Let's compile the jazz album covers books master-list.

[Dmitry]

I'm compiling literature for a school project relating to jazz album covers and need your help organizing a list of books published on this topic.

These are the books I have in my small library:

Ed. by Graham Marsh, Felix Cromey, Glyn Callingham Blue Note: The Album Cover Art, Chronicle Books, 1991. ISBN: 0-8118-0036-9

Ed. by Graham Marsh, Glyn Callingham New York Hot: East Coast Jazz of the 50s and 60s. The Album Cover Art, Chronicle Books, 1993. ISBN: 0-8118-0416-X

Manek Daver Jazz Album Covers: The Rare and the Beautiful, Graphic-sha Publishing Co., Ltd, 1994.

Richard Havers Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression , Chronicle Books, 2014. ISBN: 978-1-4521-4144-2   

Joaquim Paulo, ed. Julius Wiedemann Jazz Covers, Taschen GmbH, 2021. ISBN: 978-3-8365-8525-5

Irwin Chusid, Chris Reisman SUN RA: Art on Saturn. The Album Cover Art of Sun Ra's Saturn Label, Fantagraphics Books, Inc., 2022. ISBN: 978-1-68396-658-6  

I am sure there is more out there, especially printed in foreign lands.

 

[Chuck Nessa]

[Big Beat Steve]

1 hour ago, Dmitry said:

I'm compiling literature for a school project relating to jazz album covers and need your help organizing a list of books published on this topic.

...

Amazingly, except for the Manek Daver book your list includes none of the books I own, so here is what I'd add and recommend:

- Ed. by William Claxton and Hitoshi Namekata, Jazz West Coast - Artwork of Pacific Jazz Records (it includes a chapter on other West Coast labels so isn't limited strictly to PCJ), Bijutsu Shuppan-Sha Tokyo, 1992, ISBN 4-568-50158-X C3070

- Ed. by Naoki Mukoda, Jazzical Moods - Artwork of Excellent Jazz Labels (relatively little overlap with Jazz West Coast), Bijutsu Shuppan-Sha Tokyo, 1993, ISBN 4-568-50150-4 C3070

- Ed. by Graham Marsh and Glyn Callingham, California Cool - West Coast Cover Art (some overlap with the Jazz West Coast book but not excessively so), Edition Olms Zürich (Switzerland), 1993, , ISBN 3-283-00259-2

- Ed. by Graham Marsh and Glyn Callingham, East Coasting - The Cover Art of New York's Prestige, Riverside and Atlantic Records, Edition Olms Zürich, 1993, ISBN 3-283-00264-9 (I am not sure if this maybe is the European edition of your New York Hot) I had my sights set on the two Blue Note cover art books published by Olms at around the same time as well but for some reason they were sold at totally outrageouos prices compared to the above California Cool and East Coasting books (regardless of the fact that they weren't even Japanese imports) - as if Blue Note alone warranted any inflated prices ... So I skipped them, particularly since Jazzical Moods includes its share of BN covers too.

If you intend to go somewhat beyond jazz in the stricter stylistic sense to include BLUES and related album cover art too there would be a handful more of which I can supply details you wish. And of course there are the Jim Flora artwork books (including not only jazz covers, though) published by Fantagraphics - and that fat, fat tome on cover art by Alex Steinweiss published by Taschen (again with a lot of non-jazz covers).

 

[Dmitry]

Thank you!

I ordered the Freedom, Rhythm & Sound, the California Cool, and the Steinweiss folio. The Blue Note and other cover books edited by Graham Marsh appear to be recycled and volumes combined under slightly-different titles.

For my part, I really recommend the recently-published Joaquim Paulo, ed. Julius Wiedemann Jazz Covers, Taschen GmbH, 2021. ISBN: 978-3-8365-8525-5

As with some other Taschen titles, including this one and the Steinweiss book, there are smaller and larger format versions. I do recommend springing for the larger one. 

One other elusive jazz cover book is this one: The Color of Jazz: Album Cover Photographs by Pete Turner. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0847857980/?coliid=I2A913CV21ZB1J&colid=1J6EMQXK3XD10&psc=1&ref_=list_c_wl_gv_ov_lig_pi_dp

[Big Beat Steve]

1 hour ago, Dmitry said:

For my part, I really recommend the recently-published Joaquim Paulo, ed. Julius Wiedemann Jazz Covers, Taschen GmbH, 2021. ISBN: 978-3-8365-8525-5

Actually, I had this book in my hands today when I dropped by a large bookstore downtown. But as it was sealed I was unable to look inside. What has kept me from springing for it so far was that I wonder what percentage of the contents is post-early to mid-60s.

