Masters of Jazz series

[brownie]

The Masters of Jazz reissues label which has been dormant for the past few years is back in business.

They are releasing a number of sets (all 3 CDs) at very reasonable prices.

A preview of the various sets can be seen at Amazon.fr.

Each set includes three previously released CD from the initial Masters of Jazz series.

The new sets are being distributed by Discograph. No details yet on their website yet!

[jazzbo]

Interesting, though these don't seem to be the type of releases most of us WISH they were preparing. Here's hoping they can make a move towards their former style, perhaps picking up where they left off on artists.

[king ubu]

Wow, that's great! Let's hope they bring back the goodies!

[Brad]

Thanks for the heads up. I wonder if any of these are repressings because I saw a Dizzy set and I think it may be similar to one I bought several years ago. As I'm not home right now, I need to check.

[EKE BBB]

Bump! Prompted by some other threads, I have compiled an almost complete list for this wonderful French label:

Release	Title
MJCD1	Louis Armstrong, Volume 1 (1923)
MJCD2	Louis Armstrong, Volume 2 (1923-24)
MJCD3	Count Basie - Volume 1 1929-1930, Bennie Moten's Kansas City Orchestra
MJCD4	Count Basie - Volume 2, 1930-1932, Bennie Moten's Orchestra
MJCD5	Sidney Bechet, Volume 1, 1923
MJCD6	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 1, 1924-1926
MJCD7	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 2, 1927
MJCD8	The Complete Duke Ellington 1926-1927
MJCD9	Complete Duke Ellington 1926-1927, Volume 2
MJCD10	Billie Holiday, Volume 1, 1933-1936
MJCD11	Billie Holiday Complete Edition volume 2, 1936 - 1937
MJCD12	Jimmie Lunceford, Volume 1, 1927 - 1930
MJCD13	Count Basie volume 3, 1929-37
MJCD14	Sidney Bechet, Vol 2 1923-1930
MJCD15	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 3, 1927
MJCD16	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 4, 1927-1928
MJCD17	Lionel Hampton, Volume 1, 1929-1936
MJCD18	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 2, 1934
MJCD19	Jelly Roll Morton, Volume 1, 1923-1924
MJCD20	Jelly Roll Morton volume 2, 1924-1926
MJCD21	Louis Armstrong, Volume 3, 1924
MJCD22	Benny Carter, Volume 1, 1928-1931
MJCD23	Benny Carter, Volume 2, 1931-1933
MJCD24	Charlie Christian Volume 1, 1939
MJCD25	Complete Duke Ellington 1927-1928, Vol. 3
MJCD26	Louis Armstrong, Volume 4, 1924-1925
MJCD27	Sidney Bechet, Volume 3, 1931-1937
MJCD28	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 5, 1928
MJCD29	Charlie Christian volume 2, 1939
MJCD30	Duke Ellington Volume 4, 1928, complete edition
MJCD31	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 1, 1937-1940
MJCD32	Billie Holiday Volume 3, 1934-1937
MJCD33	Jelly Roll Morton, Volume 3, 1926
MJCD34	Jelly Roll Morton, 1924-1926, piano rolls
MJCD35	Frank Sinatra vol 1, 1935 - 1940
MJCD36	Billie Holiday, Volume 4, 1937
MJCD37	Billie Holiday, Volume 5, 1937-1938
MJCD38	Louis Armstrong, Volume 5, 1925
MJCD39	Benny Carter, Volume 3, 1933-1934
MJCD40	Charlie Christian volume 3, 1939-1940
MJCD41	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 2, 1940-1941
MJCD42	Frank Sinatra, volume 2,1940
MJCD43	Sidney Bechet , Vol. 4, 1937-1938
MJCD44	Charlie Christian volume 4, 1940
MJCD45	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 3, 1941-1942
MJCD46	Lester Young, Volume 1, 1937-1939, The Complementary Works
MJCD47	Lester Young , Volume 2: 1939-1942 The Complementary Works
MJCD48	Count Basie volume 4 - 1937
MJCD49	Count Basie Volume 5, 1937-1938
MJCD50	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 6, 1928
MJCD51	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 1, 1927-1930
