The Prestige "Moodsville" series

[ghost of miles]

This is one that's always intrigued me, because it was evidently an early marketing attempt (the earliest?) at the kind of "Jazz for a Sultry Evening, etc." packages that we've seen so much of in recent years. I guess Jackie Gleason's records came out before the Moodsville series (inspired it, perhaps?); Dan, did you happen to broach this series with Weinstock at all? In any case, here's the discography:

Moodsville

I have a few of these & know that many are in print (haven't done a title-by-title check yet).

[Shrdlu]

I just regard these as Prestige albums.

In this collection, "Bluesy Burrell" is superb. It is one of three Prestige albums that Kenny did with the Hawk (the other two were under Hawk's name) and kicks off with a wonderful version of "Tres Palabres" (Spanish for "The Three Stooges" ). Dig that opening part with Tommy Flanagan.

[ghost of miles]

I just regard these as Prestige albums.

In this collection, "Bluesy Burrell" is superb. It is one of three Prestige albums that Kenny did with the Hawk (the other two were under Hawk's name) and kicks off with a wonderful version of "Tres Palabres" (Spanish for "The Three Stooges" ). Dig that opening part with Tommy Flanagan.

Already got it on order, Shrdlu--doing a Hawkins blues program next month for the centennial. Of the ones I have in this series, Oliver Nelson's NOCTURNE is a particular favorite, and I also like the Lem Winchester entry.

Found a post from Chuck on Dan's Weinstock thread that indicated many of these came out in 1960. I still find the subject of how jazz was being packaged and marketed in the 1950s/early 60s intriguing.

[Bill Fenohr]

You might be interested to know that there were a couple of jazz DJ's back then that would set aside twenty minutes to a half hour of their programs and just play ballads.

I think the vast majority of the Moodsville series is on cd, either as whole albums or buried on some of the issues that came out as The Gentle Side of so and so and cd's that followed session order. There are two that come to mind that are not out, Red Garland Alone With The Blues and Sam "The Man" Taylor The Bad And The Beautiful. Coleman Hawkins The Jazz Version Of No Strings has three of the eight tracks on cd and the Lockjaw/Shirley Misty is short two tracks of all being on cd.

[Guest ariceffron]

JACKIE GLEASON WAS A MUSICAL GENIUS AND ANYONE WHO DOESNT OWN ALL 40 OF HIS CAPITOL LPS SHOULD BE BURNED AT THE STAKE

[Chuck Nessa]

Is is getting hot in here?

[couw]

and smelly too

[Christiern]

I really don't think there was any serious marketing decision involved in the creation of the Bluesville, Swingville, Moodsville, etc. series. Remember, these were not stand-alone subsidiary labels--it was always Prestige Moodsville, Prestige Swingville, etc. I don't recall if the pricing was different--if so, that may have been a factor. As a dj when these first came out, and later as a Prestige employee, I never thought of them as anything but Prestige albums with a series name.

Sometimes I think that consumers/collectors make more out of such details than the facts call for. When I produced a session, it was a Prestige session--whether it came out on Prestige, Prestige Bluesville or Prestige Swingville, made no difference.

[Dan Gould]

Dan, did you happen to broach this series with Weinstock at all?

GoM,

No, I didn't; but one thing Bob told me is that the number of albums, and the creation of the subsidiary labels, were a direct result of cash flow. In order to avoid showing too much in profit and paying taxes on it, Bob wanted to put the money into production.

[ghost of miles]

Chris,

I guess I'm going off the liners to the Garland/Lockjaw date, which I haven't looked at in a long, long time--will take a quick gander when I get home tonight.

And that's very interesting info, Dan--thanks for sharing it.

[Jim R]

There are two that come to mind that are not out, Red Garland Alone With The Blues and Sam "The Man" Taylor The Bad And The Beautiful. Coleman Hawkins The Jazz Version Of No Strings has three of the eight tracks on cd and the Lockjaw/Shirley Misty is short two tracks of all being on cd.

Also not yet out on CD:

Red Garland Trio (MV 6)

[Cornelius]

The contention that the Moodsville albums don't have a different character from Prestige albums doesn't seem correct to me. There are exceptions, but generally, my perception is that the Moodsville albums are more sedate, simpler, and somewhat less "jazz intensive", even comparing with Prestige ballads.

Edited October 3, 2004 by Cornelius

[brownie]

I have a Fall 1963 catalogue from Prestige Records that lists all available recordings.

The various labes includes:

- Prestige,

- New Jazz,

- Moodsville,

-Swingville,

- Tru-Sound,

- Tru-Sound Latin American Series,

- Tru-Sound Gospel Series,

- Prestige Folklore,

- Prestige International,

- Prestige International Documentary Series,

- Bluesville,

- Irish,

- Lively Arts,

- Near East.

Suggested list price for all mono and stereo albums was $4,98.

Only exception were Tru-Sound albums, suggested list price for those was $3,98.

From what Weinstock told Dan, cash flow must have been pretty extensive...

[ghost of miles]

I'll post the notes in their entirety later on, but the liners to the first Moodsville title--Red Garland w/Eddie Lockjaw Davis (though Davis doesn't appear on every track) take a few jabs at the "mood music" LPs prevalent in the 1950s and present the Moodsville series as a kind of thinking man's jazz-ballads alternative.