Cover artwork-wise, my main interest really are the entire 50s (as well as the earlier the 78 rpm album era). But beyond the early 60s it sort of fizzles out. So I can live without huge chunks of psychedelic or funk covers.
The sample pages you can check out online are somewhat strange and inconclusive. And I guess I would have to see the entire book to make something of its methodology. The mix and the stylistic jumps across the decades look odd to me. And I find the visual impact of the artwork is lost to a great extent in an alphabetic artist mix (which the book seems to have). Unless the book wants to force a "you got to like all artwork from all decades alike" attitude unto you.
There cannot remain much common visual ground if you just single out a scant few album covers by each artist from whatever decade. Neither would the impact be there if you arrange it by label (because most labels - that had longish existences - changed their artwork styles more or less drastically over time). "Jazzical Moods" with its "theme" layout makes more sense to me. But admittedly "that's only me".

Edited June 14, 2023 by Big Beat Steve

[Teasing the Korean]

Tangentially related and worth mentioning is The Album Cover Art of Soundtracks by Frank Jastfelder & Stefan Kassel.  The book focuses on soundtrack LP covers from the 1950s to the 1970s, including many by jazz artists or featuring substantial jazz content.

[JSngry]

Album covers or not, any Pete Turner photograph works for me. 

[Dmitry]

21 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Actually, I had this book in my hands today when I dropped by a large bookstore downtown. But as it was sealed I was unable to look inside. What has kept me from springing for it so far was that I wonder what percentage of the contents is post-early to mid-60s.

Cover artwork-wise, my main interest really are the entire 50s (as well as the earlier the 78 rpm album era). But beyond the early 60s it sort of fizzles out. So I can live without huge chunks of psychedelic or funk covers.
The sample pages you can check out online are somewhat strange and inconclusive. And I guess I would have to see the entire book to make something of its methodology. The mix and the stylistic jumps across the decades look odd to me. And I find the visual impact of the artwork is lost to a great extent in an alphabetic artist mix (which the book seems to have). Unless the book wants to force a "you got to like all artwork from all decades alike" attitude unto you.
There cannot remain much common visual ground if you just single out a scant few album covers by each artist from whatever decade. Neither would the impact be there if you arrange it by label (because most labels - that had longish existences - changed their artwork styles more or less drastically over time). "Jazzical Moods" with its "theme" layout makes more sense to me. But admittedly "that's only me".

Judge for yourself. I do think it's a correct and encyclopedic way of compiling the artwork by alphabetical names of the artists, whose albums are being represented. The author did quite a bit of research on the designers/graphic artists. I think this book is a keeper. It is a giant folio, as you witnessed in the bookstore.

 

 

 

[Big Beat Steve]

Thanks very much for taking the trouble, Dmitry. But it confirms my suspicions: the author works on the principle that the owner is supposed to strictly like and appreciate all artwork from all decades alike.
And I beg to disagree about the usefulness of alphabetically arranging the contents by the names of the artists covered. One single LP cover per artist is bound to be a random selection and does not say much (about the state or evolution of the graphic arts) if the next cover shown by the alphabetically next artist is from a totally different era and style. (cf. the online sample page of Eddie Condon's Coast to Coast Jam Session cover - incidentally IMHO the lesser of the period covers: the black-and-red cover of the European Philips pressing IMO is more striking - opposite the flower-power Chick Corea cover) The visual impact of the artwork representative of a certain period of the graphic arts is largely lost by this zigzagging between eras. Even when you select, say, 2 or 3 album covers per artist. ANY album covers of the output of ANY artist with long recording careers changed drastically through the decades. So what's the point proven, then?

I would VERY MUCH have preferred a book of this size arranged chronologically by the periods covered (from the earliest to the most recent) to show the evolution of the graphic arts in this respect (including sidelines/variations of the development of typical artwork in each era/decade).  Not to mention the fact that some truly striking cover artwork might have been found on LPs or EPs by "journeyman" jazz artists who do not rank among the greats of all times.

