Atlantic Jazz Box Set 15 LPs near mint. George Lewis to John Coltrane RARE OOP

$

40

This set is a twelve volume, 15 LP box set issued in 1986 with 141 tracks divided into the following jazz subcategories:  Mainstream, Piano, Soul, The Avant-Garde, Introspection, Post Bop, New Orleans, Kansas City, Be Bop, West Coast, Fusion and Singers.   

The outer case has ring wear, cracks in the corners and a dull yellow stamp on the front stating that "for promotion only...".  Each of the twelve record covers or backs has this stamp as well.  Each cover is in near mint condition except for slight "cracking" on the binding which can be seen when the discs are in the outer case.  

I will ship priority mail but will need to calculate the cost and add 10% for handling.  Will ship internationally only if there is insurance to cover in case of loss at the actual cost plus 10% for handling.

Following are the song titles and artists in this collection:

NEW ORLEANS

Review by Ron Wynn
Nice, mostly traditional recordings, since Atlantic hasn't been in New Orleans to get the contemporary sound. 

1 Bourbon Street Parade - Paul Barbarin
2 Burgundy Street Blues - George Lewis
3 My Bucket's Got a Hole in It - Jim Robinson
4 Cielito Lindo - Wilbur DeParis
5 Salty Dog - George Lewis
6 Eh la Bas - Paul Barbarin
7 Maple Leaf Rag - Turk Murphy
8 Joe Avery's Blues - Percy Humphrey
9 Nobody Knows the Way I Feel This Morning - Ernest "Punch" Miller
10 Shreveport Stomp - Wilbur DeParis
11 Sing On - Paul Barbarin
12 Shake It and Break It - Joseph "De De" Pierce
13 Tiger Rag - Ernest "Punch" Miller

KANSAS CITY

Review by Stephen Cook
The Kansas City sound brought earthy yet lithe energy to both jazz and R&B: From the impulsive swing of Bennie Moten and Count Basie to Big Joe Turner's genre-straddling work, K.C.'s impact on music can be heard in rock, soul, and even funk. As part of its mammoth jazz box set, Atlantic spotlights such key K.C. figures as Jay McShann, alto saxophonist Buster Smith, and Turner himself. As a sort of potent aside, the disc also features some fine combo swing commandeered by Basie alum Vic Dickenson and Buck Clayton. And while the inclusion of T-Bone Walker is something of a mystery (a Texas native who worked out of L.A. for a good stretch), the inclusion of his cut of the classic "Evenin'" fits right into the flow here. Get out the whiskey and clear the dancefloor.

1 You're Driving Me Crazy - Big Joe Turner
2 The Lamp Is Low - Vic Dickenson
3 Hootie Blues - Jay McShann
4 E-Flat Boogie - Buster Smith
5 Confessin' the Blues - Jay McShann
6 Jumpin' at the Woodside - Jay McShann
7 Until the Real Thing Comes Along - Jay Turner
8 Undecided - Vic Dickenson
9 Evenin' - T-Bone Walker
10 Buster's Tune - Buster Smith
11 Piney Brown Blues - Big Joe Turner

BEBOP

Review by Stephen Cook
Part of Atlantic's extensive jazz series, Atlantic Jazz: Bebop takes in some of the innovators of 52nd Street over the course of seven nicely selected cuts. And while more astute listeners will want to check out something like Proper's multi-disc Bebop Spoken Here collection, this set still delivers a respectable mix of bop performances. This is no jazz history lesson, what with the glaring absence of Parker, Navarro, Dameron, Bud Powell, et al., not to mention the lack of original '40s performances. But what listeners do have is a stellar trio rendition of Monk's "Evidence" with Art Blakey, Coltrane, and Milt Jackson's take on Gillespie's "Bebop," Sonny Stitt's whirlwind go at Bird's "Ko-Ko," and a few other gems. Best seen as a general jazz mix and not as any kind of definitive chronicle of the music.

