RCA Jazz Classics German re-issues series list?

[bakeostrin]

Hello All,

I have a few CD's that are German BMG reissues of 1950's RCA albums; a couple of Ruby Braff's (I think one of them was the one recently issued as a Mosaic single, if it featured Walter Page on bass); "The Horn is Full" by Jack Montrose; a Red Norvo; "Super Chief" by Shorty Rogers; these were reissued I believe in the mid 90's; one distinguishing feature is the inlay card which is in one piece and folds out so that one side is a full size (almost) shot of the original cover.

The series had discographical information and liner notes (original, I believe).

Does anyone have a full list of the titles reissued? I tried a brief Google search, unsuccessfully.

Thanks again and Happy New Year,

Baker

[mmilovan]

Can we add Artie Shaw - In The Blue Room/In The Café Rouge (RCA 74321 18527 2) to this list - his marvelously live recorded (during 1938-39.) big band - it was marvelous hearing experience. Original album was from 1954.

[bakeostrin]

Thanks for the information. I would correct the Shorty Rogers title information to "Big Shorty Rogers Express"; the cover shows Rogers in front of a Sante Fe Railroad engine (some of which were called "Super Chief"; hence my confusion).

There was also a Jimmy McPartland cd, called, I believe, "Happy Dixieland"; also, I have a "Jonah Jones at the Embers" and also a Nat Pierce album. A couple of US issued RCA CD's also have that same large format insert; there is a Gary Burton album and a Jay McShann/Jimmy Witherspoon; but I would appreciate any more information on the German RCA reissues.

Also, while I am glad that Mosaic is reissuing albums as single cd's (my own personal preference over box sets); it disappoints me a bit to see material reissued that have been reissued once already. The Bud Freeman is a great album (if you like his type of music and I always dig a Teagarden vocal); but it has been reissued legitimately previously by Fresh Sounds; ditto the Al Cohn/Perkins/Kamuca (Spain/Japan); the J.J. Johnson (Spain/Germany) and indeed the Jonah Jones (although this last one was less widely available than the others).

I would like to see more of the Pacific Jazz series such as the Roy Ayers and Pepper Adams both reissued by Water (I think). There is a load of great material on Pacific Jazz, to hijack my own thread on RCA, which has never been reissued either on CD or other than in a box set, which I would like to see.

Regards,

Baker

[Swinging Swede]

That was a great series! The majority of what was released had not been on CD before, and we got original album covers and liner notes in a fold-out, complete discographies, and in some cases bonus tracks. The reissues are listed as produced by ”Rolf Enoch/proJAZZteam”, and whoever he/they was/were, this series was very well done. It seems to have run 1993-96. Maybe it came to an end because many of the titles weren’t big sellers, but at least they weren’t the same old hackneyed titles being reissued over and over again, as often has been the case with the majors.

I picked up many of the releases I saw in stores, but since this was in the pre-Internet days, I didn’t know about any titles I didn’t see, and some I’ve only learned about later.

Below is a list I have compiled, which may not be quite complete, though. There are some gaps in the catalogue numbers (although that does not in itself mean that there is a missing release), and the 1995 titles are fewer than for the other years and disconnected catalogue-wise, so maybe there’s.more.

Please feel free to make additions or corrections to the list. With our combined efforts we can probably make it complete (if it isn’t already).

RCA VICTOR JAZZ CLASSICS

1993:

74321 13027 2 Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShann And His Band - Goin’ To Kansas City Blues (1957)

74321 13028 2 Andy Kirk And His Orchestra - A Mellow Bit Of Rhythm (1956)

74321 13029 2 Duke Ellington - In A Mellotone (1940-42)

74321 13030 2 [does it exist?]

74321 13031 2 Bud Freeman - Chicago/Austin High School Jazz In Hi-Fi (1957)

74321 13032 2 The Big 18 - Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands (1958)

74321 13033 2 The Big 18 - More Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands (1958)

74321 13034 2 Red Norvo - Red Plays The Blues (1957-58)

74321 13035 2 A String Of Swinging Pearls (various small groups circa late 20s-mid 40s)

74321 13036 2 Louis Armstrong - Town Hall Concert Plus (1946-47)

74321 13037 2 The Bix Beiderbecke Legend (1924-30)

74321 13038 2 George Wein’s Dixie Victors - The Magic Horn (1956)

