February 2006
Oliver Nelson: The Verve/Impulse Big Band Studio Sessions (6 CDs) This set will contain all of Oliver Nelson's big band recordings for Verve, Argo and Impulse, some of which were issued under Leonard Feather's name or as the Jazz Interactions Orchestra. It will also contain all the sessions that he arranged with big band instrumentation for Shirley Scott and Pee Wee Russell on Impulse and for Jimmy Smith on Verve.
April/May 2006
MOSAIC SINGLES
At Mosaic, we've been pretty good at conjuring concepts for box sets in order to rescue material that might not otherwise see the light of day. The Columbia Small Group Swing Session (MD8-228) and The Classic Columbia Condon Mob Sessions (MD8-206) are good examples.
But there are great records that are difficult to find that just don't fit into any box set concept. As the major labels do fewer and fewer straight reissues, the chances of a lot of excellent music falling into obscurity increases. So we decided that it was time to add another series to Mosaic Records, one that would be a home for wayward record dates. Our initial six titles, drawn from the Columbia and RCA Victor Vaults, cover the full spectrum of jazz style and each one has greatly improved sound and between two and four bonus tracks. In fact, Duke Ellington's The Cosmic Scene and Art Blakey's Hard Bop are issued in stereo for the first time.
This new series of Mosaic products will feature original artwork and liner notes, new remastering and many of these classic albums will feature bonus tracks. Although it is subject to change, we are expecting to release the titles from this series to retail distribution within nine to twelve months of release. With this lineup, we have every hope that this will prove as interesting and worthwhile a project as Mosaic Select has been over the last few years.
The first six titles are:
(MCD-1001) Duke Ellington's Spacemen: The Cosmic Scene
What makes this small group session unique is that it has a big sound to it. It features three soloists: Clark Terry on fluegelhorn, Paul Gonsalves on tenor sax and Jimmy Hamilton on clarinet. The rhythm section is Ellington, Jimmy Woode and Sam Woodyard. The larger ensemble feel is derived from adding Ellington's three trombonists in a strictly supportive, arranged role. For this long overdue reissue, we returned to the three-track masters, beautifully recorded at Columbia's legendary 30th Street Studio by Fred Plaut to construct a stereo master of the album.
(MCD-1002) Bud Freeman: Chicago/Austin High School Jazz in Hi-Fi
The performances contained herein of three sessions led by Bud Freeman on RCA Victor in 1957 are further proof that even the age of some of the participants hadn't diminished any individualistic fire or creative thought process. When initially released, four titles had been omitted due to time restraints and found their way onto Bread, Butter and Jam In Hi-Fi. This is the first time all fifteen tracks have been gathered together on one release.
(MCD-1003) Al Cohn/Bill Perkins/Richie Kamuca: The Brothers
Tenormen like Cohn, Perkins and Kamuca generated their intensity with a low flame and high heat. Their improvisations are meticulously driven by a rhythm section headed by Hank Jones. Material for this project was selected from Nat Pierce, Bill Potts and Bob Brookmeyer as well as the three saxophonists. The choice of these three outside writers was rather inspired since you'll also get a hell of an arrangement delivered with a great tune. It is pleasure for us to restore this all-but-forgotten album to print and in the process, we found four previously unissued tracks that complete the sessions.
(MCD-1004) J.J. Johnson: J.J.!
In 1964, after leading his own small group and a quintet co-led by Kai Winding for more than a decade, J.J. Johnson marked his move from Columbia to RCA Victor with a dazzling album, brimming with beauty and growth. From the progressive swing of Swing Spring and So What to the lyricism of Stolen Moments to the pure modernity of Bemsha Swing and Stratusphunk, Johnson and company often break the rules of section writing and conventional voicings with marvelous results. While J.J. is the prime soloist through the sessions, Thad Jones, Clark Terry, Jerome Richardson, Oliver Nelson and Hank Jones are also heard from to great advantage.This CD is remixed from the original three-track master tapes with wonderful sonic results.
(MCD-1005) Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Hard Bop
After the dissolution of the original Jazz Messengers, Art Blakey formed a new edition with Jackie McLean, Bill Hardman, Sam Dockery and Spanky De Brest.The material from the December 12-13, 1956 session was more than enough for one album so five tunes were selected for Hard Bop, another three comprised side two of Blakey's Drum Suite and Gershwin medley sat in the can until 1980. In addition to finally gathering this band's December 12-13, 1956 output in one place at last, we also discovered that these sessions were recorded in an early (and successful from a sonic point of view) form of stereo and we have asembled the CD from those tapes.
(MCD-1006) Charles Lloyd: Of Course, Of Course
This album was recorded in May 1964 and March 1965, after Charles had left the Chico Hamilton fold, so these sessions were a welcome reunion for Gabor Szabo and him. The recording group was completed by another extraordinarily empathetic team, Ron Carter and Tony Williams. Bringing two of the most creative pairings in jazz together makes for a hell of a quartet. The album is as cohesive as it is varied. For this disc, the album was newly remixed from the original four-track tapes and includes three bonus tracks approved by the artist.
Each title is priced at $15.00
Feature Projects: Mosaic Record Boxed Sets
The Verve & Philips Dizzy Gillespie Small Group Sessions (7 CDs)
While most of Dizzy Gillespie's Verve albums were all-star or big band situations, he also recorded with his 1954 quintet with Hank Mobley, a 1957 octet with Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson, his 1959 quintet with Les Spann and Junior Mance and a 1961 live concert with Leo Wright. The following year, Dizzy signed with Philllips where he made six albums with his working bands featuring first Wright and Lalo Schifrin and later James Moody and Kenny Barron. Much of the material on set it on CD for the first time. The set includes 11 previously unissued tracks.
Chu Berry Selected recordings from labels owned by Sony/BMG (7 CDs)
Includes small group studio sessions with Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Red Allen, Teddy Wilson, Lionel Hampton, Gene Krupa and Wingy Manone. Also included are sides when he was a member of the Fletcher Henderson and Cab Calloway big bands.
Mosaic Selects
Mosaic Select: Tony Williams (3 CDs)
This set features Tony Williams' 1985 return to Blue Note “Foreign Intrigue" with Wallace Roney, Donald Harrison, Bobby Hutcherson, Mulgrew Miller and Ron Carter as well as all four studio albums by the great acoustic quintet that Williams led from 1986 to 1991 with Roney, Bill Pierce, Miller and a variety of bassists.
Mosaic Select: McCoy Tyner (3 CDs)
This set contains all six sessions recorded by Tyner for Blue Note between August 1968 and September 1970. This includes “Expansions," “Extension," “Asante" and three sessions not issued at the time which later appeared on the double album “Cosmos." This was one of Tyner's most overlooked and highly creative periods.
For more information contact All About Jazz.
