording. There's 18 tracks in all, with quite a few standards as you'd expect from a recording of this nature, including "Embraceable You", "Jordu", "Oh Yeah", "Yesterdays", "It's Only A Paper Moon", "Smoke Signal", "Nica's Tempo" and loads more. LP, Vinyl record album

Early Savoy LP that has this bop vibist playing piano and singing, in addition to his usual work on the metal keys. Side B has a number of shorter cuts, one with Milt taking a turn on vocals, singing his own tune "I've Lost Your Love", another on piano, and 4 with a sharp group tha's got Julius Watkins, Walter Bishop, & Bill Massey. But what we're digging on this album is side A, with Jackson's sublime vibes work trading back and forth with Lucky Thompson on tenor, on numbers like "They Can't Take That Away From Me" and Jackson's "Soulful". CD