74321 13039 2 Muggsy Spanier’s Ragtime Band - The Great 16! (1939)

74321 13040 2 The Four Brothers.…Together Again! (1957)

74321 13041 2 Bud Powell - Swingin’ With Bud (1957)

1994:

74321 18518 2 Jimmy McPartland And His Dixielanders - That Happy Dixieland Jazz (1959)

74321 18519 2 Shorty Rogers And His Giants - The Big Shorty Rogers Express (1953/56)

74321 18520 2 Ruby Braff - Hi-Fi Salute To Bunny (1957)

74321 18521 2 Jack Montrose And All-Stars - The Horn’s Full (1957)

74321 18522 2 Ruby Braff And His Men - Easy Now (1958)

74321 18523 2 The Jonah Jones Quartet - Jonah Jones At The Embers (1956)

74321 18524 2 Cab Calloway And His Orchestra - Hi-De-Hi-De-Ho (1958)

74321 18525 2 The Talkative Horns Of Rex Stewart & Dickie Wells - Chatter Jazz (1959)

74321 18526 2 Sonny Rollins - The Bridge (1962)

74321 18527 2 Artie Shaw - In the Blue Room/In The Café Rouge (1938-39)

74321 21821 2 Lionel Hampton - Hamp’s Big Band (1959)

74321 21822 2 Shorty Rogers And His Giants - Portrait Of Shorty (1957)

74321 21823 2 Joe Williams - Me And The Blues (1963)

74321 21824 2 Tommy Dorsey And His Clambake Seven - Having Wonderful Time (1935-46)

74321 21825 2 Gary Burton/Sonny Rollins/Clark Terry - 3 In Jazz (1963)

74321 21826 2 Cootie Williams In Hi-Fi (1958)

74321 21827 2 [does it exist?]

74321 21828 2 Gary Burton - New Vibe Man In Town (1961)

74321 21829 2 Great Moments In Jazz Re-Created At The Newport Jazz Festival (1964)

74321 21830 2 [does it exist?]

74321 21831 2 Joe Williams - At Newport ’63 (1963)

74321 21832 2 Mainstream Sextet/Andy Gibson And His Orchestra - Mainstream Jazz (1959)

1995:

74321 25723 2 Ahmed Abdul-Malik - East Meets West (1959)

74321 25727 2 J.J. Johnson - J.J.! (1964)

74321 25729 2 Eddie ”Lockjaw” Davis - Love Calls (1967)

74321 25730 2 Gary Burton - Duster (1967)

74321 29880 2 Kai Winding And J. J. Johnson - An Afternoon At Birdland (1954)

74321 30072 2 Freddie Green - Mr. Rhythm (1955)

74321 30073 2 The Nat Pierce Orchestra Featuring Buck Clayton - Big Band At The Savoy Ballroom (1957)

74321 32337 2 Shorty Rogers Courts The Count (1954)

(any more 1995 releases?)

1996:

74321 36400 2 Lionel Hampton - Jazz Flamenco (1956)

74321 36401 2 Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - That Sentimental Gentleman Of Swing (1940-1944)

74321 36402 2 Bread, Butter & Jam In Hi-Fi (late 1950s?)

74321 36403 2 Who Is Gary Burton? (1962)

74321 36404 2 Red Allen - Ride, Red, Ride In Hi-Fi (1957)

74321 36405 2 Mundell Lowe And His All Stars - Porgy & Bess (1958)

74321 36406 2 Stan Getz & Arthur Fiedler - At Tanglewood (1966)

74321 36407 2 [does it exist?]

74321 36408 2 Brad Gowans And His New York Nine (1946) / Max Kaminsky And His Dixieland Bashers - Jazz On The Campus Ltd (1954) [two 10” LPs on one CD]

74321 36409 2 Manny Albam-Ernie Wilkins And Their Orchestra - The Drum Suite (1956) / Al Cohn - Son Of Drum Suite (1960) [two 12” LPs on one CD]

Edited January 5, 2008 by Swinging Swede

[Tony Pusey]

Baker, the Roy Ayers and Pepper Adams were released by Mighty Quinn (which has a Mosiac connection-in that its run by a Mosiac employee if I am not mistaken!) and not the admirable Water.

