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KEN BURNS JAZZ GOES PLATINUM

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5-CD set earns RIAA certification of 1 million units shipped, marking first time a jazz boxed set achieves this feat



Columbia Records/Legacy Recordings and The Verve Music Group are proud to announce the Platinum RIAA certification of Ken Burns JAZZ, the 5-CD boxed set companion to the documentary of the same name. This is the first time in history that a jazz boxed set has reached the feat of over one million shipped units, as the 5-CD boxed set has shipped over 200,000 copies.



The five-CD boxed set of music drawn from the series features such titans of jazz as Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Dizzy Gillespie, Herbie Hancock, Billie Holiday, Charles Mingus, Thelonious Monk, Jelly Roll Morton, and Lester Young. Working together in an unprecedented collaboration, Sony Music released the boxed set domestically while The Verve Music Group released it internationally, although profits are shared on a worldwide basis.



The boxed set, along with the 23 single-disc Ken Burns JAZZ-related releases, have dominated the Billboard Traditional Jazz Chart since their debut 17 weeks ago. The boxed set has sold faster than any jazz boxed set in history, with sales nearing 110,000 in just over three months. The Ken Burns JAZZ series, supported by major publicity and retail campaigns from both Columbia/Legacy and The Verve Music Group, have helped to increase the market share of the jazz genre from approximately 2.5% to just under 4.0%, a major jump in today's music marketplace.



The 23 single discs, including best-of artist compilations from such artists as Sarah Vaughan, Charlie Parker, Coleman Hawkins, and Sidney Bechet, in addition to the single-disc of highlights from the boxed set, have shipped a combined total of over one million units. Additionally, the single disc Best of Ken Burns JAZZ CD has topped Traditional Jazz Chart.



Personally chosen for his PBS series by Ken Burns, music for the JAZZ recordings was culled from the vast catalog resources of Columbia/Legacy and The Verve Music Group, while additional recordings were licensed from a variety of sources, including major and independent labels. With a repertoire drawn from virtually every significant jazz label, JAZZ covers the waterfront, tracing the history and evolution of America's most vital and indigenous music.



Ron Goldstein, President of The Verve Music Group, said, “The response to the series and the music that we have released has resulted in both a financial and artistic success. But, the most important and lasting impact of this project is that jazz music has reached millions in an entertaining and exciting way, creating many new potential jazz enthusiasts."



Jeff Jones, Senior Vice President, Legacy Recordings and Senior Vice President, Columbia Jazz, commented, “The success of Ken Burns Jazz is a clear victory for everyone interested in expanding interest in this vital genre of music. Together, the documentary and the box set have raised the profile of key artists, and dramatically expanded the popular reach of the genre." He continued, “Anytime 10 million people are able to hear Charlie Parker play the saxophone is an incredible moment. We're delighted the series is a success and that the box set has gone platinum. Moving ahead, we look forward to working even harder to bring both classic and emerging jazz artists to wider audiences than ever before."

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