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October 26, 2011

Here are all of the trailers for the new Jazz Icons series:

Jazz Icons - Series 5 (boxed set) 6 DVDs

John Coltrane - Live In France 1965

Thelonious Monk - Live In France 1969

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - Love In France 1959

Johnny Griffin - Live In France 1971

Freddie Hubbard - Live In France 1973

Rahsaan Roland Kirk - Live In France 1973

October 4, 2011

Here's the info for Jazz Icons series 5, being sold exclusively as a boxed set through Mosaic Records on Nov 1, 2011. Click here to order.

John Coltrane- Live In France 1965
Antibes Jazz Festival, Juan Les Pins, France
July 26-27, 1965
B&W/Mono/52 min.

The John Coltrane Quartet with McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison and Elvin Jones was formed in 1960 and was at the peak of its powers for these concerts from the Antibes Jazz Festival on July 26 & 27, 1965. What made this appearance so important was the first and only public performance of his masterpiece A Love Supreme, which had recently become an instant and influential hit in the jazz world. The DVD opens with "Naima," a searingly intense "Ascension" and "Impressions," while part one and half of part two of the A Love Supreme suite close out this historic film. Unfortunately, the footage for the rest of the suite has not survived.

PERSONNEL:
John Coltrane- Tenor Saxophone
Elvin Jones- Drums
McCoy Tyner- Piano
Jimmy Garrison- Bass

1. Naima
2. Ascension
3. Impressions
4. A Love Supreme Suite Pt 1. - Acknowledgement
5. A Love Supreme Suite Pt 2. - Resolution

Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers- Live In France 1959
Theater des Champs Elysees, Paris, France
November 15, 1959
B&W/Mono/83 min.

At the time of this November 15, 1959, Paris concert, Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers were introducing two new members: Wayne Shorter, whose sound and conception would forever change the sonic landscape of the band and Walter Davis Jr., who had as much drive on the piano as Blakey had on his drums. The band featured Lee Morgan on trumpet and all are absolutely on fire throughout this 80-minute concert. Seeing rather than just hearing Blakey's soaring dynamics and irresistible rhythms reveals just how powerfully he controlled the shape of the music and drove each soloist to new heights.

PERSONNEL:
Art Blakey- Drums
Lee Morgan- Trumpet
Wayne Shorter- Tenor Saxophone
Jymie Merritt- Bass
Walter Davis, Jr.- Piano

1. Are You Real?
2. What Know (Goldie)
3. No Problem
4. Bouncing With Bud
5. Close Your Eyes
6. Along Came Betty
7. Blues March
8. A Night In Tunisia

Bonus: Interview/Nellie Bly (aka Mama G)

Thelonious Monk- Live In France 1969
ORTF TV Studio, Paris, France
December 1969
Color/Mono/65 min.

In December 1969, Thelonious Monk entered a television studio in Paris. Just Monk, a grand piano and two cameras — no audience, no sidemen, no emcee, no clock-watching stage manager, no set list, no distractions. The result was an astonishingly intimate and revealing portrait of a man and his music. Monk sits at the piano and plays whatever occurs to him. In this case, it was nine originals and two of his favorite standards. The freedom of playing unaccompanied allows Monk to give each composition fascinating new twists and variations. The viewer can virtually see his mind at work.

PERSONNEL:
Thelonious Monk- Piano

1. Dreamland
2. Monk's Mood (Version 1)
3. Thelonious
4. Reflections
5. Epistrophy
6. ’Round Midnight
7. Crepuscule With Nellie
8. Ugly Beauty
9. Monk's Mood (Version 2)
10. Don't Blame Me
11. Coming On The Hudson
12. Nice Work If You Can Get It

Bonus: Thelonious rehearsal, B-Roll, raw interview

Johnny Griffin- Live In France 1971
Part One
Jazz Festival de Châteauvallon
August 29, 1971
B&W/Stereo/55 min.

Johnny Griffin was a soulful, inventive tenor saxophone virtuoso with a magnificent tone and the ability to navigate the fastest tunes and the most sophisticated chord changes with seemingly effortless precision. This DVD features two 1971 French concerts with Griff's quartet featuring drummer Art Taylor and guest artist Dizzy Gillespie on "Hot House" and "A Night In Tunisia." The band is on fire through bebop classics from Tadd Dameron, Dizzy, Thelonious Monk and Charlie Parker as well as four of Griff's best-known originals. Taylor's unrelenting swing drives this band to incredible heights.