[gmonahan]

That was a great series! The majority of what was released had not been on CD before, and we got original album covers and liner notes in a fold-out, complete discographies, and in some cases bonus tracks. The reissues are listed as produced by ”Rolf Enoch/proJAZZteam”, and whoever he/they was/were, this series was very well done. It seems to have run 1993-96. Maybe it came to an end because many of the titles weren’t big sellers, but at least they weren’t the same old hackneyed titles being reissued over and over again, as often has been the case with the majors.

I picked up many of the releases I saw in stores, but since this was in the pre-Internet days, I didn’t know about any titles I didn’t see, and some I’ve only learned about later.

Below is a list I have compiled, which may not be quite complete, though. There are some gaps in the catalogue numbers (although that does not in itself mean that there is a missing release), and the 1995 titles are fewer than for the other years and disconnected catalogue-wise, so maybe there’s.more.

Please feel free to make additions or corrections to the list. With our combined efforts we can probably make it complete (if it isn’t already).

RCA VICTOR JAZZ CLASSICS

1993:

74321 13027 2 Jimmy Witherspoon With Jay McShann And His Band - Goin’ To Kansas City Blues (1957)

74321 13028 2 Andy Kirk And His Orchestra - A Mellow Bit Of Rhythm (1956)

74321 13029 2 Duke Ellington - In A Mellotone (1940-42)

74321 13030 2 [does it exist?]

74321 13031 2 Bud Freeman - Chicago/Austin High School Jazz In Hi-Fi (1957)

74321 13032 2 The Big 18 - Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands (1958)

74321 13033 2 The Big 18 - More Live Echoes Of The Swinging Bands (1958)

74321 13034 2 Red Norvo - Red Plays The Blues (1957-58)

74321 13035 2 A String Of Swinging Pearls (various small groups circa late 20s-mid 40s)

74321 13036 2 Louis Armstrong - Town Hall Concert Plus (1946-47)

74321 13037 2 The Bix Beiderbecke Legend (1924-30)

74321 13038 2 George Wein’s Dixie Victors - The Magic Horn (1956)

74321 13039 2 Muggsy Spanier’s Ragtime Band - The Great 16! (1939)

74321 13040 2 The Four Brothers.…Together Again! (1957)

74321 13041 2 Bud Powell - Swingin’ With Bud (1957)

1994:

74321 18518 2 Jimmy McPartland And His Dixielanders - That Happy Dixieland Jazz (1959)

74321 18519 2 Shorty Rogers And His Giants - The Big Shorty Rogers Express (1953/56)

74321 18520 2 Ruby Braff - Hi-Fi Salute To Bunny (1957)

74321 18521 2 Jack Montrose And All-Stars - The Horn’s Full (1957)

74321 18522 2 Ruby Braff And His Men - Easy Now (1958)

74321 18523 2 The Jonah Jones Quartet - Jonah Jones At The Embers (1956)

74321 18524 2 Cab Calloway And His Orchestra - Hi-De-Hi-De-Ho (1958)

74321 18525 2 The Talkative Horns Of Rex Stewart & Dickie Wells - Chatter Jazz (1959)

74321 18526 2 Sonny Rollins - The Bridge (1962)

74321 18527 2 Artie Shaw - In the Blue Room/In The Café Rouge (1938-39)

74321 21821 2 Lionel Hampton - Hamp’s Big Band (1959)

74321 21822 2 Shorty Rogers And His Giants - Portrait Of Shorty (1957)

74321 21823 2 Joe Williams - Me And The Blues (1963)

74321 21824 2 Tommy Dorsey And His Clambake Seven - Having Wonderful Time (1935-46)

74321 21825 2 Gary Burton/Sonny Rollins/Clark Terry - 3 In Jazz (1963)

74321 21826 2 Cootie Williams In Hi-Fi (1958)

74321 21827 2 [does it exist?]

74321 21828 2 Gary Burton - New Vibe Man In Town (1961)

74321 21829 2 Great Moments In Jazz Re-Created At The Newport Jazz Festival (1964)

74321 21830 2 [does it exist?]

74321 21831 2 Joe Williams - At Newport ’63 (1963)

74321 21832 2 Mainstream Sextet/Andy Gibson And His Orchestra - Mainstream Jazz (1959)

1995:

74321 25723 2 Ahmed Abdul-Malik - East Meets West (1959)

74321 25727 2 J.J. Johnson - J.J.! (1964)

74321 25729 2 Eddie ”Lockjaw” Davis - Love Calls (1967)

74321 25730 2 Gary Burton - Duster (1967)

74321 30072 2 Freddie Green - Mr. Rhythm (1955)

74321 30073 2 The Nat Pierce Orchestra Featuring Buck Clayton - Big Band At The Savoy Ballroom (1957)

74321 32337 2 Shorty Rogers Courts The Count (1954)

(any more 1995 releases?)