And just to explain my stance ... I guess I am somewhat interested in this kind of period artwork not least of all because of a personal bias: My Ma used to work in the graphic advertising arts for all her professional life (never any record covers, though). Long ago I took over a huge stack of her "international advertising art" monthlies that she used to subscribe to from her student days to the late 60s/early 70s. I kept those from 1950 to c. 1962/63 but sold off the later ones. Guess why (space limitations not considered): Because my main interest was and is the graphic arts of the earlier period (which BTW by the late 50s often had advanced to styles and designs that many would date to way later in the 60s if they weren't shown proof that these designs did exist as early as the late 50s).
So that's that, and tastes and preferences just differ ...

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Big Beat Steve

[Teasing the Korean]

19 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

... Because my main interest was and is the graphic arts of the earlier period (which BTW by the late 50s often had advanced to styles and designs that many would date to way later in the 60s if they weren't shown proof that these designs did exist as early as the late 50s).

This is a fascinating element of design for me.  For example, I was surprised to learn years ago that the Noguchi table debuted in 1947.

[Dmitry]

4 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Thanks very much for taking the trouble, Dmitry. But it confirms my suspicions: the author works on the principle that the owner is supposed to strictly like and appreciate all artwork from all decades alike.
And I beg to disagree about the usefulness of alphabetically arranging the contents by the names of the artists covered. One single LP cover per artist is bound to be a random selection and does not say much (about the state or evolution of the graphic arts) if the next cover shown by the alphabetically next artist is from a totally different era and style. (cf. the online sample page of Eddie Condon's Coast to Coast Jam Session cover - incidentally IMHO the lesser of the period covers: the black-and-red cover of the European Philips pressing IMO is more striking - opposite the flower-power Chick Corea cover) The visual impact of the artwork representative of a certain period of the graphic arts is largely lost by this zigzagging between eras. Even when you select, say, 2 or 3 album covers per artist. ANY album covers of the output of ANY artist with long recording careers changed drastically through the decades. So what's the point proven, then?

I would VERY MUCH have preferred a book of this size arranged chronologically by the periods covered (from the earliest to the most recent) to show the evolution of the graphic arts in this respect (including sidelines/variations of the development of typical artwork in each era/decade).  Not to mention the fact that some truly striking cover artwork might have been found on LPs or EPs by "journeyman" jazz artists who do not rank among the greats of all times.

And just to explain my stance ... I guess I am somewhat interested in this kind of period artwork not least of all because of a personal bias: My Ma used to work in the graphic advertising arts for all her professional life (never any record covers, though). Long ago I took over a huge stack of her "international advertising art" monthlies that she used to subscribe to from her student days to the late 60s/early 70s. I kept those from 1950 to c. 1962/63 but sold off the later ones. Guess why (space limitations not considered): Because my main interest was and is the graphic arts of the earlier period (which BTW by the late 50s often had advanced to styles and designs that many would date to way later in the 60s if they weren't shown proof that these designs did exist as early as the late 50s).
So that's that, and tastes and preferences just differ ...

 

The only solution I see for your demands is the electronic version which can be arranged by label, year, artist, designer, style etc. i find the “by jazz artist” arrangement just fine, but I see your point.

While working on this little project, it’s become clear that the Europeans and American editions of the same titles  have different covers and different titles even…just like the albums. Blue Note especially is a perpetual and reliable cash cow for the publishers.

Edited June 15, 2023 by Dmitry

[Big Beat Steve]

36 minutes ago, Dmitry said:

The only solution I see for your demands is the electronic version which can be arranged by label, year, artist, designer, style etc. i find the “by jazz artist” arrangement just fine, but I see your point.

While working on this little project, it’s become clear that the Europeans and American editions of the same titles  have different covers and different titles even…just like the albums. Blue Note especially is a perpetual and reliable cash cow for the publishers.

Actually these are not demands - I am perfectly fine with NOT owning every record cover book that is out there. The balance of the pros and cons of this one does not have me convinced all the way - yet ...

As for different titles of the US and European editions, I suppose this (so far) concerns the books published by Chronicle in the US and Edition Olms in Europe - right?

[Dmitry]

The in-print book, 

Graham Marsh, Glyn Callingham The Cover Art of Blue Note Records: The Collection, Edition Olms, 2018. 240 p. ISBN: 978-3283012823

https://www.amazon.com/Cover-Art-Blue-Note-Records/dp/3283012822/ref=asc_df_3283012822/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=509032862638&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5707656792921320918&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1025446&hvtargid=pla-554337392088&psc=1#customerReviews

is a smaller format version (possibly a scaled-down facsimile, but I can't be sure, not having compared them) of these two out of print large format (just shy of the LP jacket size) soft cover books -

Ed. by Graham Marsh, Felix Cromey, Glyn Callingham Blue Note: The Album Cover Art, Chronicle Books, 1991. ISBN: 0-8118-0036-9

Ed. by Graham Marsh, Glyn Callingham Blue Note 2: The Album Cover Art , Chronicle Books, 1997. ISBN: 9780811818537

There are other later editions, some are on the reduced scale, but these two are the first editions, in large format.

