Teasing the Korean Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 Major labels releasing jazz in the 1990s. Who knew? Quote
JSngry Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 Major labels releasing jazz in the 1990s. Who knew? Hey, it's coming up on a quarter-century now. About time for one of these rediscovery things. Quote
Head Man Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 Sonny Simmons on Qwest To my mind, one of the most surprising major label releases. Is "Qwest" really a major label?...just asking.... Quote
JSngry Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qwest_Records Qwest Records is the American record label started by Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, and owned by Warner Music Group. although Jones was still under contract with A&M Records through 1981. George Benson's 1980 Give Me the Night LP was the first release on Qwest, although this release was shared with Warner Bros. Records, where George was under contract. One of the first artists signed to Qwest was goddaughter Patti Austin, producing Every Home Should Have One in 1981. Although it focused on the R&B market primarily, its most notable signings were Frank Sinatra (whom Jones produced in the 1960s), Tevin Campbell, Radiance, and British post-punk groups New Order and Joy Division. Quote
Head Man Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qwest_Records Qwest Records is the American record label started by Quincy Jones in 1980 as a joint venture with Warner Bros. Records, and owned by Warner Music Group. although Jones was still under contract with A&M Records through 1981. George Benson's 1980 Give Me the Night LP was the first release on Qwest, although this release was shared with Warner Bros. Records, where George was under contract. One of the first artists signed to Qwest was goddaughter Patti Austin, producing Every Home Should Have One in 1981. Although it focused on the R&B market primarily, its most notable signings were Frank Sinatra (whom Jones produced in the 1960s), Tevin Campbell, Radiance, and British post-punk groups New Order and Joy Division. Same question...does that, fairly limited, roster of artists make it a major label? Anyone know how many albums were released by Qwest? Quote
colinmce Posted March 21, 2015 Author Report Posted March 21, 2015 It was a sub-specialty Warner label, and can essentially be considered as such. The title in a case like this is a mere formality and is essentially for vanity purposes. Quote
felser Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 Totally agree, Qwest was Warner Brothers. And Simmons' "Ancient Ritual" was the most shocking release I've ever come across, due to any number of factors, including that I didn't think Simmons was even still alive (remember, that was pre-internet for us normal folks). Quote
CJ Shearn Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 CJ, I think that Warner's relationship with ECM ended ca. 1982. It was about then that ECM cassettes were being dumped, sold for a dollar each. Thanks for that info! Quote
CJ Shearn Posted March 21, 2015 Report Posted March 21, 2015 When Jimmy Smith recorded "Go For Whatcha Know" as a one off for BN in 1986, he was signed to Qwest for like 3 or 4 years in a holding pattern. Of course I think the only thing that was Quincy related JOS appeared on during that era was "Bad". Milt Jackson did some fine work on Qwest, I remember hearing some stuff of of "Burnin in the Woodhouse" on WSQX in Binghamton. Before they went as a full on NPR affiliate, they had a lot of local programming, they played a lot of Doubletime Jazz releases then too, Hank Marr, they always played a lot of Joey D, etc. One record that was getting serious play there and at WHRW FM at Binghamton University my alma mater was John McLaughlin's "After the Rain", that one was huge. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 There are actually two Simmons discs on Qwest, Ancient Ritual and American Jungle. Ancient Ritual is the better of the two, from what I recall. Quote
GA Russell Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 (edited) CJ, I think that Warner's relationship with ECM ended ca. 1982. It was about then that ECM cassettes were being dumped, sold for a dollar each. Cassettes, hell, LPs! WHOLE LPs, both sides with music, not the bargain jobs like they'd import from god knows where that only had half-grooves on one side, or all the grooves on the other. No sir, REAL records! I think it was between 1984-86 when the big ECM LP dump hit the stores here, definitely before our son was born, but after we had moved back to Dallas. I know I had the free time to drive around all day looking in the cutout bins at all 492.091 record stores in the greater DFW area armed only with a tank of gas and about $30 cash, and it usually being enough.That would have been in that window. Hell, even the sorryass "Record Town" mall stores in the mall, you know, the ones that were about as wide as an Italian alley and had ALL (i.e. JUST) the hits, they'd have a dinky little half-din cutout rack full of ECM LPs. It was one of those rare unambiguous Carpe-Diem moments in record buying history. I was buying shit I didn't even want to hear just because it was so cheap, you know, well, I MIGHT like it after all... I remember finding the cassettes in a small record store in a mall in Harrisburg, PA. I lived in that area from Feb., 1982, through Feb., 1985. Jim, you put your time frame at 1984-1986. So it looks to me like both you and I stumbled across our ECM cutouts some time in 1984! Edited March 22, 2015 by GA Russell Quote