1996:

74321 36400 2 Lionel Hampton - Jazz Flamenco (1956)

74321 36401 2 Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra - That Sentimental Gentleman Of Swing (1940-1944)

74321 36402 2 Bread, Butter & Jam In Hi-Fi (late 1950s?)

74321 36403 2 Who Is Gary Burton? (1962)

74321 36404 2 Red Allen - Ride, Red, Ride In Hi-Fi (1957)

74321 36405 2 Mundell Lowe And His All Stars - Porgy & Bess (1958)

74321 36406 2 Stan Getz & Arthur Fiedler - At Tanglewood (1966)

74321 36407 2 [does it exist?]

74321 36408 2 Brad Gowans And His New York Nine (1946) / Max Kaminsky And His Dixieland Bashers - Jazz On The Campus Ltd (1954) [two 10” LPs on one CD]

74321 36409 2 Manny Albam-Ernie Wilkins And Their Orchestra - The Drum Suite (1956) / Al Cohn - Son Of Drum Suite (1960) [two 12” LPs on one CD]

Excellent list! But I didn't see this one:

74321 29880-2 Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson - An Afternoon at Birdland. It was released in the Jazz Classics series in 1995. The original album came out on Victor's "X" label as LXA-1040. I'd never heard of it before I found it in a used cd store in Paris a few years ago. Cool album.

[king ubu]

Yes, I have that Winding/Johnson and the JR Monterose - wish I had the Bud Powell! (Wasn't there a second RCA album? Has that one not appeared in this series?)

[Chuck Nessa]

Yes, I have that Winding/Johnson and the JR Monterose - wish I had the Bud Powell! (Wasn't there a second RCA album? Has that one not appeared in this series?)

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! The RCA is Jack Montrose, not JR Monterose. Two very different players!!!!

[Swinging Swede]

74321 29880-2 Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson - An Afternoon at Birdland. It was released in the Jazz Classics series in 1995. The original album came out on Victor's "X" label as LXA-1040. I'd never heard of it before I found it in a used cd store in Paris a few years ago. Cool album.

Thanks for the addition; I've updated the list!

I remember seeing almost all the 1993-94 releases in stores, but for some reason I saw very few of the 1995-96 releases, and the Winding/Johnson was one title I didn't even know existed until this thread, as was the Nat Pierce Baker mentioned.

Incidentally the catalogue number of the Winding/Johnson is not close to any of the other releases. One wonders if there is more?

[Swinging Swede]

wish I had the Bud Powell! (Wasn't there a second RCA album? Has that one not appeared in this series?)

Yes, there was another RCA album, Strictly Powell, which predated Swingin' With Bud. I haven't seen a RVJC (AFLA ) release of it, although that doesn't necessarily rule out anything as we see. There have in any case been other CD reissues of it.

[Chuck Nessa]

I have a US BMG/RCA issue of Strictly Powell from 1995.

[bakeostrin]

Swede,

Thanks for all the information and work. I looked at that list and saw a number of CD's that I had forgotten about; the Lockjaw Davis one w/Paul Gonsalves, for example (US RCA/Bluebird CD was a compilation and does not have all the tracks from this one).

I agree 100% with your description of the series; many items off the beaten path with an eclectic mix of choices. Obviously producing these disks is a business (as well as a labor of love for some); so the popular titles get reissued more often. "The Bridge" and the two Bud Powells got US reissues (so did that Witherspoon/McShann), but for some that may be the only reissue. Has "Chatter Jazz" been reissued any place else, for example?

I am glad when anything gets reissued. I was lucky enough to find a Jonah Jones at the Embers out of the German series, so to me it is no big deal that Mosaic is putting it out as a single; likewise the Austin High/Bud Freeman CD (would have liked the German, but got a legitimate Fresh Sound). But for others who have been looking for it, great. As long as the reissues (legitimate ones) keep coming, hopefully there's something for everyone.

