A Bountiful Month for Archival Releases

There is a bumper crop of reissued and never-before-issued jazz material arriving in music stores this month, much of it in the form of attractively packaged boxed sets. Here’s a rundown of a few of the important upcoming releases, each a classic, each an invaluable inclusion in anyone’s jazz collection:

* Aug. 24: “From Spirituals to Swing” (Vanguard). This three-CD box chronicles the extraordinary 1938 and 1939 Carnegie Hall jazz, blues and gospel concerts--the first of their kind at the venue. The astounding lineup of talent features, among others, the Count Basie Orchestra, Basie’s Kansas City Five (with Lester Young), the Benny Goodman Sextet (including Charlie Christian, Fletcher Henderson and Lionel Hampton), Meade Lux Lewis, Albert Ammons, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, James P. Johnson, Big Bill Broonzy, Jimmy Rushing, Joe Turner, Sonny Terry, the Golden Gate Quartet, Ida Cox and Helen Humes. Particularly intriguing are three tracks by a slightly larger Basie outfit, the Kansas City Six, issued here for the first time, featuring Christian and Young--two enormously important jazz icons--performing in the same ensemble. The set, remastered from mono tapes made from the 1938 and 1939 lacquer discs, includes 23 previously unissued tracks.

* Aug. 27: “The Prestige Records Story” (Prestige/Fantasy). From the moment it was founded by producer Bob Weinstock in 1949, Prestige was one of the most vital bop-oriented record labels. Its most musically productive years were the ‘50s and early ‘60s, but even after it moved in the direction of blues and soul music, Prestige continued to release exciting albums. This four-CD box--celebrating the company’s 50th anniversary with 50 selections--surveys the company’s far-reaching, improvisationally oriented sessions. Among the extraordinary array of artists: Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Wardell Gray and Annie Ross (with their respective versions of “Twisted”), James Moody and King Pleasure (with their versions of “I’m in the Mood for Love”), Lee Konitz, Thelonious Monk, Stan Getz, Milt Jackson, the Modern Jazz Quartet (with “Django”), Sonny Rollins (“St. Thomas”), John Coltrane, Gil Evans, Dexter Gordon, Illinois Jacquet, Mose Allison, Eric Dolphy, Shirley Scott, et al.

* Aug. 31: “Central Avenue Sounds: Jazz in Los Angeles (1921-1956)” (Rhino) is a four-CD collection designed to serve as an audio companion to the University of California book of the same name. The impressive line of performances offers convincing evidence of the powerful music that was being produced in the Southland long before (as well as during) the more visible West Coast jazz of the ‘50s. The selections reach from the ‘20s (Kid Ory, Jelly Roll Morton) to the ‘50s (Frank Morgan, Art Tatum, Gerald Wiggins). In between, there are tracks from Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Duke Ellington (“Jump for Joy”), Nat Cole, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, Ernie Andrews, Benny Carter, Gerald Wilson, Dexter Gordon, Lucky Thompson, Charles Mingus, Wardell Gray and numerous others.

Listening Post: Guitarist Lee Ritenour, who performs tonight at the Long Beach Jazz Festival, has had classical music on his mind lately. Why? Because he is actively considering putting together a jazz-classical crossover recording with longtime associate Dave Grusin. Here’s a sample of what’s been in his CD player:

* “One of the first things I turned to was the complete collection of Bill Evans on Verve. You know, that expensive multi-CD set in the funky metal box. There’s some great stuff in there, of course. Lately I’ve been listening to some of the trio stuff with Monty Budwig and Shelly Manne. But my primary interest was to see what a jazz artist like Bill did with a similar crossover project when he worked with arranger Claus Ogerman.”

* “I’ve also been listening to CDs with the music of Villa-Lobos and Rodrigo. We’re thinking about doing the Adagio from Rodrigo’s ‘Fantasia para un Gentilhombre,’ and I’m also checking out the Kathleen Battle version of Bachianas Brasileiras and a Segovia recording of various Villa-Lobos pieces.”

* “Speaking of Bill Evans, I found this really interesting piece by a Spanish composer, Federico Mompou, who wrote primarily for piano. There’s a piano composition I’m considering doing that he wrote in 1924, and it sounds like the most modern Bill Evans you can imagine.”

* “And, of course, I always seem to have some Wes Montgomery floating in and out. I usually tend to keep one of his albums in the CD-ROM in my computer when I’m working at the desk, and ‘Live at the Half Note’ is the current choice.”

Festival Track: A veritable cornucopia of contemporary jazz will resonate through Rainbow Lagoon Park in downtown Long Beach this weekend at the 12th annual, party-time Long Beach Jazz Festival. Tonight’s opening night performance highlights Lee Ritenour, Chuck Mangione and Norman Brown. Saturday’s all-day program includes Arturo Sandoval, Kirk Whalum, Everett Harp, Oscar Brown Jr. and others. And Sunday’s schedule showcases Poncho Sanchez, Joe Sample with Lala Hathaway, Diane Schuur and others. Admission ranges from $30 for lawn seating to $135 for VIP tickets. Information: (562) 436-7794.

The sixth annual Idyllwild Jazz in the Pines takes place Aug. 28 and 29 in the picturesque mountain community. Featured performers on the Aug. 28 program are Lee Ritenour, Rickey Woodard, India, Billy Mitchell and others; on the Aug. 29 program, Poncho Sanchez headlines, with Lori Andrews, Doug MacDonald and Dave Pike. The program features simultaneous music at three venues on the campus of the Idyllwild Arts Academy. Ticket information: (888) 386-8497 or on the festival’s Web site, https://www.idyllwildjazz.com. Prices are $20 per person per day until Aug. 20; after that date, $25 per day.

Tickets for the 17th annual San Francisco Jazz Festival went on sale this week. The event runs from Oct. 20 through Nov. 6 at Masonic Auditorium, Grace Cathedral, the Paramount, the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium and other locations around the city. Among the featured artists are Shirley Horn, Jackie McLean, Steve Lacy, Etta James, Chick Corea with Gary Burton, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, the Gerald Wilson and Louis Bellson orchestras and numerous other performers. Tickets are available in the festival’s new location at 3 Embarcadero Center on the Lobby Level. Tickets can also be purchased (with service charge) by phone at (415) 776-1999 and on the festival’s Web site, https://www.sfjazzfest.org. Prices range from free to $60. Information: (415) 788-7353.