JSngry Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 There are actually two Simmons discs on Qwest, Ancient Ritual and American Jungle. Ancient Ritual is the better of the two, from what I recall. My opinion also, and by no small degree. Ancient Ritual was super-strong. Quote
mikeweil Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 Wasn't there an all-star Miles tribute on Warner, too (not on QWest)? IIRC Atlantic did a number of jazz titles back then, Kenny Garrett, Bags, Jacquet, Fathead ... Quote
Joe Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 Dave Kikoski's E (Epic / Sony) Gary Bartz, THE BLUES CHRONICLE: TALES OF LIFE (Atlantic) James Clay, COOKIN' AT THE CONTINENTAL (Antilles / Island / Polygram) Quote
JSngry Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 Antilles had a pretty sweet run there for a quick minute. I think Bartz might actually have had a deal with Atlantic, several albums came out. Quote
Joe Posted March 22, 2015 Report Posted March 22, 2015 Antilles had a pretty sweet run there for a quick minute. I think Bartz might actually have had a deal with Atlantic, several albums came out. Yes, on both accounts. And Gary had an Atlantic release prior to THE BLUES CHRONICLES... THE RED AND ORANGE POEMS. Also a sort of comeback for Eddie Henderson via that date as well. Fine record, "straight ahead," but TBC is more personal, more Bartz-ian in its explicit concept-album-ness. Quote
HutchFan Posted May 4, 2015 Report Posted May 4, 2015 (edited) If Gramavision is a major label, I'd throw Anthony Davis into the ring as well. He also recorded his opera of Malcolm X for Koch... bigger indie I guess, rather than a major. John Carter and James Newton were also on Gramavision. EDIT: Just remembered: Bob Moses made a couple great records for Gramavision too. Edited May 4, 2015 by HutchFan Quote
LouisvillePrez Posted May 4, 2015 Report Posted May 4, 2015 Bounce of the Sugar Plum Fairies, Don Byron, Bug Music Sing a Song of Song, Kenny Garrett, Songbook Body and Soul, Jason Moran, Modernistic Hard Times, Bill Frisell, With Dave Holland & Elvin Jones Mona Lisa, Sonny Rollins, +3 Bye Bye Blackbird, Keith Jarrett, At the Deer Head Inn 7th Ave. Stroll, Mark Whitfield, 7th Ave. Stroll Seven Steps, Cassandra Wilson, Traveling Miles Felicidade, Joe Henderson, Double Rainbow Unison, Dave Douglas, The Infinite Soppin' the Biscuit, Roy Hargrove, With the Tenors of Our Time Oú es-tu, mon amour? Charlie Haden Quartet West, Always Say Goodbye Sunflowers, Wynton Marsalis Septet, The Marciac Suite I purchased a lot of major label jazz in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, I made a compilation of some of my favorite songs from my post-1990 jazz CDs (the track listing above). I still like and listen to most of these songs and CDs. One of the things that I noticed about the compilation at the time (and now) is how much was done in tribute to others. The only song among these that I heard live and near the time of the CD’s release was the Garrett tune. That show will always be very special to me. Quote
king ubu Posted May 7, 2015 Report Posted May 7, 2015 Wasn't there an all-star Miles tribute on Warner, too (not on QWest)? This one here was on QWest if AMG is right: never liked it much, but haven't heard it since the late 90s. re Blue Note's 80s/90s activities, there's a dedicated thread about it: Quote
David Posted May 7, 2015 Report Posted May 7, 2015 Sing a Song of Song, Kenny Garrett, Songbook Body and Soul, Jason Moran, Modernistic Unison, Dave Douglas, The Infinite Sunflowers, Wynton Marsalis Septet, The Marciac Suite I purchased a lot of major label jazz in the 1990s. In the early 2000s, I made a compilation of some of my favorite songs from my post-1990 jazz CDs (the track listing above). I still like and listen to most of these songs and CDs. One of the things that I noticed about the compilation at the time (and now) is how much was done in tribute to others. The only song among these that I heard live and near the time of the CD’s release was the Garrett tune. That show will always be very special to me. Those are four great songs! Sunflowers is my absolute favorite Marsalis tune. Songbook by Kenny Garrett is a VERY strong record and still gets consistent airplay here, and the Infinite, while indisputably derivative of late 60's Miles, is also an excellent record in its own right. Quote
ArtSalt Posted May 7, 2015 Report Posted May 7, 2015 Don Pullen - Random Thoughts, Kele Mou Bana and Ode To Life Wynton Marsalis - Big Train Stan Getz - People Time Couple of good Tom Jobim one's around - Brazileiro, Jobim and Friends Monty Alexander - Yard Movement, Stir It Up Charlie Hunter Trio - bing, bing, bing!, Ready....Set....Shango! Lee Konitz - Another Shade of Blue Gerry Mulligan - Re-Birth of The Cool Bill Holman - A View Fom The Side And on the jazz reissue front, a wonderful, wonderful era for Verve. Quote
Daniel A Posted May 16, 2015 Report Posted May 16, 2015 I'm not sure if I'll get flamed for being a neo-bop apologist, but I think this is a terrific album that has some of Payton's best work: Quote
king ubu Posted May 16, 2015 Report Posted May 16, 2015 I'm not sure if I'll get flamed for being a neo-bop apologist, but I think this is a terrific album that has some of Payton's best work: I like that one, too! Quote
.:.impossible Posted May 17, 2015 Report Posted May 17, 2015 Dewey Redman, Cecil Taylor, Elvin Jones. Momentum Space. Verve. Major. Nineties. Jazz. Quote
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