Back in 1940, Keynote Recordings Inc. was a new, small and independent New York company with offices at 522 Fifth Ave., recently founded by Eric Bernay, the owner of a midtown Manhattan record store called The Music Room. Bernay was musically openminded and, looking for a place in the increasingly convulsed American record industry, he launched a catalog of varied music and performers.
The nature of Keynotes early releases stopped them reaching a broader market, but at the end of 1943 he took a decision that, for a while, helped move his business in the right direction: Keynote turned to jazz and for the following three and a half years built up a large 78 rpm record catalog of 10 and 12-inch albums which contributed greatly to documenting the jazz history of forties America.
Responsible for this impressive venture was an unlikely figure; a Javanese fan called Harry Lim. During this relatively short period he used his deep knowledge and great contacts to record some of the most celebrated jazz soloists and outstanding newcomers on the New York, Chicago and Los Angeles jazz scenesdiscs that rapidly became collectors items. This box set is a homage to Harry Lim, who made Keynote the legendary jazz label it is today.
Tracklist:
The Keynote Jazz Collection Vol. 5, 1944-1945
01 – Red Norvo’s All Star Septet: Russian Lullaby
02 – Red Norvo’s All Star Septet: I Got Rhythm
03 – Red Norvo’s All Star Septet: Sing Something Simple
04 – Coleman Hawkins Quintet: I’m Yours
05 – Coleman Hawkins Quintet: Under A Blanket Of Blue
06 – Coleman Hawkins Quintet: Beyond The Blue Horizon
07 – Coleman Hawkins Quintet: A Shanty In Old Shanty Town
08 – Charlie Shavers’ All American Five: My Man
09 – Charlie Shavers’ All American Five: El Salon de Gutbucket
10 – Charlie Shavers’ All American Five: Embraceable You
11 – Charlie Shavers’ All American Five: Undecided
12 – George Wettling’s New Yorkers: Home
13 – George Wettling’s New Yorkers: Too Marvelous For Words
14 – George Wettling’s New Yorkers: You Brought A New Kind Of Love To Me
15 – George Wettling’s New Yorkers: Somebody Loves Me
16 – Chubby Jackson and His Orchestra: Northwest Passage
17 – Chubby Jackson and His Orchestra: Cryin’ Sands
18 – Cozy Cole and His Orchestra: Lover Come Back To Me
19 – Cozy Cole and His Orchestra: Smiles
20 – Cozy Cole and His Orchestra: All Of Me
21 – Cozy Cole and His Orchestra: They Didn’t Believe Me
http://tinyurl.com/zh2xuc4
Visits: 4
Publication author