MJCD52	Duke Ellington, Vol. 5, 1928
MJCD53	Frank Sinatra vol. 3,1939 - 1940
MJCD54	Frank Sinatra, volume 4,1940
MJCD55	Louis Armstrong, Volume 6, 1925
MJCD56	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 2, 1930
MJCD57	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 3, 1935-1936
MJCD58	Jelly Roll Morton, volume 4: 1927-1928
MJCD59	Benny Carter, Volume 4, 1934-1935
MJCD60	Sidney Bechet Vol. 5
MJCD61	Billie Holiday, volume 6, 1938
MJCD62	Billie Holiday, Volume 7, 1938-1939
MJCD63	Frank Sinatra volume 5, 1940-1941
MJCD64	Lester Young, Volume 3, 1943 - The Complementary Works
MJCD65	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 7, 1928-1929
MJCD66	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 3, 1930
MJCD67	Charlie Christian Volume 5, 1940
MJCD68	Charlie Christian - Vol. 6, 1940-1941
MJCD69	Duke Ellington, Vol. 6, 1929
MJCD70	Billie Holiday, volume 8, 1939
MJCD71	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 4, 1936-1937
MJCD72	Jelly Roll Morton, volume 5, 1928-1929
MJCD73	Benny Carter, Volume 5, Jan-April 1936
MJCD74	Charlie Christian volume 7, 1941
MJCD75	Charlie Christian, Volume 8, 1941
MJCD76	Sidney Bechet, Volume 6, 1939
MJCD77	Lester Young, volume 4, 1944, The Complementary Works
MJCD78/79	Young Bird : 1940-44
MJCD80	Jelly Roll Morton, volume 6, 1929
MJCD81	Benny Carter, Volume 6, April-August 1936
MJCD82	Billie Holiday, volume 9, 1940
MJCD83	Lionel Hampton, Vol. 2, 1936-1937
MJCD84	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 5, 1937-1939
MJCD85	Count Basie, volume 6, June-August, 1938
MJCD86	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 4, 1943-1944
MJCD87	Count Basie volume 7 - 1938
MJCD88	Duke Ellington, Volume 7, 1929
MJCD89	Lester Young, Volume 5, 1944, The Complementary Works
MJCD90	Billie Holiday, volume 10, 1940-1941
MJCD91	Jimmy Yancey, Volume 1, 1939
MJCD92	Bix Beiderbecke, Volume 8, 1929-1930
MJCD93	Frank Sinatra, volume 6, 1941-1942
MJCD94	Louis Armstrong, Volume 7, August-November 1925
MJCD95	Benny Carter, Volume 7, 1936-1937
MJCD96	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 4, 1930-1932
MJCD97	Sidney Bechet, Volume 7, Jan.-Mar. 1940
MJCD98	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 6, Jan-Aug,1939
MJCD99	Lester Young, Volume 6, 1944 - The Complementary Works
MJCD100	Sidney Bechet, 1940
MJCD101	Duke Ellington, Volume 8, September-November 1929
MJCD102	Billie Holiday, volume 11, 1941-1942
MJCD103	Benny Carter, Volume 8, March-August 1937
MJCD104	Charlie Parker, Volume 3, Young Bird 1945
MJCD105	Cab Calloway, Volume One 1929-2930
MJCD106	Teddy Wilson, Volume 1, Teddy and the Girls, 1935-1937
MJCD107	Frank Sinatra,volume 7 - 1942
MJCD108	Jelly Roll Morton, Volume 7, 1929-1930
MJCD109	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 5, 1932-1934
MJCD110	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 5, January-March 1945
MJCD111	Count Basie, volume 8, November, 1938 to January 1939
MJCD112	Young Dex, Volume 1, 1941-44
MJCD113	Charlie Parker, Vol. 4, Young Bird, 1945
MJCD114	Billie Holiday, Volume 12, 1942-1944
MJCD115	Count Basie volume 9 - 1939
MJCD116	Teddy Wilson, Teddy and the Girls, Volume 2, 1937-1938
MJCD117	Stan Getz, Volume 1, Teenage Stan, 1943-1946
MJCD-118	Lester Young, Vol. 7, 1945-1946 - The Complementary Works
MJCD119	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 6, 1945-1946
MJCD120	Billie Holiday, Volume 13, 1944
MJCD121	Charlie Parker, Volume 5, December 1945-April 1946
MJCD122	Anita O'Day, volume 1, 1941
MJCD123	Duke Ellington, volume 9, 1929-1930
MJCD124	Benny Carter, Volume 9, March 1938-February 1939
MJCD125	Frank Sinatra, Volume 8, 1942