PERSONNEL:
Johnny Griffin-Tenor Sax
Dizzy Gillespie-Trumpet
Art Taylor-Drums
Vince Benedetti-Piano
Alby Cullaz-Bass

1. Blues For Harvey
2. When We Were One
3. The JAMFs Are Coming
4. Soft And Furry
5. A Night In Tunisia (w/Dizzy)
6. Hot House (w/Dizzy)

Part Two
Classiques du Jazz TV Studio
Châteauvallon, France
July 7, 1971
B&W/Mono/30 min.

PERSONNEL:
Johnny Griffin (Tenor Sax)
Art Taylor (Drums)
René Urtreger (Piano)
Alby Cullaz (Bass)

1. Now’s The Time
2. My Little Suede Shoes
3. Blue Monk
4. Blues For Harvey

Freddie Hubbard- Live In France 1973
ORTF TV Studio, Paris, France
March 25, 1973
B&W/Stereo/50 min.

Freddie Hubbard possessed a big tone, a unique melodic conception and an amazing technique. In the early 1970s, Hubbard became a best-selling jazz artist with a succession of highly produced albums on the CTI label. On the road, he would perform many of his CTI recordings in a more direct, straight-ahead jazz style. On this 1973 concert, he and his quintet with Junior Cook, George Cables, Kent Brinkley and Michael Carvin stretch out on three of his greatest compositions of the period: "Straight Life," "Intrepid Fox" and "First Light." These performances are incendiary!

PERSONNEL:
Freddie Hubbard-Trumpet
Junior Cook-Tenor Sax, Flute
George Cables-Electric Piano
Kent Brinkley-Bass
Michael Carvin-Drums

1. Straight Life
2. Intrepid Fox
3. First Light           

Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Live In France 1972
Grand Palais, Paris, France
March 8, 1972
Color/Mono-75 min.

This 1972 concert, with the excellent support of Ron Burton, Henry Pearson, Richie Goldberg and Joe Texidor, is a perfect example Rahsaan Roland Kirk's unique genius. The 73-minute performance, featuring classics from Coltrane to Ellington, ends poignantly with two of his most celebrated and powerful compositions: "Volunteered Slavery" and "The Inflated Tear." Seeing him live was a completely different experience from listening to his music on record. Often playing two and three reed instruments simultaneously with amazing skill, he was a living encyclopedia of jazz and an ever-thinking force of energy who swept the audience up into his orbit.

PERSONNEL:
Rahsaan Roland Kirk-Tenor Sax, Manzello, Stritch, Clarinet, Castinets, Vocals,   Various flutes and whistles
Ron Burton-Piano
Henry Pearson-Bass
Joe Texidor -Percussion
Richie Goldberg-Drums

1. Blue Train
2. Lester Leaps In
3. Satin Doll (Medley)
4. For Bechet And Ellington And Bigard and Carney And Rabbit
5. My Cherie Amour
6. One Mind Winter/Summer (Seasons)
7. Groovin’ High
8. Soul Eyes
9. Volunteered Slavery
10. Inflated Tear

July 26, 2011- Series 5 Coming Soon!

Hello friends,

Reelin' In The Years Productions and Mosaic Records are pleased to announce the release of the 5th installment of the celebrated Jazz Icons® series. Details will be announced in the coming weeks but here are the six titles:
John Coltrane- Live In France 1965
Thelonious Monk- Live In France 1969
Freddie Hubbard- Live In France 1973
Johnny Griffin- Live In France 1971
Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers- Live In France 1959
Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Live In France 1972

November 10, 2010- Series 5 postponed until 2011

Hello friends,

It is with much sadness that we have to report to you that Jazz Icons Series 5 has been postponed until next summer. I'm sure many of you have already guessed that something was wrong as it is our habit to start promoting the new series in the spring, but it is official. There will be no Jazz Icons series this year. This is due to the state of the economy and other factors at the label beyond our control as producers. We can assure you that the series will be getting back on track strong next year with one of the most exciting sets of concerts in the entire series. We'll be keeping you informed as significant details develop.
Thank you for all the support you've given.

