Time Life - Giants of Jazz

[Chuck Nessa]

chuck nessa: what do u mean about unhappy w/ the outcome? what should of been different? the discographys are always complete n stuff....i just dont like that stupid cartoon photo that comes w/ it and that stupid letter from time/life.

Some were unhappy about the selections and some bitched about editing done without consultation. I must say at least one was clueless. John McDonough (spelling might be wrong), author of the Hawkins book, claimed ignorance when I bitched about the omission of Hawk's "The Man I Love". He didn't even know the damn recording.

[Uncle Skid]

Their loss. My gain.

The Earl Hines set I found appears to have been played once, maybe twice. Pristine records, detailed book -- my gain, indeed!

[JSngry]

John McDonough (spelling might be wrong), author of the Hawkins book, claimed ignorance when I bitched about the omission of Hawk's "The Man I Love". He didn't even know the damn recording.

Get outta here! No shit?

[Christiern]

No surprise there.

[Christiern]

i recently found a couple of these boxe's factory sealed.

there are no markings on them what-so-ever, how can i tell whether they are lp, cassette, or 8-track?

The size of the box is the only clue you need.

[JSngry]

I guess not, but damn, that's one of the fundamentals, especially for somebody his age & proclaimed area of "specialization"...

[Kalo]

John McDonough (spelling might be wrong), author of the Hawkins book, claimed ignorance when I bitched about the omission of Hawk's "The Man I Love". He didn't even know the damn recording.

Get outta here! No shit?

I guess not, but damn, that's one of the fundamentals, especially for somebody his age & proclaimed area of "specialization"...

A major omission to be sure, but I already had it when I got the box, so I didn't mind. (Still, hard to believe that an "expert" would be unaware of this stellar session.)

It should also be remembered that when these boxes were released, much of the music on them was unavailable on domestic issues of any kind. Plus they included things that had never legally been issued in this country before. These sets aren't perfect, but they are damn good, and at the time they first came out they were revelatory for some of us "youngsters."

[Larry Kart]

Dick Wellstood's notes for the James P. set are topnotch too.

[Uncle Skid]

Just picked up the Lester Young set ($8) -- booklet by John McDonough, notes on the music by Richard Sudhalter.

[Uncle Skid]

Here's a list of all of them, more details here.

• STL-J01 - Louis Armstrong [1978]
  
• STL-J02 - Duke Ellington [1978]
  
• STL-J03 - Billie Holiday [1978]
  
• STL-J04 - Bix Beiderbecke [1979]
  
• STL-J05 - Benny Goodman [1979]
  
• STL-J06 - Coleman Hawkins [1979]
  
• STL-J07 - Jelly Roll Morton [1979]
  
• STL-J08 - Jack Teagarden [1979]
  
• STL-J09 - Sidney Bechet [1980]
  
• STL-J10 - Benny Carter [1980]
  
• STL-J11 - Earl Hines [1980]
  
• STL-J12 - The Guitarists - Various Artists [1980]
  
• STL-J13 - Lester Young [1980]
  
• STL-J14 - Red Norvo [1980]
  
• STL-J15 - Fats Waller [1981]
  
• STL-J16 - Henry "Red" Allen [1981]
  
• STL-J17 - Pee Wee Russell [1981]
  
• STL-J18 - James P. Johnson [1981]
  
• STL-J19 - Johnny Hodges [1981]
  
• STL-J20 - Teddy Wilson [1981]
  
• STL-J21 - Ben Webster [1982]
  
• STL-J22 - Count Basie [1982]
  
• STL-J23 - Frank Teschenmacher [1982]
  
• STL-J24 - Art Tatum [1982]
  
• STL-J25 - Bunny Berrigan [1982]
  
• STL-J26 - Johnny Dodds [1982]
  
• STL-J27 - Joe Sullivan [1982]
  
• STL-J28 - Bessie Smith [1983]
  

[Adam]

I have 6 of them (Bechet, Hines, Teschmacher, Hawkins, Norvo, Waller), all under $10, 3 still in plastic wrap when I got them, the others looked like never played.

And they are all still largely unplayed.

I need to get them out...

[RazJ]

Here's a list of all of them, more details here.