[Christiern]

The contention that the Moodsville albums don't have a different character from Prestige albums doesn't seem correct to me. There are exceptions, but generally, my perception is that the Moodsville albums are more sedate, simpler, and somewhat less "jazz intensive", even comparing with Prestige ballads.

I was never aware of there being any deliberate effort to alter the nature of a Moodsville album from that of, say, somebody's ballad album. If there ever was an instruction from Bob Weinstock to do so, it must have flown off my desk--a desk that saw its share of memos!

[Cornelius]

I don't know how, or even if, instructions were conveyed. But the Moodsville albums I've heard do tend to sound different to me.

Edited October 3, 2004 by Cornelius

[Shrdlu]

JACKIE GLEASON WAS A MUSICAL GENIUS AND ANYONE WHO DOESNT OWN ALL 40 OF HIS CAPITOL LPS SHOULD BE BURNED AT THE STAKE

How sweeet it is!

P.S. Some of us saved guys were burned at the stake in jolly Olde England.

[Shrdlu]

Red Garland Trio (MV 6)

Yeah! This is the only one with the great trio with Paul and Art that isn't on CD. But they do an LP of it, at least in theory. It was "available soon" for a long time.

[Dave James]

This is a series I've enjoyed a great deal over the years. If I recall correctly, there were some 39 recordings released on the Moodsville "label". Most have made it to CD. Not all ballads either. Some nice, mid-tempo numbers appear on almost all of these. I'm a particular fan of the two Coleman Hawkins entries, "At Ease" and "The Hawk Relaxes". The Red Garland with Lockjaw Davis is a nice one as others have pointed out, as are the Oliver Nelson and the Lem Winchester. Certainly nothing you could even begin to call cutting edge, but at the right time and place, nice to have around. Also not a bad way to introduce people to the music. I've had people listen to and enjoy these who otherwise wouldn't give jazz the time of day.

I'll see if I can find the list I made up and bring it with me to work tomorrow.

Up over and out.

Edited October 4, 2004 by Dave James

[Cornelius]

"[MV 6] is the only one with the great trio with Paul and Art that isn't on CD." [shrdlu]

I too await that release. Of course, Garland and Chambers are like chops and onions (can't say which is chops and which onions, though). On the other hand, one of the felicities of MV1 is the gorgeous interplay between Garland and Sam Jones. They're just so clear and natural and elegant. You know, you just marvel at the beauty of these guys.

Edited October 6, 2004 by Cornelius

[Dave James]

There are indeed, 39 entries in the Moodsville series. I dug out my notes at home last night. Here's a list of the ones I don't think have made it to CD. I put a question mark by the ones I'm not sure about.

#2 Modern Moods

#5 The Shirley Scott Trio (?)

#6 The Red Garland Trio

#12 The Al Casey Quartet

#21 Mood Indigo - The Taft Jordan Quartet Plays Duke Ellington (?)

#24 The Bad and the Beautiful - Sam Taylor

#25 The Jazz Version of No Strings Attached - Coleman Hawkins

#26 The Jazz Version All American - Clark Terry

#27 The Solid Trumpet - Cootie Williams

#30 Misty - Lockjaw Davis (?)

#31 Make Someone Happy - Coleman Hawkins

#32 Miles Davis & John Coltrane Play Richard Rogers

#33 Jazzmen Play Gerschwin

#34 Jazzmen Play Porter

#35 Jazzmen Play Rodgers

#36 Jazz Version of Oliver - Dave Pike

#37 Lusty Moods

#38 Jazzmen Play The Broadway Scene

If this series has been a good seller for Prestige, I'm surprised they haven't pulled it all together for release as a boxed set.

Up over and out.

[Bill Fenohr]

Some of those on your list are on cd. The Shirley Scott Trio is scattered over two cd's, Like Cozy and Trio Classics vol 1. The Taft Jordan is on a cd called Mood Indigo. The Coleman Hawkins Make Someone Happy is on the cd titled On Broadway. The Clark Terry is on Mellow Moods.

On the Lockjaw/Shirley Misty all but two tracks are on cd. I think they are on one of the Lockjaw cd's.

Those Jazzmen Play and Lusty and Modern Moods are compulations and the songs are on other Prestige cd's.

[Jim R]

Dave, as Bill mentioned in his first post, Red Garland's ALONE WITH THE BLUES (MV 10) should be on the list of non-CD titles.

Bill, those two tracks from MISTY (MV 30) that didn't make it onto Lockjaw's GOIN' TO THE MEETIN' CD were "misty" and "uh oh". Davis layed out on both tracks.

=======

edit: Actually, those two tracks were from an earlier Scott session without Davis.

Edited October 6, 2004 by Jim R

[Bill Fenohr]

Then i guess those two tracks will show up on one of the Shirley cds as they come out.

Im not positive, but i think the Cootie Williams was on cd either in Japan or Europe at one time.

[Bill Fenohr]

Jim R,

Just a small correction which is not your fault, but Ruppli's. I was able to borrow the LP of Misty (Moodsville 30) to record the the title tune and Uh Oh that are not on cd. Lockjaw did not layout, but plays on both tunes. Ruppli mistakenly does not list Jaws as being present on those tunes which were recorded at a dfferent session then the rest of the album, if his dates are correct.