The Latest News

September 16, 2009
Click here to see the overview of the full lineup.

August 11, 2009- SERIES 4 Re-announced!

Wow! What a summer. This series has been the most challenging to put together, yet one of the most rewarding with new relationships at the BBC and INA in France. As you can see from the last entry we've had to make a change in the lineup. Due to circumstances beyond our control we've had to hold back Max Roach for another series. The Erroll Garner material is stellar and we feel, more than makes up for the loss of Roach. Also, the Coleman Hawkins DVD has significantly changed with the video restoration of the 1962 concert earning it a spot on the main DVD.

Here are the titles, coming out in October of 2009:

• Coleman Hawkins- Live in '62 & '64- (w/ Sweets Edison and Jo Jones)
• Art Blakey- Live in '65- (w/ Freddie Hubbard)
• Erroll Garner - Live in '63 & '64
• Jimmy Smith- Live in '69
• Woody Herman- Live in '64
• Anita O'Day- Live In '63 & '70
• Art Farmer- Live In '64- (w/ Jim Hall)
• Boxed Set featuring bonus performances, including a half-hour Coleman Hawkins concert from London in 1966, with Benny Carter and Louie Bellson.
  

More info coming very soon!

April 16, 2009- SERIES 4 Announced!

We are very pleased to announce the lineup for Jazz Icons Series 4. There was much deliberation as to whether or not there would even be a new series this year, but we've thrown caution to the wind and have decided to do a little economic stimulation of our own.

Here are the titles, coming out in October of 2009:

• Coleman Hawkins- Live in '64- (w/ Sweets Edison)
• Art Blakey- Live in '65- (w/ Freddie Hubbard)
• Max Roach - Live in '68
• Jimmy Smith- Live in '65 & '69
• Woody Herman- Live in '64
• Anita O'Day- Live In '63 & '70
• Art Farmer- Live In '64- (w/ Jim Hall)
• Boxed Set featuring bonus performances, including a one-hour unseen Coleman Hawkins concert from the Adolphe Sax Festival in Belgium in 1962.
  

We will be announcing more details in the coming weeks as to song titles and sidemen. We are confident that this series continues the legacy of quality and commitment to excellence that has made the first three installments of Jazz Icons the most respected and critically-acclaimed DVD series in jazz history.

Your support has always been a big part of the success of this series and we once again ask for your help in spreading the word. Now more than ever, in these tough economic times, and with retail stores disappearing every day, your grassroots efforts help keep this series going.

April 24, 2008- Extensive overview of Series 3 is here.

April 12, 2008- Series 3 is locked up. Our final title is cleared:

• Oscar Peterson- Live In '63, '64 & '65

We're thrilled with all of the artists and the footage we've acquired is truly monumental. Now the task of production. We'll be posting more details about the shows and the sidemen in the coming weeks. We'll also be posting teaser clips over the next few months leading up to the September release. The bonus disc is filling up nicely as well so the box set will be an extraordinary value. Exciting stuff, people. Thank you for your support so we can keep producing these important DVDs.

March 25, 2008- Latest signings! Series 3 is turning out to be another stellar collection, worthy of the Jazz Icons name. Here are the two newest confirmed artists:

• Bill Evans- Live In '64-'75
• Cannonball Adderley- Live In '63

One more and we've sealed the deal for this year. Check back soon..

March 7, 2008- Jazz Icons Series 3 is officially in production! Series 3 will feature seven new titles plus an exclusive bonus disc for the boxed set just like Series 2, and is scheduled for a September release date. The four titles we have signed so far are:

• Sonny Rollins- Live In ’65 & ’68
• Rahsaan Roland Kirk- Live In '63 & '67
• Lionel Hampton- Live In '58
• Nina Simone- Live In '65 & '68

Check back for more updates. We'll post more info as we sign new artists.

January 4, 2008- Jazz Icons Series 2 has been honored with a very prestigious award from France's Académie du Jazz (French Jazz Academy). The exact name of the award is : "Prix de la Meilleure Réédition ou du Meilleur Inédit privilégiant un Travail Editorial Exceptionnel" which can be translated into "Award of the best reissue or hitherto unreleased document of oustanding editorial value." (We like it better in French). This award is usually reserved for a classic CD re-issue and has never before been awarded to a video project. We are deeply honored.

