Compilations/Re-Issues

Many of these “reissues” were previously released recordings, most on LP although some, from the “pre-tape” days, were released on 78-rpm discs. My job was to find the most original audio “source” and most accurate data (updating the publishing data) regarding the music and the sources. Identifying the best sources (most original recordings – not tape copies) was not always obvious.

For example, LP masters were NOT the best source because they were “compressed” copies (to limit the the dynamic range to accommodate the limitations of the LP). Before the CD revolution, record company archives were considered to be of little value. The recordings they documented either peaked and became catalogue items or disappeared all together. Probably 80% of record company archives were unreleased even in the late 1980’s. I have notebooks that contain copies of company files relating to most of these recordings and their tape and source archives.

Compilations were theme-based collections of songs/recordings from various albums or sources for the artist or a collection of artists. I must have produced a dozen different Glenn Miller compilations for RCA. Everything we put out, sold. Every combination, from tempo to songwriter to charted songs. As the “reissue producer”, I usually selected the songs and tracks for the compilations. That was always fun and much of the research that informed my choices are in the project notebooks for these recordings. It’s interesting to see how different labels dealt with their vaults and the systems they used to identify individual items.

Some of the reissues I produced for CD release were recordings I had produced! That felt a bit strange. I wrote liner notes for others as well. These are part of the collection. I have copies of most of the reissues and compilations CDs of the titles below as well as related project notebooks, miscellaneous tapes (cassettes, dats, cds).

Many of these artists are famous and therefore subject to subsequent reissues and compilations. These are all first editions of CD reissues, more or less at the beginning of the CD revolution. Most of them are no longer available as catalogue items from the companies that own them, probably replaced by subsequent generations of “re-imaginings”.

I’ll bet you that subsequent reissues did not find a better primary source for them than those that I was able to find, mostly thanks to befriending the one person in the vault and in “documents” who knew everything. At RCA that was Bruce and Bernadette. Such great people! Ignored and disrespected for the most part, they gave their adult lives to that company, only to be let go unceremoniously when the company had to make a negative quarterly report to Wall Street. At one point, RCA bought out or forced out every employee in the 1133 6th Ave. building who was over 50. These recordings were actually the fruits of lifetimes of effort.

A&M RECORDS

Herb Alpert & Hugh Masekela – HERB ALPERT & HUGH MASEKELA

Chet Baker – YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN

George Benson – THE OTHER SIDE OF ABBEY ROAD

George Benson – SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME

George Benson – TELL IT LIKE IT IS

Dave Brubeck – 25TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION

Don Cherry – BROWN RICE

Ornette Coleman – DANCING IN YOUR HEAD

Paul Desmond – FROM THE HOT AFTERNOON

Gil Evans – WHERE FLAMINGOS FLY

Charlie Haden – CLOSENESS

Charlie Haden – THE GOLDEN NUMBER

Jim Hall – COMMITMENT

Billy Hart – ENCHANCE

Antonio Carlos Jobim – WAVE

Quincy Jones – GULA MATARI

Quincy Jones – WALKING IN SPACE

Thad Jones & Mel Lewis – NEW LIFE

Mel Lewis – MEL LEWIS AND FRIENDS

Charles Lloyd – WAVES

Herbie Mann – GLORY OF LOVE

Wes Montgomery – A DAY IN THE LIFE

Wes Montgomery – DOWN HERE ON THE GROUND

Wes Montgomery – ROAD SONG

Gerry Mulligan – THE AGE OF STEAM

Milton Nascimento – COURAGE

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee – SONNY AND BROWNIE

BMG/RCA/BLUEBIRD

Toshiko Akiyoshi & Lew Tabackin – THE COLLECTION

Joe Morello – JOE MORELLO

Shorty Rogers – SWINGS

Sidney Bechet – THE MASTER TAKES

Phil Woods – LIVE

Nina Simone – BEST OF

Neil Hefti – BATMAN

Lena Horne – I HAVE DREAMED

Duke Ellington – CONCERT OF SACRED MUSIC

Johnny Hodges & Wild Bill Davis – IN A MELLOW TONE

Nina Simone – THE BLUES

Chet Baker – THE ITALIAN SESSIONS

Paul Desmond – EASY LIVING

Paul Desmond – TAKE TEN

Benny Goodman – PURE GOLD

Tommy Dorsey – THE BEST OF

Glenn Miller – THE POPULAR RECORDINGS (1938-1942)