MJCD126	Sidney Bechet, volume 9, 1940-1941
MJCD127	Sidney Bechet, volume 10, 1941
MJCD128	Dexter Gordon, Volume 2, Young Dex, Dec 1944-Jan 1946
MJCD129/130	Dizzy Gillespie, Volumes 7 & 8, 1946
MJCD131	Miles Davis, Volume 1, Young Miles 1945-1946
MJCD132	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 6, 1934-1935
MJCD133	Lionel Hampton, Vol. 3, 1937
MJCD134	Big Joe Turner, Volume 1
MJCD135	Teddy Wilson - The Complementary Works - Teddy and The Girls, Vol. 3, 1938-1939
MJCD136	Lester Young, Volume 8, January-April, 1946 - The Complementary Works
MJCD137/138	Ella Fitzgerald , The Complete 1940 Broadcasts
MJCD139	Jelly Roll Morton, volume 8, 1930-1934
MJCD140	Sidney Bechet,volume 11, 1941-1942
MJCD141	Billie Holiday, volume 14, 1944-1945
MJCD142	Charlie Parker, Volume 6, 1947
MJCD143	Fats Navarro, volume 1, 1943-1946
MJCD144	Stan Getz - Teenage Stan 1946-1947, Volume 2
MJCD145	Duke Ellington, volume 10, 1930
MJCD146	Big Joe Turner Volume 2 : 1940-1941
MJCD147	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 7, 1939-1940
MJCD148	Wardell Gray, Volume 1, 1944-1946
MJCD149	Dizzy Gillespie, volume 9, 1946-1947
MJCD150	Teddy Wilson - Complementary Works - The Legendary Small Groups, Volume 1
MJCD151	Young Miles, volume 2, 1946
MJCD152	Fats Navarro, volume 2, 1946-1947
MJCD153	Count Basie volume 10 - 1939
MJCD154	Gil Evans - The complete instrumental charts for Claude Thornhill - 1942-1947
MJCD155	Lennie Tristano, Volume 1, 1945-1946
MJCD156	Dexter Gordon, volume 3. 1946-1947
MJCD157	Anita O'Day, volume 2, 1941-1942
MJCD158	Count Basie volume 11 - 1939
MJCD159	Wardell Gray, volume 2, 1946
MJCD160	Jimmie Lunceford, volume 8, 1940-1941
MJCD161	Wardell Gray, volume 3, 1946-1947
MJCD162	Louis Armstrong volume 8, 1925-1926
MJCD163	Billie Holiday, volume 15, 1945-1946
MJCD164	Lester Young, Volume 9, 1946 - The Complementary Works
MJCD165	Sidney Bechet, volume 12,1942-1943
MJCD166	Frank Sinatra, volume 9, 1940-1941
MJCD167	Anita O'Day, 1941-1943
MJCD168	Stan Getz 1947-1948, Volume 3
MJCD169	Ella Fitzgerald On The Air, Volume 3, 1944-1947
MJCD170	Teddy Wilson - Complementary Works - The Legendary Small Groups, Volume 2, 1937-1943
MJCD171	Wardell Gray, Volume 4, 1947
MJCD172	Big Bill Broonzy, Volume 7, 1935
MJCD173	Duke Ellington, Volume 11, 1930
MJCD174	Duke Ellington volume 12, 1930-1931
MJCD175	Frank Sinatra, volume 10, 1940-1942
MJCD176	Dexter Gordon,volume 4 - Wardell Gray, volume 5, July 6, 1947
MJCD177	Jelly Roll Morton, volume 9, 1938
MJCD178	Sidney Bechet, volume 13, 1943-1944
MJCD179	Dizzy Gillespie, Volume 10, 1947
MJCD180	Stan Getz 1948, Volume 4
MJCD181	Fats Navarro, volume 3, 1947
MJCD182	Cab Calloway, Volume 2, 1930-1931
MJCD183	Anita O'Day, Volume 4, 1944
MJCD184	Billie Holiday - volume 16, 1946-1948
MJCD185
MJCD186	Dizzy Gillespie, volume 11, 1947
MJCD187	Miles Davis, Volume 3, Young Miles, 1946-1947
MJCD188	Lester Young, volume 10, April-June,1946. The Complementary Works
MJCD189	Charlie Christian, Volume 9, 1939-1941
MJCD190
MJCD191	Wardell Gray, volume 6, 1947
MJCD192	Dexter Gordon,volume 5, 1947
MJCD193	Anita O'Day, Volume 5, 1944-1945
MJCD194
MJCD195	Stan Getz 1948, Volume 5, 1948
MJCD196
MJCD197
MJCD198	Wardell Gray, Volume 7, 1947-1948
MJCD199
MJCD200
MJCD201
MJCD202	Billie Holiday Volume 17, 1949
MJCD801	Anthology of Scat Singing, Vol. 1, 1924-1929
MJCD802	Anthology of scat singing, Vol. 2, 1929-1933
MJCD803	Anthology of Scat Singing, Volume 3, 1933-1941
MJCD804	Anthology Of Jazz Drumming, vol. 1, 1904-1928
MJCD805	Anthology Of Jazz Drumming, volume 2, Sept. 1928-July,1935
MJCD806	Anthology Of Jazz Drumming, volume 3, Feb. 1936-Nov.1937
MJCD807	Anthology Of Jazz Drumming, volume 4, 1938

