Verve recommendation

[mlsstl]

This recommendation is aimed at those people who like jazz but don't have a big collection. (The rabid jazz collector is likely to already have most of this.)

A couple of years back, Verve Records released a four CD collection called "A Night Out With Verve." It is a rather eclectic compilation of instrumental and vocal material that spans a number of decades. Count Basie, Marlena Shaw, Billie Holliday, John Coltrane and bunches more. The audio quality is just stunning - some absolutely wonderful "in the room" recordings. The neat thing is you can find this on Amazon for under $20 new for the whole set. I actually picked it up used in a local record store a couple of months back and it has been one of my favorites since.

[PeruvianSkies]

Is Richard Ashcroft on it? Just kidding. Verve. Get it.

[Woochifer]

Good find! Verve has a solid history of putting out budget priced compilations to try and stir up interest in their jazz catalog, and paying attention to the sound quality in the process.

Even before Universal Music combined their jazz holdings under the Verve label, they've done a great job at taking care of and packaging their releases. They have the combined libraries of Verve, GRP, and Impulse! Records. GRP used to be an independent contemporary jazz label known for their production quality, and one of the early labels to embrace the then-new CD format. When MCA (Universal) acquired GRP, they moved their jazz releases under the GRP umbrella, and have done well with their remastering and catalog releases.

Some of Verve's more interesting compilations were their Remixed/Unmixed releases. On the Remixed compilations, Verve turned some of their choice tracks over to hip-hop and electronica remix producers and let them loose. The Remixed series was priced as a regular CD, but Verve simultaneously released budget priced Unmixed CDs featuring the original versions. I'd seen the Unmixed CDs sell for as little as $5, and double Remixed/Unmixed CD packs selling for under $20. A lot of good remixes in that series, and a very creative way of introducing classic jazz tracks to a new audience.