Glenn Miller – LEGENDARY PERFORMER

Glenn Miller – CHATTANOOGA CHOO CHOO – THE NUMBER ONE HITS

Miriam Makeba – AFRICA

Glenn Miller – A MEMORIAL

Glenn Miller – THE COMPLETE (13 CDs)

Glenn Miller – MOONLIGHT SERENADE

Glenn Miller – CARNEGIE HALL CONCERT

Various – MASTERS OF THE BIG BAND

Duke Ellington – SOPHISTICATED LADY

Chet Baker – SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

Count Basie – BASIE’S BASEMENT

Tommy Dorsey with Frank Sinatra – STARDUST

Louis Armstrong – SUGAR

Erskine Hawkins – TUXEDO JUNCTION

Fats Waller – AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’

Artie Shaw – FRENESI

Illinois Jacquet – FLYING HOME

Sonny Rollins – THE BRIDGE

Charlie Barnet – CHEROKEE

Coleman Hawkins – APRIL IN PARIS

Paul Desmond – POLKA DOT’S AND MOONBEAMS

Woody Herman – EARLY AUTUMN

Benny Goodman – STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY

Al Hirt – OUR MAN IN NEW ORLEANS

Doc Severinsen – GOOD MEDICINE

Pete Fountain – HIGH SOCIETY

Buddy Rich – NO JIVE

Tito Puente – PUENTE GOES JAZZ

Joe Williams – JUMP FOR JOY

Sonny Rollins – WHAT’S NEW?

Louis Armstrong – SINGS THE BLUES

Coleman Hawkins – THE HAWK IN PARIS

Various – JAZZ PIZZAZZ

SONY MUSIC/LEGACY

John McLaughlin with the One Truth Band – ELECTRIC DREAMS

Dreams – DREAMS

David Sancious – DAVID SANCIOUS

Tony Williams – LIFETIME

Return To Forever (Chick Corea) – LIVE

Aretha Franklin – FROM JAZZ TO SOUL – Double CD Set (Compilation)

Weather Report – WEATHER REPORT

John McLaughlin – ELECTRIC DREAMS

Miles Davis – MILES IN THE SKY

Charles Mingus – LET MY CHILDREN HEAR MUSIC

Herbie Hancock – HEADHUNTERS

Thelonious Monk – CRISS CROSS

Weather Report – HEAVY WEATHER

Miles Davis – MILES SMILES

Miles Davis – SEVEN STEPS TO HEAVEN

Al DiMeola – THE ESSENCE OF… (Compilation)

George Benson – THE ESSENCE OF… (Compilation)

Charles Mingus – DYNASTY

Stan Getz with Jimmy Rowles – THE PEACOCKS

George Duke – A BRAZILIAN LOVE AFFAIR

George Benson – IT’S UPTOWN

George Benson – THE GEORGE BENSON COOKBOOK

Miles Davis – SORCERER

Miles Davis – MILES AHEAD

Gerry Mulligan – WHAT IS THERE TO SAY?

Al DiMeola – CASINO

Marvin Gaye – GREATEST HITS

Bill Withers – LEAN ON ME (Compilation)

Thelonious Monk – MONK’S BLUES

Paul Desmond – THE LYRICISM OF PAUL DESMOND (Compilation)

Dave Brubeck/Louis Armstrong – THE REAL AMBASSADORS

Weather Report – 8:30

Weather Report – TALE SPINNIN’

Ella Fitzgerald/Billie Holiday/Lena Horne/Sarah Vaughan – THE FOUR LADIES

Andre Previn – A TOUCH OF ELEGANCE (Compilation)

Thelonious Monk – BIG BAND & QUARTET IN CONCERT

Max Roach – M’BOOM

Steve Kahn – THE COLLECTION (Compilation)

Mahavishnu Orchestra – INNER WORLDS

Aretha Franklin – UNFORGETTABLE

Dave Brubeck – THE JAZZ COLLECTION (Compilation)

Billie Holiday – LADY IN SATIN

BMG/RCA (POP)

