Master Jazz Recordings

[Brad]

I was very fortunate to come into possession via Ebay of the Mosaic did a few years ago of the Master Jazz Piano Recordings. After reading the book and listening to the recordings, my interest has been piqued about the remainder of the Master Jazz Recordings. I haven't been able to find any online discographies. Any suggestions? I know a couple of recordings by Earl Hines under this label have been issued by New World but that's all I know. Any help would be appreciated. At the back of the book, Michael Cuscuna said they planned to do more but I suspect that because New World (who I don't know much about) came out with some of these recordings, this may have killed the project. If that's the case, it's truly unfortunate.

BTW, if you ever have a chance to get this set, don't pass it up. It is incredible.

[Brad]

I just found New World's web site that sells these New World. However, it's not searchable by original label so any help with a discrography for this label would be much appreciated.

[jazzbo]

I know there were solo Earl Hines, group Earl Hines, Roy Eldridge and Jimmy Rushing releases. . . everything I have heard is KILLER!

[jazzbo]

Yeah, look for artists: Hines, Rushing (James AND Jimmy!), Roy Eldridge, Buddy Tate and Jay McShann. I'm not sure all of these are Master Jazz recordings, but I think they are. . . .

[Chuck Nessa]

All the recordings Lon mentions are MJR masters. This is not all - among the missing is a wonderful Julian Dash date with Jimmy Shirley.

[jazzbo]

Yes, I've read about that. . . Man Dash, and Shirley, two great players. . . hopefully that will appear one day.

[king ubu]

Spinning "A Portrait of Julian Dash" right now - and it's indeed wonderful!

His sound is huge and warm and flat-out gorgeous. Shirley adds a whole other dimension - a musician I've yet to reckon with. I've heard him here and there, but never really listened too attentively.

Here are a couple of nice finds:

Head receptionist at Merrill Lynch?!

Source: http://www.charlestonjazz.net/collections-about/

I can only seem to find this version of the cover:

Mine has a different photo that is much larger, and colour is more like a brownish violet. Not sure which is the original, but mine looks much nicer.

The photo on my LP is actually from the same shoot I guess as the one in the obit - same glasses, same tie... but he holds the tenor horizontally over his knee.

[king ubu]

Also, I'm kind of in the same boat as Brad was when he started this thread... does anyone have a listing of Master Jazz Recordings' releases?

I've got the Mosaic, the Earl Hines solos (three discs "Plays Ellington" and one "Plays Porter" on Music & Arts), the Dash (found it yesterday), and thanks to the Budd Johnson (or was it the Little Jazz?) thread also Roy Eldridge's "The Nifty Cat", another recent acquisition.

I see there's another one with Dash, Jay McShann's "Going to Kansas City".

Then I see Jimmy Rushing's "Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You" w/Dash, Buddy Tate's "Texas Twister", and finally Earl Hines & Jimmy Rushing's "Blues and Things".

What else did they release?

[brownie]

Some other Master Jazz albums (produced by the label):

- MJR 8111 - The JPJ Quartet 'Montreux '71' (with Budd Johnson!)

- MJR 8120 - The Jimmy Rushing All Stars 'Who Was It Sang That Song?

- MJR 8124 - The Eric Dixon Quartet 'Eric's Edge'

- MJR 8130 - The Snooky Young Septet/The Norris Turney Quintet 'The Boys from Dayton'

This does not include the albums that were acquired from Felsted, Parlophone England, Vogue France and other labels.

The Lord online discography lists some 39 items with the Master Jazz label!

[king ubu]

Thanks brownie! That Dixon and the Young/Turney look good! As does the Budd Johnson, of course!

[king ubu]