Sincerely,
David Peck, Phillip Galloway and Tom Gulotta
Producers, Jazz Icons Series

September 16, 2009
Click here to see the overview of the full lineup.

August 11, 2009- SERIES 4 Re-announced!

Wow! What a summer. This series has been the most challenging to put together, yet one of the most rewarding with new relationships at the BBC and INA in France. As you can see from the last entry we've had to make a change in the lineup. Due to circumstances beyond our control we've had to hold back Max Roach for another series. The Erroll Garner material is stellar and we feel, more than makes up for the loss of Roach. Also, the Coleman Hawkins DVD has significantly changed with the video restoration of the 1962 concert earning it a spot on the main DVD.

Here are the titles, coming out in October of 2009:

• Coleman Hawkins- Live in '62 & '64- (w/ Sweets Edison and Jo Jones)
• Art Blakey- Live in '65- (w/ Freddie Hubbard)
• Erroll Garner - Live in '63 & '64
• Jimmy Smith- Live in '69
• Woody Herman- Live in '64
• Anita O'Day- Live In '63 & '70
• Art Farmer- Live In '64- (w/ Jim Hall)
• Boxed Set featuring bonus performances, including a half-hour Coleman Hawkins concert from London in 1966, with Benny Carter and Louie Bellson.
  

More info coming very soon!

April 16, 2009- SERIES 4 Announced!

We are very pleased to announce the lineup for Jazz Icons Series 4. There was much deliberation as to whether or not there would even be a new series this year, but we've thrown caution to the wind and have decided to do a little economic stimulation of our own.

Here are the titles, coming out in October of 2009:

• Coleman Hawkins- Live in '64- (w/ Sweets Edison)
• Art Blakey- Live in '65- (w/ Freddie Hubbard)
• Max Roach - Live in '68
• Jimmy Smith- Live in '65 & '69
• Woody Herman- Live in '64
• Anita O'Day- Live In '63 & '70
• Art Farmer- Live In '64- (w/ Jim Hall)
• Boxed Set featuring bonus performances, including a one-hour unseen Coleman Hawkins concert from the Adolphe Sax Festival in Belgium in 1962.
  

We will be announcing more details in the coming weeks as to song titles and sidemen. We are confident that this series continues the legacy of quality and commitment to excellence that has made the first three installments of Jazz Icons the most respected and critically-acclaimed DVD series in jazz history.

Your support has always been a big part of the success of this series and we once again ask for your help in spreading the word. Now more than ever, in these tough economic times, and with retail stores disappearing every day, your grassroots efforts help keep this series going.

April 24, 2008- Extensive overview of Series 3 is here.

April 12, 2008- Series 3 is locked up. Our final title is cleared:

• Oscar Peterson- Live In '63, '64 & '65

We're thrilled with all of the artists and the footage we've acquired is truly monumental. Now the task of production. We'll be posting more details about the shows and the sidemen in the coming weeks. We'll also be posting teaser clips over the next few months leading up to the September release. The bonus disc is filling up nicely as well so the box set will be an extraordinary value. Exciting stuff, people. Thank you for your support so we can keep producing these important DVDs.

March 25, 2008- Latest signings! Series 3 is turning out to be another stellar collection, worthy of the Jazz Icons name. Here are the two newest confirmed artists:

• Bill Evans- Live In '64-'75
• Cannonball Adderley- Live In '63

One more and we've sealed the deal for this year. Check back soon..

March 7, 2008- Jazz Icons Series 3 is officially in production! Series 3 will feature seven new titles plus an exclusive bonus disc for the boxed set just like Series 2, and is scheduled for a September release date. The four titles we have signed so far are:

• Sonny Rollins- Live In ’65 & ’68
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Live In '63 & '67
• Lionel Hampton- Live In '58
• Nina Simone- Live In '65 & '68

Check back for more updates. We'll post more info as we sign new artists.

January 4, 2008- Jazz Icons Series 2 has been honored with a very prestigious award from France's Académie du Jazz (French Jazz Academy). The exact name of the award is : "Prix de la Meilleure Réédition ou du Meilleur Inédit privilégiant un Travail Editorial Exceptionnel" which can be translated into "Award of the best reissue or hitherto unreleased document of oustanding editorial value." (We like it better in French). This award is usually reserved for a classic CD re-issue and has never before been awarded to a video project. We are deeply honored.