Jon Lucien – THE BEST OF JON LUCIEN

Soundtrack – SOUTH PACIFIC

The Guess Who – THE BEST OF THE GUESS WHO

Various – ROCK & ROLL VOLUME 1, THE EARLY 50’s

Various – ROCK & ROLL VOLUME 2, THE LATE 50’s

Scorpions – IN TRANCE

Styx – MAN OF MIRACLES

Mickey & Sylvia – LOVE IS STRANGE

Lou Reed – LEGENDARY HEARTS

Various – RCA RHYTHM & BLUES REVUE

The Guess Who – LIVE AT THE PARAMOUNT

Paul Anka – 21 GOLDEN HITS

Jefferson Airplane – BATHING AT BAXTER’S

Isley Brothers – SHOUT – THE COMPLETE VICTOR SESSIONS

Judas Priest – ROCKA ROLLA

Judas Priest – THE BEST OF

Lou Reed – BERLIN

Various – NIPPER’S #1 HITS – THE BEST OF RCA VICTOR

Hall & Oates – BIGGER THAN THE BOTH OF US

Hot Tuna – AMERICA’ S CHOICE

Hot Tuna – YELLOW FEVER

Jefferson Airplane – BLESS ITS POINTED LITTLE HEAD

Jefferson Airplane – 30 SECONDS OVER WINTERLAND

Jefferson Airplane – CROWN OF CREATION

Jefferson Airplane  – BLOWS AGAINST THE EMPIRE

John Denver – ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGH

Elvis Presley – MY HAPPINESS

Soundtrack – OLIVER

Perry Como – PURE GOLD

The Guess Who – CANNED HEAT

The Guess Who – THE GREATEST OF THE GUESS WHO

Harry Nilsson – A LITTLE TOUCH OF SCHMILSSON

John Denver – POEMS, PRAYERS, AND PROMISES

John Denver – I WANT TO LIVE

Various – DANCE! DANCE! DANCE!

John Denver – FAREWELL TO ANDROMEDA

Hot Tuna – HOT TUNA

Harry Nilsson – SON OF SCHMILSSON

Various – NIPPER’S GREATEST HITS, THE ’50’s VOLUME 1

Various – NIPPER’S GREATEST HITS, THE ’50’s VOLUME 2

Various – NIPPER’S GREATEST HITS, THE ’60’s VOLUME 1

Various – NIPPER’S GREATEST HITS, THE ’60’s VOLUME 2

Various – NIPPER’S GREATEST HITS, THE ’70’s VOLUME 1

Various – NIPPER’S GREATEST HITS, THE ‘8O’S

Styx – II

Pure Prairie League – LIVE! TAKIN’ THE STAGE

Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash – SUN’S GREATEST HITS

Elvis Presley – SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY

Diana Ross – SILK ELECTRIC

Elvis Presley – THE GREAT PERFORMANCES

Various – DANCE THE LAMBADA

Various – DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! VOLUME 2

Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins – THE MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

Neil Sedaka – GREATEST HITS, VOLUME 2

Lou Reed – RETROSPECTIVE

Soundtrack – BYE BYE BIRDIE

Soundtrack – EXODUS

Soundtrack – HATARI – HENRY MANCINI

Lou Reed – SALLY CAN’T DANCE

Styx – THE BEST OF STYX

The Guess Who – AMERICAN WOMAN

Elvis Presley – ELVIS IS BACK

Hot Tuna – BURGERS

Jefferson Airplane – VOLUNTEERS

Dr. Buzzard – DR. BUZZARD’S ORIGINAL SAVANNAH BAND

Hot Tuna – PHOSPHORESCENT RAT

Lou Reed – CONEY ISLAND BABY

Harry Nilsson – SINGS RANDY NEWMAN

The Guess Who – AMERICAN WOMAN

Elvis Presley – A DATE WITH ELVIS

Elvis Presley – PROMISED LAND

Elvis Presley – FOR LP FANS ONLY

Jefferson Airplane – TAKES OFF

Lou Reed – LOU REED LIVE

The Guess Who – WHEATFIELD SOUL

Lou Reed – BETWEEN THOUGHT & EXPRESSION

Various – GOD BLESS AMERICA- AND OTHER PATRIOTIC HITS

Henry Mancini – PURE GOLD

BMG (HERITAGE – BLUES & COUNTRY)

Various – UNDER THE DOUBLE EAGLE

Various – GRINDER MAN BLUES

Bill Monroe – MULE SKINNER BLUES

Various – ARE YOU FROM DIXIE

Various – RAGGED BUT RIGHT

Leadbelly – ALABAMA BOUND

“Sonny Boy” Williamson & “Big Joe” Williams – THROW A BOOGIE – WOOGIE

Arthur Crudup – THAT’S ALL RIGHT MAMA

Various – MASTERS OF THE DELTA BLUES – CANNED HEAT BLUES

Various – A TREASURY OF SACRED MUSIC – SOMETHING GOT A HOLD OF ME

Various – A TREASURY OF GOSPEL MUSIC – I HEAR MUSIC IN THE AIR

Various – BEALE STREET BLUES – WILD ABOUT MY LOVIN’

Various – THE SPIRIT OF JAZZ

Washboard Sam – ROCKIN’ MY BLUES AWAY

Women Blues Singers of the 20’s – ‘BETTER BOOT THAT THING

Lonnie Johnson – HE’S A JELLY ROLL BAKER

The Golden Gate Quartet – TRAVELIN’ SHOES

GRP

Various – I LOVE A PIANO

Various – THE WORLD OF CONTEMPORARY JAZZ GROUPS

Various – DIGITAL BIG BAND BASH!

