Black jazz Records Catalog

(This image is on B92.fm)

Black jazz Records Catalog

Black Jazz Records Checklist

Black Jazz Records Checklist
compiled by François Ziegler
May 1998  (last update: June 1998)
with help from Michael Fitzgerald.
Please note:
This is not a sales catalog, it's a research help for discographers.

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BJQD	ARTIST	TITLE	REC.
1	Gene Russell	New Direction	c.71
2	Walter Bishop, Jr.	Coral Keys	71
3	Doug Carn	Infant Eyes	71
4	Rudolph Johnson	Spring Rain	71
5	Calvin Keys	Shawn-Neeq
6	Chester Thompson	Powerhouse
7	Henry Franklin	The Skipper	71
8	Doug Carn	Spirit Of The New Land	72
9	The Awakening	Hear, Sense And Feel	72
10	Gene Russell	Talk To My Lady	c.72-73
11	Rudolph Johnson	The Second Coming	73
12	Kellee Patterson	Maiden Voyage
13
14	Walter Bishop, Jr.	Keeper Of My Soul	73
15	The Awakening	Mirage	73
16	Doug Carn	Revelation	73
17	Henry Franklin	The Skipper At Home	74
18	Calvin Keys	Proceed With Caution!
19	Roland Haynes	The Second Wave
20	Cleveland Eaton	Plenty Good Eaton	c.75
21	Doug Carn	Adams Apple	c.73

Label established in 1971 by Gene Russell in Glenview, Illinois.

Please send comments, additions, corrections to the jazzlabel's mailing list, or directly to jazzlabels@jazzdiscography.com.

Wikipedia

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
Black Jazz Records::

Black Jazz Records was a jazz record label founded in Oakland, California during the early 1970s by jazz pianist Gene Russell.
Russell founded the label as an alterative to traditional jazz invoking a more political and spiritual tone often with funk overtones. Black Jazz released various types of music including, funk, free jazz and soul jazz. According to a 1974 Billboard Magazine, one of the label's more successful artists, Doug Carn, sold more records than Dave Brubeck and Ramsey Lewis. The label existed for six years during its first run and ended following the death of Russell.
In the early 1990s the label and its catalog were purchased by James Hardge. While only one new album by Doud Carn was released, the entire catalog was reissued on CD. While for a time the label maintained a website and purported to offer items for sale, there were numerous problems with customers not receiving their merchandise. Evidence of this can be found in complaints submitted to complaints.com, ripoffreport.com and other websites. As of January 2009, the Black Jazz website is no longer active. Their My Space page is still available, but no items are currently being offered for sale. Due to this situation, the catalog is once again rather hard to obtain. Hopefully a better distribution arrangement will make these titles available again sometime in the future.

update 15/01/09

JazzWax

JazzWax
Marc Myers blogs daily on significant jazz artists and recordings
Doug and Jean Carn November 30, 2007

James Hardge, president of the company that now owns the Black Jazz catalog, picks up the story on the company's website:

"In 1986 I began my quest to own and reactivate Black Jazz Records. I knew that the original owner had passed, so I set out to bring Black Jazz Records to life. It was on my mind 24 hours a day, I was constantly thinking how I could acquire the iconic label.

I moved from my home in Oakland, California to Atlanta and opened Red Beans and Rice Records in 1992. While in business, this beautiful young lady walked in the store and began browsing through the albums. While browsing she came across the album Infant Eyes. She walked to the counter and said, 'That’s me.'

I responded in question and she identified herself as the baby in the album cover picture. She also noted that her mother and father were also in the picture. What a shock! Actually meeting the daughter of Doug and Jean Carn. When I asked if her father was still living, she said 'Yes, and he’s currently living in Florida.'

She gave me his telephone number, and I called a week later to find the number no longer in service. I never saw the young lady again after our encounter.

A year later a freak accident happened. A car ran through my store doing 50 MPH, damaging the building severely. It forced me to relocate the business across town, which turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me!

My employee received a call from a gentleman who said he was the owner of Black Jazz. I immediately returned the call and asked him his intentions. He asked if I knew of a label that was interested in reissuing the titles from the Black Jazz’s catalog.

I responded that I was; I also asked him if he was interested in selling the label. He responded 'Possibly.' I asked him where he was currently living, and the location he told me was less than two blocks away from my store. What a coincidence!

A month later he informed me that he was interested in selling the label. We worked out a deal, and a month after that I was the proud owner of Black Jazz Records. Keeping the tradition alive and keeping it in black hands.

It is now my intent to reactivate Black Jazz Records to reissue all of the catalog albums domestically and internationally on CD and vinyl, and to sign and record new and established recording artists whose musical direction is consistent with the spirit of positively and African-American Awareness through music."

The prices of Black Jazz albums at the site are beyond fantastic. Album downloads are $8.50 each, and the CDs are $13,98 apiece. And the fidelity is stunning.

See and hear for yourself. To access the Black Jazz site, click here.

But now we can not access the web site, it has gone...
And at Amazon.com, most are import and more than 40 dollars now. Where has this label gone? Does anyone know that?
Anyway this interview was after Rip-off Report by Connie.

Rate Your Music

Rate Your Music:
Label: Black Jazz Records::

Abbreviated as Black Jazz
Formed 1971
Glenview, IL, United States
Current Address P.O. Box 71204
Oakland, CA, United States
94612-7304
Phone 510-452-5299
Web http://www.myspace.com/blackjazzrecords
Distributed by Ovation Records [1971-76]
Founded by Gene Russell
History Black Jazz originally was only in business from 1971 to 1976 when it closed on the death of its founder, pianist Gene Russell. In the 1990s, James Hardge purchased the catalog and began reissuing the material on both vinyl and CD. Eventually the operation switched to being a distributor of mp3s before closing again.

Rip-off Report

Rip-off Report:
Report: #190236 : Black Jazz Records::

Category: Corrupt Companies
Black Jazz Records I ordered a cd from them and a cap to wear on your head. I ordered these items on the 19th of april. To this date I have not received the items. I have called them several times to inquire about the items and I have sent them two emails and they will not respond. It is now where I am having paypal to investigate this matter since they are the ones that handles the account for them. Ripoff Oakland California
*Consumer Suggestion ..paypal and ebay
Black Jazz Records
Phone: 510-452-5299
Fax:
blackjazz@mindspring.com
Oakland, California, 94612-7304
U.S.A.

Connie
Orlando, Florida
Submitted: 5/6/2006 8:55:00 AM
Modified: 5/28/2006 2:59:54 PM

I ordered a cd and a cap for the head from them on 4/19/2006. I have called to get the status on my order several times and have left my name confirmation number and phone number for them to call me. I haven't gotten a response yet. I have also sent them 2 emails requesting status and the company will not respond to emails either. I don't believe this is a respectable company that should be selling merchandise over the web when they will not respond to customers that are supporting them.

Connie
Orlando, Florida
U.S.A.

Complaints.com

Complaints.com - Consumers in Control:
Black Jazz Reccords: I have not received my order::

Black Jazz Reccords
Oakland, Ca 94612-7304
US
www.blackjazz.com

Black Jazz Records I ordered a cd on their website and I have not received the items.I have sent them 4 emails and they will never respond.

From: Message Author (click here to email author)
Date: Friday, 07-Nov-08 07:12:57 CST