Master Jazz Recordings

MJR 8101 - Earl Hines & Jimmy Rushing 'Blues and Things' (rel. 1967)
MJR 8102 - Booty Wood 'Hang in There' (1968, rec. 1960 - originally on Columbia [England])
MJR 8103 - Don Byas 'Le Grand Don Byas' (rel. 1968, rec. 1952-1955 - originally on Vogue [France])
MJR 8104 - Jimmy Rushing 'Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You (rec. 1967 - see MJR 8120 for more from same date)
MJR 8105 - Master Jazz Piano Volume One
MJR 8106 - Julian Dash 'A Portrait of Julian Dash' (rec. 1970)
MJR 8107 - Johnny Hodges 'A Memory of Johnny Hodges' (rec. 1950 - originally on Vogue [France])
MJR 8108 - Master Jazz Piano Volume Two
MJR 8109 - Earl Hines 'Hines 1965' (rec. 1965 - originally on World Record Club [England])
MJR 8110 - Roy Eldridge 'The Nifty Cat'
MJR 8111 - The JPJ Quartet 'Montreux '71' (with Budd Johnson)
MJR 8112 - Harold Ashby 'Born to Swing'
MJR 8113 - Jay McShann All-Stars 'Going to Kansas City'
MJR 8114 - Earl Hines 'Plays Duke Ellington'
MJR 8115 - Coleman Hawkins - The High and Mighty Hawk (rec. 1958 - originally on Felsted)
MJR 8116 - Billy Strayhorn 'Cue for Saxophone' (rec. 1959 - originally on Felsted)
MJR 8117 - Master Jazz Piano Volume Three
MJR 8118 - Dickie Wells, Vic Dickenson, Benny Morton, George Matthews 'Trombone Four-in-Hand' (rec. 1959 - originally of Felsted)
MJR 8119 - Budd Johnson 'Blues a la Mode'
MJR 8120 - The Jimmy Rushing All Stars 'Who Was It Sang That Song? (rec. 1967, same date as MJR 8104)
MJR 8121 - Roy Eldridge 'The Nifty Cat Strikes West' (rec. 1966)
MJR 8122 - Ram Ramirez 'Rampant Ram' (rec. 1973/74)
MJR 8123 - Rex Stewart 'Rendez-vous with Rex' (rec. 1958 - originally on Felsted)
MJR 8124 - The Eric Dixon Quartet 'Eric's Edge'
MJR 8125 - Buster Bailey 'All About Memphis' (rec. 1958 - originally on Felsted)
MJR2 8126 - Earl Hines 'Plays Duke Ellington Volume Two & Volume Three' (2LP)
MJR 8127 - Buddy Tate 'Swingin' Like ... Tate' (rec. 1958 - originally on Felsted)
MJR 8128 - Buddy Tate 'The Texas Twister' (rec. 1975)
MJR 8129 - Master Jazz Piano Volume Four
MJR 8130 - The Snooky Young Septet/The Norris Turney Quintet 'The Boys from Dayton'
MJR 8131 - Cliff Smalls 'Swing and Things'
MJR 8132 - Earl Hines 'Plays Duke Ellington Volume Four' (rec. 1975)

MJR 1001E - JPJ Quartet 'New Communications in Jazz' (copyrighted 1972)

Swaggie S1387 - Master Jazz Piano Volume Five (Australia)

Note: Mosaic MR6-140 (LP) & MD4-140 (CD) contained all five Master Jazz Piano volumes, Ram Ramirez' album (8122) as well as Swaggie's fifth volume of Master Jazz Piano recordings.

Edited December 16, 2013 by king ubu

[Head Man]

MJR 8112 - Harold Ashby "Born to Swing"

MJR 8113 - Jay McShann All-Stars "Going to Kansas City"

MJR 8119 - Budd Johnson "Blues a la Mode"

MJR 8126 - Earl Hines "Plays Duke Ellington Vol. 2"

[king ubu]

Thanks to Headman for filling in the four gaps I had... but that arises the question about 'Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington Volume Three' - a quick search turns up this, suggesting that MJR 8126 was a 2LP set containing Volumes Two and Three? Can anyone confirm or shed more light?

[brownie]

Confirm that it was a double volume. Complete number was MJR2-8216. And it did have vol. 2 & 3 of the Earl Hines Plays Duke Ellington series.

[king ubu]

Thanks again, brownie - slowly getting there!

Can you check with Lord if he's got any catalogue numbers higher than 8132?

I already got all the info out of Bruyninckx.

[brownie]

The Lord Discography does not go higher than 8132.

[king ubu]

Many thanks for double-checking, brownie!

[mjzee]

In researching discographical data for The JPJ Quartet (Storyville), I came across a Master Jazz release not listed above: New Communications In Jazz (MJR1001E). For photo, see this listing on Ebay.

Best I can tell, the Storyville release is comprised of New Communications In Jazz and Montreux '71. If anyone has more specific discographical info, please post; thx.

Edited December 16, 2013 by mjzee

[king ubu]

added to the listing above