December 16, 2007- Jazz Icons Series 2 was featured on CBS Morning News in a year-end wrap up of the best music DVDs by Bill Flanagan.

September 18, 2007- Click here to see photos from the Jazz Icons Series 2 launch at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

September 13, 2007- Jazz Icons Series 2 was featured on NPR's Morning Edition on Tuesday. Coltrane biographer Ashley Kahn spoke about the DVDs with Morning Edition host Renee Montagne. Visit the Jazz Icons series 2 website for more info.

August 31 , 2007- We are officially launching the new series at the Detroit Jazz Festival this weekend. Product will be in stores Tuesday, Sept. 4.

July 12, 2007- Read the official Jazz Icons Series 2 Press Release : Click HERE

July 9, 2007- View a PDF version of our new Series 2 brochure with comprehensive overviews of each title, including song lists, side musicians and liner notes writers: Click HERE

June 27 , 2007- Watch a special video preview of the second Jazz Icons series: Click HERE

June 18 , 2007- it's official, the lineup for Jazz Icons series 2 is:

• John Coltrane • Live in ’60, ’61 & ’65 (3 shows- Germany 1960, Germany 1961, Belgium 1965) 95 minutes
• Dave Brubeck • Live in ’64 & ’66 (2 shows- Belgium 1964, Germany 1966) 67 minutes
• Duke Ellington • Live in ’58 (1 show- Holland) 78 minutes
• Sarah Vaughan • Live in ’58 & ’64 (3 shows- Sweden 1958, Holland 1958, Sweden 1964) 65 minutes
• Dexter Gordon • Live in ’63 & ’64 (3 shows- Holland 1964, Switzerland 1963, Belgium 1964) 70 minutes
• Wes Montgomery • Live in ’65 (3 shows- Holland, Belgium, England) 78 minutes
• Charles Mingus • Live in ’64 (3 shows- Belgium, Norway, Sweden) 120 minutes

All seven titles will also be available in a boxed set with an exclusive bonus disc, not sold separately, of unreleased performances by John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan and Dexter Gordon.

This series is incredible, folks. We are so anxious for you to see this stuff. We believe it's every bit as strong as the first series and may be even stronger. We'll let you decide. More updates are coming. Check back and spread the word!

April 25, 2007- more tidbits :

• The newest artist that we have cleared is: Sarah Vaughan - Live In ’58 & ’63 (3 shows, 65 minutes).
• We found another incredible, unseen Wes Montgomery show from England which we'll be adding to that DVD, bringing that up to 3 shows at 85 minutes.
• Four titles from the 1st Jazz Icons series were selected by the prestigious French awards foundation The Victoires de la Musique for
  best jazz DVD releases in 2006:
  
  Ella Fitzgerald- Live in '57 & '63
  Thelonious Monk- Live in '66
  Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers- Live in '58
  Quincy Jones- Live in '60

April 5, 2007- We're still not ready to make our comprehensive announcement but we can sneak a few facts out about the second series:

• Our new partner is Naxos of America (the North American distributor of the first series). Naxos' deep belief in this project and their confident marketing campaign are the main reasons for the success of Jazz Icons. We are pleased and proud to be working with them on a global scale this time around.
• The second series will comprise 6 titles.
• The first three artists that we have cleared so far are: Charles Mingus- Live In ’64 (90 minutes, 2 shows with Eric Dolphy); Wes Montgomery- Live In ’65 (1 hour, 2 shows with 2 different groups) and Dexter Gordon- Live In ’63 & ’64 (70 minutes, 3 shows with 2 different groups).

March 23, 2007- We've been given the green light for a second series of Jazz Icons DVDs. Sadly, we won't be working with TDK this time, but our soon-to-be-announced new partner is on board and the next series, slated for release in early September, will feature a stellar lineup, rivalling (and possibly surpassing!) the first series. Stay tuned for a full-blown announcement in the coming weeks.

March 15, 2007- The Jazz Icons DVDs are now available at COSTCO for $14.99 each. Great price for gift-giving!

February 22, 2007- WNET (Channel 13/PBS- New York) along with other PBS affiliates nationwide aired the Ella Fitzgerald- Live In ’57 & ’63 program from the Jazz Icons DVD series.