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Product Description
Contents Introduction Ultra-Vybe presents a recommended jazz campaign! "Amazing!! JAZZ Modern Jazz - Bethlehem Edition" is underway!! You're sure to find jazz masterpieces you've never heard of! Featuring classics and popular albums that have been passed down through generations of jazz fans, such as Mal Waldron's "Left Alone," Zoot Sims' "Down Home," Chris Connor's "Birdland Lullaby," and Mel Torm?'s "At the Crescendo," 62 representative titles + 2 compilation titles from Bethlehem, the label that built the golden age of modern jazz, are now available at a campaign-exclusive price, featuring newly written liner notes and 2024 digital remastering! [Campaign Overview] Period: May 28, 2024 (Tue) - September 1, 2024 (Sun) Special introductory price only during the campaign period Newly digitally remastered in 2024 Includes new Japanese liner notes (liner notes by Kazunori Harada and Keizo Takada) Includes bonus tracks with English lyrics Uses original jacket [Manufacturer Bonus] Coaster *Bonus items are available while supplies last. The kangaroo jacket is also outstanding and unforgettable once you see it. A representative work by a hidden gem of a band from the Bethlehem label that stood out in the 1950s jazz scene. Enjoy the three elements of chamber music-like arrangements, stylish song selection, and sophisticated improvisational solos. [TRACKLIST] 1. Left Alone (Mono) 2. Catwalk (Mono) 3. You Who Don't Know Love (Mono) 4. Minor Pulsation (Mono) 5. Airgin (Mono) 6. In Memory of Billie Holiday (Mono) 7. Left Alone (Stereo) 8. Catwalk (Stereo) 9. You Who Don't Know Love (Stereo) 10. Minor Pulsation (Stereo) 11. Airgin (Stereo) 12. In Memory of Billie Holiday (Stereo) Personnel: Dick Healy (as, fl, cl, b), Errol Badl (bassoon, ts), Bryce Lord (p), Jack Brockensha (vib), Jimmy Gannon (b), John Fawcett (b), Nick Stabulas (ds) Recording year: January 1956 Bethlehem Records, which originated in New York City on the East Coast of the United States, established an office in Los Angeles on the West Coast within its second year of operation, and began releasing music from Cincinnati, Ohio in the Midwest in the late 1950s. In Japan, domestic releases began in 1957 by King Records, with little delay. King Records was quite aggressive at the time, releasing not only Bethlehem but also the latest modern jazz albums from Atlantic and Riverside labels under the title "American Jazz Series." From 1959, the distributor changed to Toshiba Music Industries, and in the summer of 1961, "Left Alone" was released domestically for the first time. Prestige Records began being released by Victor Entertainment in 1960, and the now exceptionally popular Blue Note Records began appearing as imported albums with Japanese specifications from Toshiba Music Industries in 1967 (sold with an obi strip and Japanese liner notes added to the American release), which shows how early Bethlehem was introduced in Japan. Since the 1970s, Bethlehem Records' works have continued to be reissued and cherished, passed down through generations, with various labels including Polydor, CBS Sony, Trio Records, Nippon Columbia, Toshiba EMI, Victor Entertainment, and the current Ultra-Vybe. Bethlehem's works represent a captivating baton passed down from generations of jazz fans to the next. The label's founder was a Swiss-born man named Gustav ?gGus?h Wildi. Looking at the initial single release lineup, it seems their primary goal was to enter the pop market. One of their earliest exclusive singers was Chris Connor, who had experience in jazz orchestras such as those of Stan Kenton and Claude Thornhill, but she was given a pop/novelty-oriented path. However, Creed Taylor, a rising producer who joined in 1954, objected. ?gWhy not sing the songs you want to sing, in a jazz setting??h The result of this success was the 10-inch (25cm) LP "Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland," which sold approximately 20,000 copies (an exceptional hit considering the LP market at the time), leading Bethlehem to shift towards a jazz-focused direction. While Taylor was showcasing his keen talent in New York, a producer named Red Clyde at the West Coast branch was recording talented West Coast jazz musicians that established labels like Pacific Jazz and Contemporary hadn't yet worked with, and also signed a major male singer, Mel Torm?. This completed Bethlehem's direction, which was "strong in both instrumental and vocal music." Since then, with producers such as Lee Kraft and Teddy Charles (who is also a vibraphonist), he has continued to create works with a diverse lineup that includes vocals, instrumental performances, Black artists, white artists, young artists, veterans, orchestras, combos (small bands), cool and sophisticated music, funky and soulful music, and (though not included in this lineup) UK jazz. It was Bethlehem Records that first recognized the talents of Nina Simone, Bob Dorough, and Carmen McRae and produced their debut albums; that they employed up-and-coming John Coltrane and Bill Evans in several sessions; that they released a jazz album by John (Towner) Williams (who visited Japan last year for the first time in 30 years), who would later achieve great success in the field of film music such as "E.T." and "Star Wars"; and that they released the unique album "Presents," in which the orchestra led by the great composer Duke Ellington played standard numbers?all at Bethlehem. For album cover production, they employed a wealth of talented individuals, including Bert Goldblatt, who handled photography, drawing, and design. Their selection of recording engineers also showed keen taste, including craftsmen like Johnny Cue and Val Valentin, Rudy Van Gelder before he became a legend, Peter Ind, who also gained fame as a bassist, and Tom Dowd, who later achieved success in the field of rock. I can't fully grasp how much influence owner Wildey had on the content, but it's clear he didn't have a particular jazz style he favored. In any case, Bethlehem Records packages every jazz style up to around 1960 in a remarkably tasteful way. Despite the wide variety, Bethlehem's items share a common thread: they're "unpretentious," "poppy and light." Furthermore, even though the musicians and staff are jazz experts, there's no pretentious "look at me!" attitude. The fun, enjoyment, and depth of jazz resonate effortlessly through the performance, song selection, and album artwork. It's, in a sense, "top-notch casualness." It's easy to imagine how Bethlehem has broadened the base of jazz fans over the past few decades. The use of sampling material and the terms "spiritual" and "modal" likely originated later, from the late 1960s onwards. Considering this, I think Bethlehem might be a somewhat distant world for today's young jazz fans. However, I want to assure you that it's a path that anyone who loves jazz will eventually take. The era in which Bethlehem operated was also the golden age of mid-century culture. The "sloping-shoulder jazz" that this label released is surely an "icon of the era" that can be mentioned alongside Eames chairs, Saul Bass title designs, and Levi's 501XX. Now, in this age of 100-year lifespans, the day is gradually approaching when jazz fans of all generations can talk about Bethlehem, the "holy land of jazz," and say, "Ah, that's great." Media reviews and more The kangaroo jacket, which you won't forget once you see it, is also excellent. A representative work by a hidden gem of a band from the Bethlehem label that stood out in the 1950s jazz scene. You can enjoy the three elements of chamber music-like arrangements, stylish song selection, and sophisticated improvised solos. (C)RS