 

These goodies are more and more difficult to find for a reasonable price nowadays. I remember the good old times in Paris, picking here and there in second hand disc stores.... 

I just checked: I own only 45 out of the ca. 210 cds. For the missing gaps, sometimes I went the Classics way (only master takes), some others I decided to go for different packages/different labels with higher sound quality standards. Finally, there were others where I tried to get a copy of the MoJ cd but simply was not able to find it for a decent price.

Edited February 26, 2020 by EKE BBB

[Big Beat Steve]

Some time ago i picked up a dirt cheap copy of MoJ R2CD 8004 "Charlie Christian" at a local record clearout sale. It turned out to be a 2-CD "Best of" of the 8 individual MoJ reissues of Charlie Christian recordings (MJCD 24 to 75). I had figured to use it for the car CD player but as it includes several tracks I do not have elsewhere yet (a.o. reasons because I totally missed the MoJ phase at the time) it went into my collection. I wonder if there were other "Best of"s.
I think what may have contributed to the MoJ reissues being overlooked by many (me too - I just must have seen them here and there in the shops) was their incredibly nondescript, bland and uninspired cover "art"(?)work. They look horribly like a bunch of budget labels such as "History" (an Israeli-German co-project) that were around at roughly the same time. As a result, the INITIAL visual impetus to just "spring for them" wasn't there IMO.
Understatement is all very well but there was not much to make them stand out even with an intentionally simple "corporate identity" look (contrary to the Classics series - at least they had a wide range of different colors though they can be tiring too if you see a stack of them).
 