1 Love Is Here to Stay - Dizzy Gillespie
2 Evidence - Art Blakey
3 Bebop - John Coltrane
4 Koko - Sonny Stitt
5 Salt Peanuts - Philly Joe Jones
6 Almost Like Me - Max Roach
7 Allen's Alley - Giants Of Jazz

WEST-COAST

Review by Stephen Cook
Part of Atlantic's by-genre-and-instrument jazz series, Atlantic Jazz: West Coast spotlights some of the giants from the land of the Central Avenue breakdown and fog-bound bridges. On the high-profile end, such stellar players and bandleaders as Shorty Rogers and Shelly Manne contribute tasty sides, while the obscure quotient is nicely covered by Eddie Safrinski. Taking up the middle ground, tenor saxophonist Jack Montrose, the duo of Harold Land and Red Mitchell, and Conte Candoli contribute fine cuts as well. Maybe not the best introduction to those West Coast jazz sounds, but a fine selection of sides all the same. 

1 Sa-Frantic - Eddie Safrinski
2 Not Really the Blues - Shorty Rogers
3 Paradox - Jack Montrose
4 Cheremoya - Lou Levy, Conte Candoli
5 Blues way up there - Shorty Rogers
6 The Song Is You - Jimmy Giuffre
7 Topsy - Jimmy Giuffre
8 Triplin' Awhile - Red Mitchell, Harold Land
9 You Name It - Shelly Manne

MAINSTREAM

Review by Stephen Cook
Atlantic's exhaustive jazz series rolls on with an enigmatically titled roundup of swing and bop veterans. One would guess that "Mainstream" here refers to the absence of any envelope-pushing types from the hard bop and free jazz camps. Instead, listeners will be wowed by the stately and vintage sounds of a mid-'50s Coleman Hawkins and Milt Jackson collaboration, Tony Fruscella's cool-toned trumpet work, the MJQ's chamber jazz, and some latter-day big-band delights from Ellington and Woody Herman. Topping things off, onetime Atlantic star Ray Charles goes all smooth on "Ain't Misbehavin'" and bop drum kit innovator Kenny Clarke delivers some European echoes in an expat ensemble co-led by Belgian pianist Francy Boland. A treat.

1 I'll Be Seeing You - Tony Fruscella
2 Ain't Misbehavin' - Ray Charles
3 Stuffy - Coleman Hawkins
4 Django - Modern Jazz Quartet
5 Daphne - Stephane Grappelli
6 Perdido - Duke Ellington
7 Embraceable You - Duke Ellington
8 Four Brothers - Woody Herman
9 Everything Happens to Me - Ira Sullivan
10 Speedy Reeds - Clarke-Boland Big Band

POSTBOP

Review by Stephen Cook
One supposes that, according to this compilation, "post bebop" is the middle ground between Parker and Gillespie's '40s innovations and the hard bop heyday of the late '50s and '60s. It's an often overlooked period, so listeners have Atlantic to thank for giving it a showcase. The label gives a nod to the free jazz world here, too, with a cut apiece by Teddy Charles and Von Freeman's Fire. But the bulk here features bedrock '50s work by Coltrane ("Giant Steps"), Sonny Rollins and the MJQ ("Bags' Groove"), and Lee Konitz and Warne Marsh ("I Can't Get Started"). Not a bad hour by the stereo, really, and it's educational to boot.

1 Lydian M-1 - Teddy Charles Tentet
2 I Can't Get Started - Lee Konitz, Warne Marsh
3 Bags' Groove - Sonny Rollins, Sonny & The Modern Jazz Quartet
4 This 'n' That Jazz - The Jazz Modes
5 Giant Steps - John Coltrane
6 Sister Salvation - Slide Hampton Octet
7 White Sand - Von Freeman
8 Misty - Freddie Hubbard
9 Thoroughbred - Gil Evans

SINGERS

Review by Stephen Cook
Spotlighting both jazz singers and R&B-minded vocalists on the jazz tip, Atlantic Jazz: Singers delivers a mostly generous and stunning mix spanning the late '40s to the mid-'80s. From the traditional jazz camp, top songbirds Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McCrae, Helen Merrill, Chris Connor, Peggy Lee, and Betty Carter all hit their spots in fine fashion. Showing they had also heard a few Ella Fitzgerald sides in their formative years, such R&B chanteuses as Ruth Brown, Esther Phillips, LaVern Baker, and Aretha Franklin roll out a smooth line or two as well. And not to forget the boys, the producers pepper the gal-heavy fare with choice sides by Ray Charles, Mel Tormé, Al Hibbler, Jimmy Witherspoon, and Mose Allison, among others; there's even a bit of bossa nova from João Gilberto. Regrettable work by Sylvia Syms and the Manhattan Transfer aside, this collection makes for a nice complement to all those golden vocal offerings on Capitol and Verve. 

1 Hard Times (No One Knows Better Than I) - Ray Charles
2 I Want a Little Girl - Big Joe Turner
3 Ain't Nobody's Business- Jimmy Witherspoon
4 Have You Met Miss Jones? - Joe Mooney
5 Empty Bed Blues- LaVern Baker
6 I Can Dream, Can't I? - Ruth Brown
7 Anytime - Helen Merrill
8 Crazy He Calls Me - Lurlean Hunter
9 Love Is a Word for the Blues - Ann Richards
10 Your Mind Is on Vacation - Mose Allison
11 Lonely Woman - Chris Connor
12 Whisper Not - Mel Torme
13 'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do - Nancy Harrow
14 Desafinado - Joao Gilberto

15 The Good Life - Betty Carter
16 Salty Papa Blues - Vi Redd
17 Confessin' the Blues - Esther Phillips
18 There's No You- Earl Coleman
19 I Got It Bad (And That Ain't Good) - Carmen McRae
20 Do Nothin' Till You Hear from Me - Al Hibbler
21 Moody's Mood - Aretha Franklin
22 Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight - Peggy Lee
23 Something - Sarah Vaughan
24 Lonely Woman - Sylvia Syms
25 Sing Joy Spring - Manhattan Transfer

PIANO

Review by Dave Nathan
Founded in 1947, Atlantic Records has been the home of some of jazz's more important figures (as well as blues). This compilation, originally issued as a two-fer LP, catches some of the excellent performances by the label's stable of jazz pianists over a period of 35 years. The earliest track is from Erroll Garner's first and only Atlantic album, Passport to Fame, a 1950 trio session where Garner applies his captivating style to "The Way You Look Tonight." The penultimate track on the album is from modernist Don Pullen. In between, there are cuts from albums made by some of the top jazz pianists, not only from that period, but whose work has stood the test of time and is still played regularly. It also shows that owners/producers Ahmet and Nesuhi Ertegun and Herb Abramson were wise and sensible enough to find room for artists representing a wide diversity of styles, from Garner through Dave Brubeck to Pullen and Joe Zawinul. Wide stylistic berth allowances notwithstanding, for most of these artists their stint with the label was short, a stopping off place before landing contracts with a major recording studio such as Columbia. The title is also a bit misleading in the sense the label never had some of the participants under contract. The cuts by Thelonious Monk and Bill Evans were from sessions headed by Art Blakey and Herbie Mann, respectively. But no matter how they got on the album, this collection of jazz piano is unmatched for its breadth and depth. 

1 The Way You Look Tonight - Erroll Garner
2 In the Purple Grotto - Mary Lou Williams
3 Line Up - Lennie Tristano
4 Celia - Phineas Newborn
5 Sweet Sixteen Bars - Ray Charles
6 In Walked Bud- Thelonious Monk
7 Delaunay's Dilemma - John Lewis
8 One for Fun - Billy Taylor
9 A Night in Tunisia - Roland Hanna
10 Lazy Bird - McCoy Tyner
11. Nirvana - Bill Evans
12. Blues for five reasons - Randy Weston

11 Young Soul - Dwike Mitchell
12 My One and Only Love- Joe Zawinul
13 Sweet Georgia Brown - Junior Mance
14 Einbahnstrasse - Herbie Hancock
15 Blues, No. 2 - Ray Bryant
16 Pardon My Rags - Keith Jarrett
17 Koto Song - Dave Brubeck

SOUL

Review by Stephen Cook
The Atlantic Jazz series continues with this slice of mostly '60s jazz-soul treats. Fittingly, the 11-track disc includes a side by one of the prime progenitors of soul, Ray Charles: He and MJQ vibraphonist, Milt Jackson, stretch out on the canonized "How Long Blues." Further expounding on the soul-jazz trajectory, the collection spotlights work by organist Shirley Scott (the Aretha Franklin hit "Think"), Les McCann and Eddie Harris (their classic Montreux Festival cut "Compared to What"), Yusef Lateef ("Russell and Elliot"), and Hank Crawford ("You're the One"). And there's even a bit of boogaloo-enhanced bossa, compliments of trumpeter Nat Adderley ("Jive Samba"). The soundtrack to your next retro-cool shindig. 

