4 CD. Norman Granz, uno dei più grandi produttori jazz, aveva creato la Verve attorno alla figura di Ella Fitzgerald. Ma, a parte la straordinaria cantante, aveva un rooster splendido di artisti jazz, che aveva per lo più scoperto lui stesso:: Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, Billie Holiday, Coleman Hawkins, Gerry Mulligan, Art Tatum, Mel Torme, Count Basie, Bud Powell, Lester Young, Herb Ellis, Oscar Peterson e molti altri. Questa collezione di quattro CD presenta il meglio delle registrazioni in studio, ma anche dal vivo, le jam sessions ed altre chicche create dal grande Norman Granz.

Un disco di piano, solo strumentale, non è certamente quello che ci si aspetta da uno come Daniel Lanois. Invece il musicista e produttore ha fatto una cosa diversa ma anche decisamente personale. Un disco nato dai suoi viaggi, dalle frequentazioni con artisti come Bob Dylan, Brian Eno, Emmylou Harris, Robbie Robertson, Peter Gabriel, Neil Young. Un disco dove l'immaginazione e la sua voglia di esplorare la musica vanno ben oltre quanto era stato fatto in passato. Un disco dalle tonalità cinematografiche dove la musica contemporanea si mischia alle sonorità cameristiche del passato.

Con Dianne Reeves, John Scofield, Jackie Terrasson, Cassandra Wilson, Holly Cole, Kurt Elling, Ron Carter e molti altri

CD1: Recorded at Systems Two Recording Studio, Brooklyn, NY on April 24-27, 1997 and June 9, 10 & 18, 1997. Mixed August 1997 at Systems Two Recording Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

CD2: Recorded at Systems Two Recording Studio, Brooklyn, NY on March 7-10, 1997. Additional recording at Studio Acousti in Paris, France on November 18, 1996. Mixed August 1997 at Systems Two Recording Studio in Brooklyn, NY.

Mastered at Sterling Sound, NYC on August 18, 1997.

? 1997 BMG France © 1997 BMG France.
Manufactured and distributed by BMG Entertainment, New York, NY
Made in USA
Printed in USA

1989. Raccolta di cantanti blues e jazz come Leadbelly, Louis Armstrong, Mildred Bailey, Fats Waller, Little Richard e molti altri.

Recorded during actual performances at Birdhouse, Chicago, IL on May 15, 1961.


96 kHz, 24-bit digital transfer

? 2002 The Verve Music Group. © 2002 The Verve Music Group, a division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Made in the EU.

The Black Hawk, San Francisco, CA in 1953 (tracks 8 to 14).
San Francisco, CA in 1955 (tracks 6, 7).

Tracks 1 to 7 originally released as [r=5328718]; tracks 8 to 14 on The Charlie Mariano Sextet (Fantasy 3-224).

Additonal info (tracks 6, 7) taken from online discography at jazzdisco (.org).

Total time: 69:06

Remastering, 2000 - Joe Tarantino (Fantasy Studios, Berkeley).

The Mariano cuts are in stereo.

? & © 2001 Fantasy, Inc.

Printed in U.S.A.

5CD. Recorded at Lockenhaus Festival
CD 1: 2001 and 2008
CD 2/3: 1984 / 1981 and 1982
CD 4/5: 1985 and 1986

An ECM Production

? 1985, 1988, 2011 ECM Records GmbH (on box backside and in booklet)
© 2011 ECM Records GmbH
? 2011 ECM Records GmbH (on disc 1)
? 1985 ECM Records GmbH (on discs 2 and 3)
? 1988 ECM Records GmbH (on discs 4 and 5)

Recorded at Loho Studios, Sound Dimensions, Chez Lucas and National Taiwan University, Taipei.

This compilation ? & © 1998 PolyGram Records, Inc.

Discs one and two present vocal interpretations of classic Mercer songs while disc three provides instrumental versions.

These three discs were originally issued and are still available as individual CDs:
Blues in the Night: The Johnny Mercer Songbook 314 553 268-2
Trav'lin' Light: The Johnny Mercer Songbook 314 555 402-2
Too Marvelous for Words: The Johnny Mercer Songbook 314 557 140-2

Disc One: Total playing time: 58:07
This compilation ? & © 1997 PolyGram Records, Inc.
Mastered at PolyGram Studios
Special thanks to Richard Cook, Deborah Hay, Malcolm Laycock, Steve Voce, the Institute of Jazz Studies, and the staff at PolyGram Studios

