Results for Jazz at the Philharmonic
On this page:
 
Artist:

Jazz at the Philharmonic

  • Genre: Jazz
  • Active: '40s - '80s

Biography

In 1944, producer Norman Granz organized a concert billed as "Jazz at the Philharmonic" (also JATP) as a fundraiser in Los Angeles. The event, which was recorded, featured Illinois Jacquet, Jack McVea, J.J. Johnson, Shorty Sherock, and a rhythm section with Nat King Cole and Les Paul; Jacquet's playing in particular caused a bit of a sensation. After a few more similar events, Granz in 1946 began organizing extensive annual tours using classic swing and bop musicians in a jam-session setting. Although some critics often complained that these events encouraged grandstanding (R&B honking was getting popular during the era), a great deal of rewarding and exciting music resulted, and Granz recorded (and later released) much of it on his Verve label. He paid his musicians very well and did his best to fight racism every bit of the way. Among JATP's stars through the years were tenors Flip Phillips (whose solo on "Perdido" became famous), Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Ben Webster, and Stan Getz; trumpeters Roy Eldridge, Charlie Shavers, Dizzy Gillespie, and Harry "Sweets" Edison; trombonists Bill Harris and Tommy Turk; altoists Charlie Parker, Willie Smith, and Benny Carter; pianists Hank Jones and Oscar Peterson; a variety of bassists (often Ray Brown); and drummers Louie Bellson, Gene Krupa, and Buddy Rich. Ella Fitzgerald started touring with JATP early on, usually having her own separate set and joining in on a finale, and later tours often also included performances by regular groups such as the Oscar Peterson Trio, Gene Krupa's combo, Stuff Smith, or Lester Young. After 1957, the annual tours stopped, although there was an attempt to revive JATP in 1967; and Granz kept the spirit of Jazz at the Philharmonic alive on his many jam session-type records for Pablo in the 1970s. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide

Representative Songs:

"Oh, Lady Be Good," "How High the Moon," "Body and Soul"

Representative Albums:

Bird & Pres, J.A.T.P. in Tokyo, Bird & Pres: The '46 Concerts

Similar Artists:

The Lighthouse All-Stars, Newport All Stars, Pablo All-Stars, Concord All Stars
 
 
Wikipedia: Jazz at the Philharmonic

Jazz at the Philharmonic (or JATP) was the title of a series of concerts and recordings produced by Norman Granz. The first concert was held in 1944 in Los Angeles, and featured Illinois Jacquet, Jack McVea, J. J. Johnson, Shorty Sherock, Nat King Cole, and Les Paul; Jacquet in particular created a sensation.

After a few more similar concerts in Los Angeles Granz began producing annual tours in 1946. These featured Swing and bop musicians playing in small groups. There were among the first high-profile performances to feature racially integrated bands, and Granz cancelled some bookings rather than have the musicians perform for segregated audiences.

Jazz at the Philharmonic featured most of the era's preeminent musicians: Louie Bellson, Ray Brown, Benny Carter, Harry "Sweets" Edison, Roy Eldridge, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Bill Harris, Coleman Hawkins, Illinois Jacquet, Hank Jones, Gene Krupa, Charlie Parker, Oscar Peterson, Flip Phillips, Buddy Rich, Charlie Shavers, Willie Smith, Tommy Turk, Ben Webster, and Lester Young, among others.

Grantz recorded many of these concerts (though by no means all) and leased them to Mercury Records and later released them on Clef and Verve, at the time, his own labels. JATP ceased touring the United States in 1957, but continued intermittently in Europe and Japan for another decade. Many jazz enthusiasts gain pleasure from the concert recordings, but the events have often been criticised over the years for their perceived raucousness, lack of subtlety and the inappropriate matching of musicians for the sake of a star-filled bill.

In the 1970s, Granz kept the spirit of the JATP alive on his many jam session-type records for his label Pablo.

Recordings held by Verve Records of the first five years of JATP have been issued in a 10 CD set, and less comprehensively by (unlicensed) European labels. Later concerts have surfaced on CD in a more haphazard way.

JATP recordings

Note: Search concord records for "J.A.T.P." artist, to find CD reeditions of JATP Pablo recordings.


 
 

Join the WikiAnswers Q&A community. Post a question or answer questions about "Jazz at the Philharmonic" at WikiAnswers.

 

Copyrights:

Artist. Copyright © 2008 All Media Guide, LLC. Content provided by All Music Guide ® , a trademark of All Media Guide, LLC. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Jazz at the Philharmonic" Read more

Search for answers directly from your browser with the FREE Answers.com Toolbar!  
Click here to download now. 

Get Answers your way! Check out all our free tools and products.

On this page:   E-mail   print Print  Link  

 

Keep Reading

Mentioned In: