Complete Commodore Jazz Recordings Vols. 1, 2 & 3 (Mosaic Records)
$
545
Favourite Auctions
To save auctions to your favourites, please login
If you don't have an account, please register
Description
Complete Commodore Jazz Recordings Vol. 1 (Mosaic)
The punchline for this 23-LP limited-edition box set is in its title, Vol 1. On a total of 66 albums, Mosaic has reissued the entire jazz output of Milt Gabler’s Commodore label, one of the most important jazz record companies of all time. There is an incredible amount of music included on this first set (the most essential of the three). After five early titles that Commodore acquired from other labels (featuring Cow Cow Davenport, Fletcher Henderson, and Django Reinhardt), one hears the birth of Commodore with the exciting January 17, 1938, outing by Eddie Condon. In addition to a lot more of Condon’s freewheeling sessions (much of his best work was for Commodore), there are dates led by Bud Freeman, the Kansas City Five and Six (with Lester Young), Teddy Wilson, Jess Stacy, Chu Berry,Willie the Lion Smith, Billie Holiday, Stuff Smith Jelly Roll Morton, Jack Teagarden, Art Hodes, Joe Marsala, Joe Bushkin, Coleman Hawkins, Lee Wiley, Pee Wee Russell, Bunk Johnson, Mel Powell, (with Benny Goodman), Wild Bill Davison, George Brunies, and Edmond Hall. There are many previously unissued performances (not just alternate takes) and literally dozens of classics. Fans of Chicago jazz and small-group swing should bid as much as necessary to acquire this out of print box (along with the other two volumes).
Complete Commodore Jazz Recordings Vol. 2 (Mosaic)
The second of three "volumes" put out by Mosaic that reissues the entire Commodore catalog is, like the first, a 23-LP set; all of the music in this massive box was recorded within 13 months. The limited-edition series is a must for collectors of Chicago jazz and small-group swing for it is literally overflowing with classics. The first box is the most essential but Volume II is pretty close with recording sessions led by Sidney and Wilbur DeParis, Albert Ammons, Eddie Heywood, Hot Lips Page, Sid Catlett, Billie Holiday, the Kansas City Six, Lester Young, George Zack, Muggsy Spanier, Miff Mole, Joe Bushkin, Max Kaminsky, Edmond Hall, George Wettling, Bobby Hackett, Pee Wee Russell, Red McKenzie, Jess Stacy, Jack Teagarden and Wild Bill Davison. In addition to the usual performances (many of which were previously hard-to-find), there are quite a few previously unissued alternate takes and some selections (including an entire Joe Bushkin Trio date) that were never out before.
Complete Commodore Jazz Recordings Vol. 3 (Mosaic)
The third and final Mosaic box set that reissues all of the valuable recordings from Milt Gabler’s Commodore label is the smallest of these reissues, a mere 20-LP set. All three of the volumes (which total 66 albums) are wonderful and you should buy them if you have any interest in small-group swing and Chicago dixieland. Volume III starts out with some recently discovery alternate takes by Bud Freeman, Chu Berry, Bunk Johnson and Billie Holiday from 1938-44 before concentrating mostly on the 1945-46 period. There are sessions led by Red Norvo, Bill Coleman, Gene Krupa, Stuff Smith, Teddy Wilson and the duo of Don Byas and Slam Stewart (all of those are from a legendary 1945 Town Hall concert) plus dates headed by George Zack, Jonah Jones, Wild Bill Davison, Eddie Edwards, George Brunies and Mel Powell; in addition there are later sets by Bob Wilber, Ralph Sutton, Sidney Bechet, Johnny Wiggs, Willie the Lion Smith, Frank Wess and Peck Kelley. One exhausts superlatives when discussing this remarkable project.
price rating
