"Black Jazz" label

[romualdo]

Anyone had any dealings with the "Black Jazz" label - it was resurrected in the late 2000's (interesting read on the site)

http://www.blackjazz.com/main.html#

wonder if the new owner has the original tapes & properly remastering these releases or are they needle drops?

you can buy directly from them (paypal)

I see there has been a recent Walter Bishop BJ reissue "Coral Keys" (advertised on the Jazz Loft site) - Snow Dog Projects label (may be a bootleg?)

[robertoart]

I would also like to know this.

I would assume the new vinyl is cut from digital files.

The original vinyl for most of these seem to be highly sought after and ebay prices reflect that.

It seems from blog sites that some of the original releases were Quadrophonic as well.

[JSngry]

I see there has been a recent Walter Bishop BJ reissue "Coral Keys" (advertised on the Jazz Loft site) - Snow Dog Projects label (may be a bootleg?)

Snow Dog is a Japanese label that claims that the tracks are licensed: http://snwdg.com/?page_id=2

They've also issued more than just the Bishop album: http://www.forcedexposure.com/labels/snow.dog.projects.japan.html and/or http://www.dustygroove.com/browse.php?kwfilter=Black+Jazz%2FSnow+Dog+%28Japan%29&x=5&y=7&incl_oos=1&incl_cs=1

[clifford_thornton]

The Calvin Keys Shawn-neeq was also recently reissued on LP by Tompkins Square.

From what I'm told - and it's a little unclear to me - in the recent sale of the masters as a lot, individual tapes could also be purchased. The label purchased the Keys tape and cleared its reissue with Mr. Keys himself, with a new contract drawn up for this reissue. I would assume that Snow Dog has undergone a similar process.

[romualdo]

Does anyone have any of the US "Black Jazz" releases - interested to know what they sound like

[ValerieB]

i used to have every Black Jazz vinyl. will have to check in my closet!!

[peterintoronto]

The Black Jazz masters were for sale on craigslist a year or two back for some totally unreasonable amount.

Most of them were cheaply reissued back in 2006 or 2007.

When it comes to Black Jazz, the covers were often the best part of the album.

Edited November 22, 2012 by peterintoronto

[Head Man]

When it comes to Black Jazz, the covers were often the best part of the album.

Sometimes the truth hurts........

[JohnS]

I sold several, mostly bought as cut outs years ago. I still have

Henry Franklin- The skipper at home

Doug Carn - Spirit of the new land

[colinmce]

The Calvin Keys Shawn-neeq was also recently reissued on LP by Tompkins Square.

Thoughts?

[robertoart]

The Black Jazz masters were for sale on craigslist a year or two back for some totally unreasonable amount.

Most of them were cheaply reissued back in 2006 or 2007.

When it comes to Black Jazz, the covers were often the best part of the album.

Are you saying the music itself was sub-par or unworthy.

Not my experience with hearing some of these sessions.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

The Black Jazz masters were for sale on craigslist a year or two back for some totally unreasonable amount.

Most of them were cheaply reissued back in 2006 or 2007.

When it comes to Black Jazz, the covers were often the best part of the album.

Are you saying the music itself was sub-par or unworthy.

Not my experience with hearing some of these sessions.

Nor mine; all the BJ albums I've got are ones I like very much:

Chester Thompson - Powerhouse

Rudy Johnson - Spring rain

Rudy Johnson - Second coming

Walter Bishop - Coral keys

Gene Russell - New direction

Gene Russell - Talk to my lady

MG

[Teasing the Korean]

A few years ago, a friend of mine had a very interesting phone conversation with someone associated with the reactivated label. Not sure I want to go into details here, but based on his experience, I don't think I would want to deal with them.

[JSngry]

Not to mention the Doug & Jean Carn albums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9pZoRhRQA4&feature=related

[JSngry]

[romualdo]

A few years ago, a friend of mine had a very interesting phone conversation with someone associated with the reactivated label. Not sure I want to go into details here, but based on his experience, I don't think I would want to deal with them.

Dr F

can you be a bit more specific - I've emailed them (2 days ago) but have not yet received a reply - was considering buying a few of their CDs, esp Walter Bishop Jr & Doug Carn

[JETman]

A few years ago, a friend of mine had a very interesting phone conversation with someone associated with the reactivated label. Not sure I want to go into details here, but based on his experience, I don't think I would want to deal with them.

Dr F

can you be a bit more specific - I've emailed them (2 days ago) but have not yet received a reply - was considering buying a few of their CDs, esp Walter Bishop Jr & Doug Carn

I agree with some others here. Anyone who tries to resurrect a business without making themselves entirely available is just not worth all the wasted energy it takes to do business with them. I had an experience with them in the early 00's where I had to search for a phone number after MANY failed attempts at email. And it took many attempts at dialing a phone before I finally reached someone, who then proceeded NOT to send me what I had paid for.

That direct enough for ya? And. frankly, their discography (with the rare exception) doesn't even come close to making up for all the wasted time. My opinion, of course, but I often find that people get overly and uniquely worked up about music that is oscure simply because it is obscure.

