Pacific Jazz Records

[JamesAHarrod]

I did not compile a Pacific Jazz discography per se, but I do link all of the recording sessions to specific releases as part of the narrative. My requests to AFM Local 47 for contract copies yielded nearly 100% of all contracts executed for PJ & WP. A future volume examining World Pacific and Pacific Jazz under Liberty is a possibility as I have copies of those contracts as well. The history ends each yearly chapter with a listing of all releases that year by format 78, 45, 33, etc. Each release includes the matrix numbers in brackets, a useful guide to the order in which projects were initiated. 

[mikeweil]

That will be a treasure trove of information!

p.s. I pre-ordered. 

[JSngry]

6 hours ago, JamesAHarrod said:

A future volume examining World Pacific and Pacific Jazz under Liberty is a possibility as I have copies of those contracts as well. 

Such a project could get pretty wonky, because Richard Bock was going in a lot of different ways all at once. But that's what fascinates me about that period, the sheer different paths being taken by the label all at once, from Ravi Shankar to Buddy Rich to The Mariachi Brass to Bud Shank MOR records to The Jazz Corps to Craig Hundley, just everywhere. 

And then it just all stopped!

[ghost of miles]

Amazon's release date has moved up a couple of months to April 2.

[Big Beat Steve]

4 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Amazon's release date has moved up a couple of months to April 2.

Am I totally mistaken or hasn't the release & delivery date for that book been April 2026 all along? At least that's what amazon.de said all the time. 

[ghost of miles]

29 minutes ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Am I totally mistaken or hasn't the release & delivery date for that book been April 2026 all along? At least that's what amazon.de said all the time. 

Pretty sure mine was a June 2026 date when I pre-ordered, but that was quite awhile ago at this point. 

[bertrand]

On 6/26/2025 at 5:55 PM, JamesAHarrod said:

I did not compile a Pacific Jazz discography per se, but I do link all of the recording sessions to specific releases as part of the narrative. My requests to AFM Local 47 for contract copies yielded nearly 100% of all contracts executed for PJ & WP. A future volume examining World Pacific and Pacific Jazz under Liberty is a possibility as I have copies of those contracts as well. The history ends each yearly chapter with a listing of all releases that year by format 78, 45, 33, etc. Each release includes the matrix numbers in brackets, a useful guide to the order in which projects were initiated. 

Can Blue Note contracts be obtained this way as well?

[Big Beat Steve]

7 hours ago, ghost of miles said:

Pretty sure mine was a June 2026 date when I pre-ordered, but that was quite awhile ago at this point. 

You made me hesitate, but I checked the early posts in this thread again and I see that on 24 June last year I posted "10 months till publication might be an unbearably long time, though." Which does indicate April 2026. So it's good to see everything seems to be going to plan with readying the book for publication. (It has happened before that long-awaited books have been been postponed almost endlessly) So I'm definitely looking forward to April.  

[JamesAHarrod]

Regarding AFM contracts, the Los Angeles Local's change of key positions (President, Vice-President) has closed access to archival records. Years ago I wrote to the New York local requesting a copy of the agreement authorizing Dick Bock to produce records , got no reply. Bill Crow once told me that the higher ups were not responsive to such requests. 

Regarding release dates for my book. I suspect that McFarland's marketing department sends updates to Amazon for their books that are in production as the manuscripts move through various stages. I ordered a copy once it appeared on Amazon back in July and have received nine different "release dates" - May 8, 12, 22, 29 - June 5, 12, 19, 26 - and the latest April 2nd. I have yet to receive the pdf version that I need to compile the index. I will let the group know when I do as production should follow quickly once I submit the index and a few corrections.