• STL-J01 - Louis Armstrong [1978]
  
• STL-J02 - Duke Ellington [1978]
  
• STL-J03 - Billie Holiday [1978]
  
• STL-J04 - Bix Beiderbecke [1979]
  
• STL-J05 - Benny Goodman [1979]
  
• STL-J06 - Coleman Hawkins [1979]
  
• STL-J07 - Jelly Roll Morton [1979]
  
• STL-J08 - Jack Teagarden [1979]
  
• STL-J09 - Sidney Bechet [1980]
  
• STL-J10 - Benny Carter [1980]
  
• STL-J11 - Earl Hines [1980]
  
• STL-J12 - The Guitarists - Various Artists [1980]
  
• STL-J13 - Lester Young [1980]
  
• STL-J14 - Red Norvo [1980]
  
• STL-J15 - Fats Waller [1981]
  
• STL-J16 - Henry "Red" Allen [1981]
  
• STL-J17 - Pee Wee Russell [1981]
  
• STL-J18 - James P. Johnson [1981]
  
• STL-J19 - Johnny Hodges [1981]
  
• STL-J20 - Teddy Wilson [1981]
  
• STL-J21 - Ben Webster [1982]
  
• STL-J22 - Count Basie [1982]
  
• STL-J23 - Frank Teschenmacher [1982]
  
• STL-J24 - Art Tatum [1982]
  
• STL-J25 - Bunny Berrigan [1982]
  
• STL-J26 - Johnny Dodds [1982]
  
• STL-J27 - Joe Sullivan [1982]
  
• STL-J28 - Bessie Smith [1983]
  

[RazJ]

Here's a list of all of them, more details here.

• STL-J01 - Louis Armstrong [1978]
  
• STL-J02 - Duke Ellington [1978]
  
• STL-J03 - Billie Holiday [1978]
  
• STL-J04 - Bix Beiderbecke [1979]
  
• STL-J05 - Benny Goodman [1979]
  
• STL-J06 - Coleman Hawkins [1979]
  
• STL-J07 - Jelly Roll Morton [1979]
  
• STL-J08 - Jack Teagarden [1979]
  
• STL-J09 - Sidney Bechet [1980]
  
• STL-J10 - Benny Carter [1980]
  
• STL-J11 - Earl Hines [1980]
  
• STL-J12 - The Guitarists - Various Artists [1980]
  
• STL-J13 - Lester Young [1980]
  
• STL-J14 - Red Norvo [1980]
  
• STL-J15 - Fats Waller [1981]
  
• STL-J16 - Henry "Red" Allen [1981]
  
• STL-J17 - Pee Wee Russell [1981]
  
• STL-J18 - James P. Johnson [1981]
  
• STL-J19 - Johnny Hodges [1981]
  
• STL-J20 - Teddy Wilson [1981]
  
• STL-J21 - Ben Webster [1982]
  
• STL-J22 - Count Basie [1982]
  
• STL-J23 - Frank Teschenmacher [1982]
  
• STL-J24 - Art Tatum [1982]
  
• STL-J25 - Bunny Berrigan [1982]
  
• STL-J26 - Johnny Dodds [1982]
  
• STL-J27 - Joe Sullivan [1982]
  
• STL-J28 - Bessie Smith [1983]
  

[Christiern]

What were you trying to do with you 2nd post at O, RazJ? Bringing this thread back with a link that no longer works serves no purpose, does it?

[Uncle Skid]

Here's a new link that does work: Time-Life Album Discography.

[king ubu]

Hm... silly me didn't take any notes... saw a series (5 boxes) of 3LP sets dedicated to the big band era today, could pick them up very cheaply (about 30$ for all of them, maybe 35$ now that the $ is worth shit). Anyone knows more about these sets? Each of them covers two years... didn't yet have a closer look... went to the used bookstore, then to watch the damsels of Rochefort (lovely!) and in the meantime forgot what these darn boxes were called exactly... rings a bell with anyone? Recommended?

[Leeway]

Hm... silly me didn't take any notes... saw a series (5 boxes) of 3LP sets dedicated to the big band era today, could pick them up very cheaply (about 30$ for all of them, maybe 35$ now that the $ is worth shit). Anyone knows more about these sets? Each of them covers two years... didn't yet have a closer look... went to the used bookstore, then to watch the damsels of Rochefort (lovely!) and in the meantime forgot what these darn boxes were called exactly... rings a bell with anyone? Recommended?