1-1. Recorded October 14, 1957 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
1-2. Recorded September 3, 1954 in Los Angeles
1-3. Recorded April 6, 1959 in Los Angeles
1-4. Recorded April 23, 28, or 29, 1959 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood
1-5. Recorded February 9, 1950 at United Recorders, Hollywood
1-6. Recorded January 5, 1956 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
1-7. Recorded October 20, 1964 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood
1-8. Recorded July 16, 1952 at Radio Recorders, Los Angeles
1-9. Recorded between July 18 and 21, 1963 at Tivoli Garden, Copenhagen
1-10. Recorded July 7, 1952 in New York City
Instrumental introduced in 1948 by Woody Herman; vocal version introduced on this recording
Courtesy of Discovery Records
1-11. Recorded in 1959 at Fine Recording, New York City
1-12. Recorded August 25, 1987 at Clinton Recording Studio, New York City
1-13. Recorded May 8, 1987 at Vine St. Bar and Grill, Hollywood
1-14. Recorded December 8, 9, or 10, 1992 at Plus XXX Studios, Paris
(orig. Les Feuilles Mortes) Instrumental theme introduced in 1946 in the film "Les Portes de la Nuit"; vocal version introduced in 1947 by Yves Montand
1-15. Recorded January 8, 1957 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
1-16. Recorded June 11, 1956 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood

Disc Two: Total playing time: 53:32
This compilation ? & © 1998 PolyGram Records, Inc.
Mastered at PolyGram Studios
Special thanks to Campbell Burnap, Richard Cook, Deborah Hay, Steve Voce, the Institute of Jazz Studies, and the staff at PolyGram Studios

2-1. Recorded October 21, 1964 at Radio Recorders, Hollywood
2-2. Recorded December 15, 1963 at A&R Studios, New York City
2-3. Recorded September 3, 1954 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
2-4. Recorded January 5, 1956 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
2-5. Recorded February 15, 1960 at United Recorders, Hollywood
2-6. Recorded October 20, 1964 at Radio Recorders studio 10-H, Hollywood
2-7. Recorded August 3, 1954 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
2-8. Recorded June 4, 1962 probably at Webster Hall, New York City
2-9. Recorded October 7, 1946 at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles
Transferred from a disc source. Surface noise is audible.
2-10. Recorded December 1964 at United Recorders, Hollywood
2-11. Recorded December 23, 1965 in New York City
This is a French song Mercer adapted, his English lyrics replacing the original ones. The music is by Michel Legrand, and the original lyrics were by Eddie Marnay. Its French title is "La Valse des Lilas".
2-12. Recorded February 1952 in Los Angeles
2-13. Recorded October 12, 1962 in New York City
2-14. Recorded October 17 or 18, 1986 at Media Sound Studio, New York City
2-15. Recorded March 20, 1957 in London
2-16. Recorded July 31, August 1 or 2, 1991 at BMG Studios, New York City

Disc Three: Total playing time: 72:42
This compilation ? & © 1998 PolyGram Records, Inc.
Mastered at PolyGram Studios
Special thanks to Jim Davis, Dave Gelly, Deborah Hay, Johnny Pate, Phil Schaap, Cynthia Sesso, Steve Voce, the Institute of Jazz Studies, and the staff at PolyGram Studios

3-1. Recorded July 30, 1953 at Fulton Studio, New York City
3-2. Recorded July 25 or 27, 1960 in Hollywood
3-3. Recorded September 17, 1949 in New York City
3-4. Recorded February 3, 1965 at Van Gelder Recording Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey
3-5. Recorded probably May 1, 1969 at Webster Hall, New York City
3-6. Recorded September 20, 1954 at Fine Sound, New York City
3-7. Recorded April 5, 1958 in New York City
3-8. Recorded July 27, 1954 at Universal Recording Studios, Chicago
3-9. Recorded October 16, 1957 at Capitol Studios, Hollywood
3-10. Recorded February 6, 1964 at A&R Studios, New York City
3-11. Recorded April 10, 1952 in Paris
3-12. Recorded probably November 10 or 13, 1970 at MPS-Studio, Villingen, Germany
3-13. Recorded August 1991 at Sigma Sound, New York City
3-14. Recorded January 20, 21, or 22, 1961 at The Summit, Hollywood
3-15. Recorded November 13, 1966 at Salle Pleyel, Paris
3-16. Recorded April 21, 1968 at the Left Bank Jazz Society, Baltimore

Some of these tracks were transferred from disc sources. Surface noise is audible.

Recorded at Systems Two Studios in December 1999

Recorded November 19 and 25, 1987

?1989 Soul Note / ? 1989 Soulnote

Made in Italy by PhonoComp

Mixed and mastered by Jim Fox at LION and FOX recording studios, Washington DC. Produced and arranged by Marcus Urani and Harrison Stafford. Additional intro and groove arrangements by Leroy "Horsemouth" Wallace. Executive produced by Jonathan McDonald.