 

 

[Big Beat Steve]

The two Blue Note album cover books (large format) we got here in the mid- to late 90s had covers quite like the "reissue" that combines the two volumes in one (see your link) - blue for Vol. 1 and red for Vol. 2 (IIRC these also were the ones I saw in London around that time).
And the asking prices were really steep wherever you looked - as if these were Japanese printings ! Quite a bit higher than "East Coasting" (in most cases). As if all the shops realized Blue Note warranted a premium in the pricing.  (BTW, in fact the Japanese album cover art books - Jazz West Coast and Jazzical Moods - were priced relatively moderately when they first appeared here. This made the asking prices for the two BN volumes seem even more outrageous)

I might spring for the reissue you linked to, and I guess I can live with the somewhat smaller format. After all the Manek Daver books aren't coffee table books either (and the cover reproductions are comparatively small), and yet they have their appeal. Same for the Jim Flora book which is fine as it is.

Edited June 16, 2023 by Big Beat Steve

[mikeweil]

Not exactly jazz, but related:

Has this been mentioned?

[clifford_thornton]

I don't have it and it's incredibly rare, but this one also comes to mind:

https://books.google.com/books/about/Jazz_record_book_Free_jazz.html?id=KAcnHQAACAAJ

Includes thumbnail images of all titles mentioned in the book.

[Dmitry]

3 hours ago, clifford_thornton said:

I don't have it and it's incredibly rare, but this one also comes to mind:

https://books.google.com/books/about/Jazz_record_book_Free_jazz.html?id=KAcnHQAACAAJ

Includes thumbnail images of all titles mentioned in the book.

Interesting, correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I was able to glean, it's a discography accompanied by thumbnail-style b/w photos of record covers?

[clifford_thornton]

Yes, from what I have been able to ascertain. There are two subsequent volumes.

[Big Beat Steve]

This book on Free Jazz, then, would be similar to the series of Japanese publications described here (?):

 

[clifford_thornton]

Sorta, yeah, although not label-specific.

[Big Beat Steve]

The European Jazz LPs or West Coast Jazz volumes in the Jazz Critique publications aren't label-specific either. I missed (or failed to become aware of) the West Coast Jazz book at the time but bought the European Jazz LPs book back then, and your desription read very much like this book. So I assumend the idea behind the publication was comparable.

[jazzcorner]

Cant remember if I  submitted some Info on the 8 volumes of Down Beat record reviews  compiling all  rated albums for the years  1956 to 1963.

Missed only the Vol. VII (1962) and have the rest here.

Even tastes are different these are a good help to find excellent albums rated by professional critics.

If someone is interested in the rating od a special album from that timespan I can do a scan.

 

BTW "Free Jazz" is not my cup of tea ;-]]

 

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by jazzcorner

[jazzcorner]

One more remark: Is there a complete compilation of David Stone's coverart available? His drawing is among the best you can have but the Interest is not to great. Have started a thread in another forum but traffic for that topic is not what I had imagined would be.

 

Someone should start that masterlist of cover art books.

W.B.

 

 

Edited June 27, 2023 by jazzcorner

[jazzcorner]

On 6/16/2023 at 8:17 AM, Big Beat Steve said:

.........................

I might spring for the reissue you linked to, and I guess I can live with the somewhat smaller format. After all the Manek Daver books aren't coffee table books either (and the cover reproductions are comparatively small), and yet they have their appeal. Same for the Jim Flora book which is fine as it is.

There are 4 different volums of Jim Floras coverart books available !!

 

[Big Beat Steve]

Yes, I did check these online when I was getting ready to buy one, but upon comparison I found that there actually was not much need (unless you are a 100% completist in ALL areas, even beyond music) to shell out for all of them.
I settled for "The High Fidelity Art of Jim Flora" because it was easily and affordably available and actually seemed like an updated replacement of the earlier "The Mischievous Art of Jim Flora" (the authors say so themsewlvbes in the intorudctory text to the Hi-Fidelity Art book), particularly if what you are after primarily is music-related artwork. Which is what I was looking for. So for the time being this is sufficient for me.