Regards,

Baker

[gmonahan]

74321 29880-2 Kai Winding and J. J. Johnson - An Afternoon at Birdland. It was released in the Jazz Classics series in 1995. The original album came out on Victor's "X" label as LXA-1040. I'd never heard of it before I found it in a used cd store in Paris a few years ago. Cool album.

Thanks for the addition; I've updated the list!

I remember seeing almost all the 1993-94 releases in stores, but for some reason I saw very few of the 1995-96 releases, and the Winding/Johnson was one title I didn't even know existed until this thread, as was the Nat Pierce Baker mentioned.

Incidentally the catalogue number of the Winding/Johnson is not close to any of the other releases. One wonders if there is more?

I wondered about that too when I tried to fit it in with the catalogue numbers you'd listed. I've been amassing a list of all the GRP/Decca Jazz reissues and have a couple of gaps. The ways of catalog numbers can sometimes be mysterious!

[Kyo]

I should be getting the Jack Montrose album soon!

His other one on RCA (Blues & Vanilla) was reissued by Fresh Sound Records only so far, right?

[Bluerein]

Not Fresh Sound but RCA Spain. Although produced by Jori Pujol (of Fresh Sound "Fame") they are issued and marketed etc. by BMG Spain.

[Kyo]

Not Fresh Sound but RCA Spain. Although produced by Jori Pujol (of Fresh Sound "Fame") they are issued and marketed etc. by BMG Spain.

Thanks! Anyone got a source for such Spanish discs?

[Kyo]

74321 13034 2 Red Norvo - Red Plays The Blues (1957-58)

What's the personnel for this album? I can't seem to find any info on it.

[Chas]

74321 13034 2 Red Norvo - Red Plays The Blues (1957-58)

What's the personnel for this album? I can't seem to find any info on it.

Red Norvo Sextet : Harry Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Red Norvo (vib,xyl) Jimmy

Rowles (p) Bob Carter (b) Bill Douglass (d)

Los Angeles, January 18, 1957

Red Norvo and his Orchestra : Don Fagerquist, Ed Leddy, Ray Linn, Don Paladino (tp)

Ray Sims (tb) Willie Smith (as) Harold Land (ts) Chuck Gentry (bar) Red Norvo (vib) Jimmy Rowles (p) Jimmy

Wyble (g) Red Wooten (b) Mel Lewis (d) Helen Humes (vcl)

Los Angeles, January 28, 1958

[Kyo]

Red Norvo Sextet : Harry Edison (tp) Ben Webster (ts) Red Norvo (vib,xyl) Jimmy

Rowles (p) Bob Carter (b) Bill Douglass (d)

Los Angeles, January 18, 1957

Red Norvo and his Orchestra : Don Fagerquist, Ed Leddy, Ray Linn, Don Paladino (tp)

Ray Sims (tb) Willie Smith (as) Harold Land (ts) Chuck Gentry (bar) Red Norvo (vib) Jimmy Rowles (p) Jimmy

Wyble (g) Red Wooten (b) Mel Lewis (d) Helen Humes (vcl)

Los Angeles, January 28, 1958

Brilliant, thanks a lot!

[tjluke68]

I have the Jack Montrose RCA Spain Blues & Vanilla if anyone's interested in purchasing or trade. I found it within the past 2 weeks sealed - opened it and played it only once! Wasn't really diggin' it..

TL

[Kyo]

Too bad I already ordered a slightly overpriced copy a few days ago.

[MartyJazz]

Can we add Artie Shaw - In The Blue Room/In The Café Rouge (RCA 74321 18527 2) to this list - his marvelously live recorded (during 1938-39.) big band - it was marvelous hearing experience. Original album was from 1954.

Yeah, I found that in a 2nd hand CD store in Portland, OR on my visit to the Northwest a couple of years ago. Had never seen the CD issue previously or since, although I still own the 2-LP set purchased oh so many years ago when I was a teenager. Shaw was such a fabulous clarinetist, all of his various bands and small group ensembles have their very great moments.

Edited January 21, 2008 by MartyJazz

[clifford_thornton]

Yes, I have that Winding/Johnson and the JR Monterose - wish I had the Bud Powell! (Wasn't there a second RCA album? Has that one not appeared in this series?)

FOR CRYING OUT LOUD! The RCA is Jack Montrose, not JR Monterose. Two very different players!!!!

I for one am tired of that confusion as well.

J.R. gets under my skin, Jack doesn't.