1 State Trooper - Leo Wright
2. Think - Shirley Scott
3 Twist City - Johnny Griffin
4. Broasted or Fried - Clarence Wheeler
5 Wade in the Water - Brother Jack McDuff
6 How Long Blues - Ray Charles, Milt Jackson
7 Comin' Home Baby - Herbie Mann
8 Russell and Eliot - Yusef Lateef

9 Burnin Coal - Les McCann
10 Listen Here - Eddie Harris
11 Compared to What - Les McCann, Eddie Harris
12 You're the One - Hank Crawford
10 Jive Samba - Nat Adderley
11 Money in the Pocket - Erich Zawinul
12 Memphis Soul Stew - King Curtis

AVANT-GARDE

Review by Stewart Mason
Part of a 12-volume set of LPs that covered Atlantic's history of jazz slotted into neat little genre labels, Atlantic Jazz: The Avant Garde is not an entirely satisfying disc. Partially this is because most of the artists represented here — including Ornette Coleman, Charles Mingus, and Don Cherry — did their most exploratory and adventurous work for other labels. Atlantic Records was no ESP-Disk, and even their most out-there records were more rooted in convention than most. That said, it's hard to fault the material included here, like a 12-minute take on Charles Mingus' "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting" recorded at the 1960 Antibes Jazz Festival and two early Ornette Coleman tracks. There's not enough Rahsaan Roland Kirk; although the strident "Black Mystery Has Been Revealed" and the lovely "The Inflated Tear" are two of his most famous Atlantic works, his work for the label is intriguing enough to warrant a further exploration. Most useful for the absolute beginner in modern jazz, Atlantic Jazz: The Avant Garde is OK as an introduction and fine as a 45-minute compilation, but it's hardly definitive. 


1 Black Mystery Has Been Revealed - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
2 Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting - Charles Mingus
3 Eventually - Ornette Coleman
4 Lonely Woman - Ornette Coleman
5 Cherryco - Don Cherry, John Coltrane
6 Countdown - John Coltrane
7 The Inflated Tear - Rahsaan Roland Kirk
8 Nonaah - Art Ensemble of Chicago

INTROSPECTION

Review by Stephen Cook
This mix of circa-1970 jazz makes for a fine alternative to all those demographically minded "Coma Jazz" discs of recent memory: Instead of the usual smoky saxes and airy hard bop ballads, Atlantic has seen fit to tap the rich vein of Bill Evans and Miles Davis-spawned riches by Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Gary Burton, and Charles Lloyd – to be a bit harsh, one might call it hippie jazz with Weather Report and the perennially stark ECM label in sight. More specifically, the cuts are spare and meditative, but with enough in the way of early fusion experimentalism to make for some provocative listening. After that Bergman movie marathon, dim the lights, pour yourself a somber elixir, and spin this levitation soundtrack.

1 Yoruba - Hubert Laws
2 Tones for Joan's Bones - Chick Corea
3 Forest Flower: Sunrise - Charles Lloyd
4 In a Silent Way - Joe Zawinul
5 Standing Outside - Keith Jarrett
6 Chega de Saudade (No More Blues) - Gary Burton
7 Fortune Smiles - Gary Burton, Keith Jarrett

FUSION

Review by Stephen Cook
For wary listeners who flee at the mention of fusion and all its attendant navel-gazing intricacy, this sampler of Atlantic-released cuts could make for either the ideal quotient filler or a gateway to overplayed jazz heaven. Broken off from the label's gargantuan jazz box set, this six-track offering covers the heart of the genre with decent to enthralling work from bassist Miroslav Vitous' important 1969 date Mountain in the Clouds ("Freedom Jazz Dance") to Gallic chopsmeister Jean-Luc Ponty's 1978 Cosmic Messenger ("Egocentric Molecules"). And filling in the cerebral jazz-funk landscape, soul tenor great Les McCann rides with Yusef Lateef and David Spinozza for some extended musings on "Beaux J. Poo Boo," Billy Cobham brings the cyber strains on "Quadrant 4" (from his landmark Spectrum LP), and Larry Coryell and Alphonse Mouzon reunite for 1977's "Beneath the Earth." Yes, it's all muscle-bound complexity and science-fiction allusions, but what's there to lose when there's a tidy set on offer for what's likely to be a cutout bin price.

1 Freedom Jazz Dance - Miroslav Vitous
2 Beaux J. Poo Boo - Les McCann
3 Quadrant 4 - Billy Cobham
4 Beneath the Earth - Larry Coryell ...
5 Homunculus - Passport
6 Egocentric Molecules - Jean-Luc Ponty