Customer Reviews

Black Legends Of Jazz: The Original Decca Recordings

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BLACK LEGENDS OF JAZZ is a two CD set packaged in a heavy paper slipcover very reminsicent of the type once used to house specialty multiple book sets. The 80-plus page booklet that's included is printed on matted heavyweight cream-colored paper, and has an intentional look of antiquity that is most appropos. This small tome provides a wealth of detail about performers and era.

The 40 songs of the collection, which spans DECCA's golden jazz age (1926-'59), are not in chronological or logical order. This is a hardship only if one is trying to study a year-by-year progression. Output level for all tracks is solid, remastering nothing less than superb. No heavy filtering here, no added echo or reprocessing of any kind. Source material is the best available.

DECCA's BLACK LEGENDS OF JAZZ is an absolutely great album. Highly recommended.

TOTAL RUNNING TIMES --
DISC ONE -- 61:32
DISC TWO -- 56:54

Decca has put together a wide range of early Jazz from a bunch of different artists; some with tracks you would not expect, which I suspect may have been intentional, the dates vary from 1929-1959, but the latter date is a bit misleading (see track list). There is no "modern" jazz here. It is also a self-admitted limited survey, due to the label. Men like Ben Webster and Johnny Hodges are not represented due to the fact that no solos from any Decca, or Decca owned subsidiary, were deemed proper examples of either. But what is included is always classic, even if not the most obvious candidate for the artist. Making up for any shortcomings in that regard is the 79 page booklet included, which is really half the presentation. Well done, informative, and richly packaged, it is a great companion to the disc, and a great gift idea for a jazz aficianado.