[Teasing the Korean]

can you be a bit more specific - I've emailed them (2 days ago) but have not yet received a reply - was considering buying a few of their CDs, esp Walter Bishop Jr & Doug Carn

I'm reluctant to say more publicly, in part because I am not 100% certain that the current label owners are the ones my friend dealt with, especially in light of everything that has gone on with the label's master tapes in recent years. The CDs my friend ended up buying were sourced from vinyl, and the guy was not pleasant to deal with.

[Teasing the Korean]

...And. frankly, their discography (with the rare exception) doesn't even come close to making up for all the wasted time. My opinion, of course, but I often find that people get overly and uniquely worked up about music that is oscure simply because it is obscure.

For those of us who get into particular sub-sub-sub-genres of music for aesthetic reasons, we are at a certain point forced to go to the "obscure" sources, because the number of tracks in those sub-sub-sub-genres are finite. Hence my interest in Black Jazz, Tribe, Strata-East, etc.

Edited November 23, 2012 by Teasing the Korean

[JETman]

...And. frankly, their discography (with the rare exception) doesn't even come close to making up for all the wasted time. My opinion, of course, but I often find that people get overly and uniquely worked up about music that is oscure simply because it is obscure.

For those of us who get into particular sub-sub-sub-genres of music for aesthetic reasons, we are at a certain point forced to go to the "obscure" sources, because the number of tracks in those sub-sub-sub-genres are finite. Hence my interest in Black Jazz, Tribe, Strata-East, etc.

I wasn't talking about obscure sources, per se. Less than obsure sources have produced very obscure music --- Impulse, anyone? And what exactly would those "aesthetic" reasons be? Reminders of a lifestyle 40 years in the past, yet never to be seen again, like.......Martini & Rossi on a yacht off the coast of Southern California with Burt and Angie????

[JSngry]

Like George Harper, that's like what.

And Rudolph Johnson.

And Frank Gordon with The Awakening.

and the Chester Thompson album, minus the trombone player, who is more spirited than he is able, but even that was a part of what was going on then.

I heard Doug Carn on the radio damn near every night for 4-5 years, so yeah, that's a lifestyle. Good luck on that ever happening again.

[JETman]

Like George Harper, that's like what.

And Rudolph Johnson.

And Frank Gordon with The Awakening.

Each of us has to decide for ourselves the best way to spend our finite time left on Earth, I guess.

But, you gotta ask yourself: "is obscurity for obscurity's sake worth anything, really, other than the ability to say 'hey look at me I like music that nobody else even knows about'?".

[Teasing the Korean]

...And what exactly would those "aesthetic" reasons be? Reminders of a lifestyle 40 years in the past, yet never to be seen again, like.......Martini & Rossi on a yacht off the coast of Southern California with Burt and Angie????

The reasons any of us are drawn to certain aesthetics are numerous and complex. I am less interested in knowing the reasons than satisfying the desire. I happen to love that early 70s spiritual/cosmic/black consciousness vibe. When you get beyond obvious sources for this, you have to dig deeper. Sometimes there is only one amazing track buried on an otherwise OK album, and it's worth it just for that one track.

[JSngry]

Like George Harper, that's like what.

And Rudolph Johnson.

And Frank Gordon with The Awakening.

Each of us has to decide for ourselves the best way to spend our finite time left on Earth, I guess.

But, you gotta ask yourself: "is obscurity for obscurity's sake worth anything, really, other than the ability to say 'hey look at me I like music that nobody else even knows about'?".

I've long ago asked myself that question, as well as "is being an insufferable prick about other peoples' intrests really worth anything, really, other than scratching my itchy, pussy, wounded soul?"

I ask myself lots of questions!

[JETman]

...And what exactly would those "aesthetic" reasons be? Reminders of a lifestyle 40 years in the past, yet never to be seen again, like.......Martini & Rossi on a yacht off the coast of Southern California with Burt and Angie????

The reasons any of us are drawn to certain aesthetics are numerous and complex. I am less interested in knowing the reasons than satisfying the desire. I happen to love that early 70s spiritual/cosmic/black consciousness vibe. When you get beyond obvious sources for this, you have to dig deeper. Sometimes there is only one amazing track buried on an otherwise OK album, and it's worth it just for that one track.

Too many of those records are far less than even ok. Horo, anyone? Black Saint, anyone? Soul Note, anyone? Muse, anyone?

If you want to focus on an "aesthetic" that's your business entirely. The point I was trying to make up top was that Black Jazz's catalogue is not worthy enough TO ME to waste an inordinate amount of time chasing down some dude who will sell you his stuff only when he feels like it.

Like George Harper, that's like what.

And Rudolph Johnson.

And Frank Gordon with The Awakening.

Each of us has to decide for ourselves the best way to spend our finite time left on Earth, I guess.

But, you gotta ask yourself: "is obscurity for obscurity's sake worth anything, really, other than the ability to say 'hey look at me I like music that nobody else even knows about'?".

I've long ago asked myself that question, as well as "is being an insufferable prick about other peoples' intrests really worth anything, really, other than scratching my itchy, pussy, wounded soul?"

I ask myself lots of questions!

If I'm insufferable, don't read my posts. Simple as that --- unless you're a masochist. But try, and I mean really try, to actually be able to read/understand the points that others are attempting to make before spouting off such insulting, off the cuff crap.