Various – GUITAR FIRE

Various – SONG BIRDS

Various – TRIUMPHANT SAX!

Various – SOUND THE TRUMPETS

Various – THE BLUES

Various – THE BALLADEERS

Various – DUOS

Various – ACOUSTIC JAZZ

Various – FEEL THE VIBES

Various – JAZZ LIVE

Various – A JAZZ ROMANCE

Various – EXOTIC JAZZ

Various – COVERING ALL THE BASSISTS

Various – THE BEAT OF A DIFFERENT DRUMMER

Ella Fitzgerald – BEST OF

Billie Holiday – BEST OF

Louis Armstrong – BEST OF

John Coltrane – BEST OF

Johnny Hartman – BEST OF

Sonny Rollins – BEST OF

Gato Barbieri – BEST OF

Pharoah Sanders – Best of

Charles Mingus – BEST OF

Duke Ellington – BEST OF

ATLANTIC

Various – THE HISTORY OF JAZZ ON ATLANTIC

             – NEW ORLEANS

             – KANSAS CITY

             – BEBOP

             – WEST COAST

             – MAINSTREAM

             – PIANO

             – POST BOP

             – SINGERS

             – SOUL

             – AVANT-GARDE

             – INTROSPECTION

             – FUSION

VICTOR JAZZ

Chet Baker – THE ITALIAN SESSIONS

Charles Mingus – Tijuana Moods

Benny Goodman – TOGETHER AGAIN

Coleman Hawkins – BODY & SOUL

Paul Desmond/ Gerry Mulligan – TWO OF A MIND

Duke Ellington – SOPHISTICATED LADY

Sonny Rollins – THE BRIDGE

Dizzy Gillespie – DIZZIER AND DIZZIER

Al Hirt – HONEY IN THE HORN; OUR MAN IN NEW ORLEANS

Tommy Dorsey/ Frank Sinatra – LOVE SONGS

Tommy Dorsey/ Glenn Miller – SHOWDOWN

Glenn Miller – CANDLELIGHT MILLER

Paul Desmond – DESMOND BLUE

Paul Desmond – BOSSA ANTIGUA

Paul Desmond – EASY LIVING

Paul Desmond – GLAD TO BE UNHAPPY

Paul Desmond – TAKE TEN

Duke Ellington – THE POPULAR DUKE ELLLINGTON

Woody Herman – WOODY HERMAN AND THE GREAT TENORS

Carmen McRae – THE COLLECTED

Danilo Perez – THE COLLECTED

Antonio Hart – THE COLLECTED

James Moody – THE COLLECTED

Roy Hargrove – THE COLLECTED

Warren Hill – THE COLLECTED

Marcus Roberts – THE COLLECTED

Stan Getz/ Arthur Fiedler – TANGLEWOOD

Marion Meadows – THE COLLECTED

Roy Hargrove/Marcus Roberts/Hugh Masekela/James Moody/Carmen McRae – JAZZ SAMPLER                                            

Frank Sinatra – THE POPULAR VOLUMES I & II & III

Glenn Miller/ Johnny Mercer – MILLER PLAYS MERCER

Gil Scott Heron – EVOLUTION AND FLASHBACK – THE VERY BEST OF

Richard Stolzman – FEAST – RICHARD STOLTZMAN PLAYS THE MUSIC OF BILL DOUGLAS

Duke Ellington/Count Basie – BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Buddy Rich/Woody Herman – BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Charles Mingus/Gil Evans – BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Benny Goodman/Artie Shaw – BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Glenn Miller/Andrews Sisters – VOLUMES I & II – UNRELEASED MASTERS

James Galway – GREATEST HITS VOLUME III

Paul Desmond – THE COLLECTED

Benny Goodman – THE VERY BEST OF

CONCORD (1998)

Jim Hall – Best Of (Jazz Heritage Series)

George Shearing – Best Of (Jazz Heritage Series)

OTHER

Paul Desmond – CANADIAN KNIGHTS (unreleased)