Are those the ones in brown-ish tan boxes with an illustration of the musician (i.e., not a photo but a sort of color drawing)? They are about half the thickness of the Time-Life boxes, which are silver. If the same, they can be found very cheaply here. I've picked up some for a dollar a box.

[king ubu]

Not sure... I'm totally unfamiliar with Time Life, sorry.

Might be these:

http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/04swing/04swing.html

So they'd be re-recordings... didn't have enough time to really read anything, but the booklets had portraits of two artists each (bandleaders), then there was a track-by-track part, which upon quick glance looked like it was all different bands, but it always said "xxx version" after the track title, so it wasn't the original tune but rather someone's version... and to note that would make lots of sense if it was indeed the Billy May re-recordings.

And 1930-1936 is definitely missing - each 3LP box covers two years.

(I mean: missing in the used book store where I saw them.)

[Larry Kart]

Not sure... I'm totally unfamiliar with Time Life, sorry.

Might be these:

http://www.bsnpubs.com/warner/time-life/04swing/04swing.html

So they'd be re-recordings... didn't have enough time to really read anything, but the booklets had portraits of two artists each (bandleaders), then there was a track-by-track part, which upon quick glance looked like it was all different bands, but it always said "xxx version" after the track title, so it wasn't the original tune but rather someone's version... and to note that would make lots of sense if it was indeed the Billy May re-recordings.

And 1930-1936 is definitely missing - each 3LP box covers two years.

(I mean: missing in the used book store where I saw them.)

No, the one's Leeway means were not the re-recordings you linked to but the Time-Life Giants of Jazz series, nicely put together collections of the artists' representative work with in many cases superb booklets (at times of more than 50 pages) that were alone worth the price. Think I've bought every one I've run across -- Teschemacher (notes by Marty Grosz), Red Allen (Dick Sudhalter), Benny Goodman (George T. Simon), Teagarden (John S. Wilson), Joe Sullivan (Richard Hadlock), Benny Carter (Ed Berger), Johnny Dodds (Bob Wilber), James P. Johnson (Dick Wellstood). Really sorry my Red Norvo set, with notes by the late Don DeMichael, has vanished. IIRC, the Joe Sullivan set was especially valuable because Sullivan collections don't lie thick upon the ground.

[king ubu]

The ones I could buy are ordered by years, not by artists. And the booklets are dedicated to two bandleaders each, and included track-by-track comments, too... guess I'll have to return tomorrow to check again!

[Chuck Nessa]

I "inherited" 12 of these boxes going from 1930 into the '50s. I have not spent much time with them but all include interesting looking books. Time Life spared no expense in the Giants series, so I expect the choices are apt and the sound to be excellent.

[jeffcrom]

I had several of the Giants of Jazz series, and agree that they were excellently done. I got rid of most of them as the material became redundant in my collection. The only one I still have is the Frank Teschmacher, which I consider indispensable - it contains his complete recorded works, along with some recordings on which his participation is uncertain.

Edited July 22, 2011 by jeffcrom

[Harold_Z]

I had several of the Giants of Jazz series, and agree that they were excellently done. I got rid of most of them as the material became redundant in my collection. The only one I still have is the Frank Teschmacher, which I consider indispensable - it contains his complete recorded works, along with some recordings on which his participation is uncertain.

I still have that one also. Great set and a plus for the sound.

[Teasing the Korean]

I can't tell you how many times I've passed on getting armloads' worth of these releases for short dough. They are usually in pristine shape. I've seen them numerous times for $5 a throw and under. I should really investigate some of these.

Truth is - and this may sound silly - I have some sort of a mental block with box sets. I just don't think of putting them on as often as I think about single LPs or single CDs.

[johnlitweiler]

Truth is - and this may sound silly - I have some sort of a mental block with box sets. I just don't think of putting them on as often as I think about single LPs or single CDs.

Me too.

Re the Time-Life research department aiding the annotators: For the Lester Young box, their lawyers used the Freedom Of Information Act to gather the testimony at Young's Army court-martial. McDonough reprinted that material in Down Beat and the booklet.