[medjuck]

Vol 9 of the Christian set has somethings not found anywhere else.  (Or at least wasn't when released.) 

[Jim Duckworth]

I really prefered the Masters of Jazz series to Chronological classics as the Masters of Jazz releases featured an artist's work with other band leaders in addition to utilizing broadcast material.  The notes were very useful with every soloist identified as well as mapping out the soloists contributions measure by measure.

 

[jazzbo]

I have quite a few of these, probably close to 50. Thanks to a board member here I got all 19 of the Bechet at once, and they are a fantastic way to collect Bechet. I have all the Christians, all but one of the Pres, all but a few of the Holidays, the Wardell Grays, nearly ten Ellingtons, and key volumes of Basie, Parker, Armstrong, Gillespie and a few others. 

A fantastic series. I actually think in many cases their versions are among the very best possible cd versions of particular sessions and tracks. I will always have an eye open for these. . . . Rarely sighted these days.

[James Accardi]

Thank you to EKE BBB for posting the list of Masters Of Jazz/Média 7 CDs.

It took me over twenty years to assemble a complete collection, as some of the later discs saw very limited distribution. The list above contains what I feel are the core releases; there are some supplemental items the collector may wish to obtain as well.

The Charlie Christian set referred to by Big Beat Steve is part of the “Cabu” collection. These discs had no liner notes, and in most cases not even dates were supplied. But there are many recordings on these albums which were not issued on any of the CDs listed above. (“Cabu”, who is responsible for the art on the covers, is the same Cabu killed in 2015 at the Charlie Hebdo offices.)

Besides the Cabu series there was also an 18-track sampler issued in 1996 (MJCD 1000). The 13-CD Duke Ellington “Anniversary” set (MJCD 1301-1313) is fantastic (but, again, there are no liner notes). Recordings supplied by Coover Gazdar and intended for the Wardell Gray series were issued for the first time on CD: sagajazz 53 (Count Basie Septet & Octet “On Film and Live”).

Christian Bonnet and Michel Fontanes continued the Billie Holiday series on the “Kangourou” label, the last of which was Volume 27 (February 1958 Lady In Satin The Unissued Takes And More”).

==

Concerning the missing entries among the high numbers, I asked Christian about this in June of 2011. I wrote:

“Towards the end there are gaps in the catalog numbering of the Complete Edition/Complementary Works discs in my collection. Assuming that Billie Volume 17 was the last disc issued, there are 8 CDs I’ve never seen. I gave up searching for these some time ago, as I suspected there were catalog numbers allocated to volumes which were never issued. I have never seen a complete list, so this is guesswork on my part. The eight volumes I’ve never seen are as follows: MJCD 185, 190, 194, 196, 197, 199, 200 & 201. Am I correct that these items were never issued?”

Christian replied:
“You’re perfectly right concerning those eight “ghost CDs”: they were never issued, due to the bankrupt of Next Music who was then producing the MoJ series. And I can’t remember which artistes they were supposed to concern. This was the end of a beautiful story I was part of...”

Christian (“Xian”) was an incredibly nice guy (he passed away in 2017). I trust that he would be pleased to read this thread and hope he would approve of my publishing this excerpt from a private correspondence.

Edited March 4, 2020 by James Accardi
spelling error

[Big Beat Steve]

Thanks, James, that sheds some useful light on it all.

[EKE BBB]

2 hours ago, Big Beat Steve said:

Thanks, James, that sheds some useful light on it all.

Ditto 

[jazzbo]

I just want to add that there are two three cd sets I have that have a third cd with rare stuff: the Billie Holiday and the Lester Young. I saw both at quite reasonable prices and grabbed them, thinking I'll have nice compilations to spin now and then and was surprised at the content on the third discs which gave me a few items I did not have elsewhere.