December 16, 2007- Jazz Icons Series 2 was featured on CBS Morning News in a year-end wrap up of the best music DVDs by Bill Flanagan.

September 18, 2007- Click here to see photos from the Jazz Icons Series 2 launch at the Detroit Jazz Festival.

September 13, 2007- Jazz Icons Series 2 was featured on NPR's Morning Edition on Tuesday. Coltrane biographer Ashley Kahn spoke about the DVDs with Morning Edition host Renee Montagne. Visit the Jazz Icons series 2 website for more info.

August 31 , 2007- We are officially launching the new series at the Detroit Jazz Festival this weekend. Product will be in stores Tuesday, Sept. 4.

July 12, 2007- Read the official Jazz Icons Series 2 Press Release : Click HERE

July 9, 2007- View a PDF version of our new Series 2 brochure with comprehensive overviews of each title, including song lists, side musicians and liner notes writers: Click HERE

June 27 , 2007- Watch a special video preview of the second Jazz Icons series: Click HERE

June 18 , 2007- it's official, the lineup for Jazz Icons series 2 is:

• John Coltrane • Live in ’60, ’61 & ’65 (3 shows- Germany 1960, Germany 1961, Belgium 1965) 95 minutes
• Dave Brubeck • Live in ’64 & ’66 (2 shows- Belgium 1964, Germany 1966) 67 minutes
• Duke Ellington • Live in ’58 (1 show- Holland) 78 minutes
• Sarah Vaughan • Live in ’58 & ’64 (3 shows- Sweden 1958, Holland 1958, Sweden 1964) 65 minutes
• Dexter Gordon • Live in ’63 & ’64 (3 shows- Holland 1964, Switzerland 1963, Belgium 1964) 70 minutes
• Wes Montgomery • Live in ’65 (3 shows- Holland, Belgium, England) 78 minutes
• Charles Mingus • Live in ’64 (3 shows- Belgium, Norway, Sweden) 120 minutes

All seven titles will also be available in a boxed set with an exclusive bonus disc, not sold separately, of unreleased performances by John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan and Dexter Gordon.

This series is incredible, folks. We are so anxious for you to see this stuff. We believe it's every bit as strong as the first series and may be even stronger. We'll let you decide. More updates are coming. Check back and spread the word!

April 25, 2007- more tidbits :

• The newest artist that we have cleared is: Sarah Vaughan - Live In ’58 & ’63 (3 shows, 65 minutes).
• We found another incredible, unseen Wes Montgomery show from England which we'll be adding to that DVD, bringing that up to 3 shows at 85 minutes.
• Four titles from the 1st Jazz Icons series were selected by the prestigious French awards foundation The Victoires de la Musique for
  best jazz DVD releases in 2006:
  
  Ella Fitzgerald- Live in '57 & '63
  Thelonious Monk- Live in '66
  Art Blakey & Jazz Messengers- Live in '58
  Quincy Jones- Live in '60

April 5, 2007- We're still not ready to make our comprehensive announcement but we can sneak a few facts out about the second series:

• Our new partner is Naxos of America (the North American distributor of the first series). Naxos' deep belief in this project and their confident marketing campaign are the main reasons for the success of Jazz Icons. We are pleased and proud to be working with them on a global scale this time around.
• The second series will comprise 6 titles.
• The first three artists that we have cleared so far are: Charles Mingus- Live In ’64 (90 minutes, 2 shows with Eric Dolphy); Wes Montgomery- Live In ’65 (1 hour, 2 shows with 2 different groups) and Dexter Gordon- Live In ’63 & ’64 (70 minutes, 3 shows with 2 different groups).

March 23, 2007- We've been given the green light for a second series of Jazz Icons DVDs. Sadly, we won't be working with TDK this time, but our soon-to-be-announced new partner is on board and the next series, slated for release in early September, will feature a stellar lineup, rivalling (and possibly surpassing!) the first series. Stay tuned for a full-blown announcement in the coming weeks.

March 15, 2007- The Jazz Icons DVDs are now available at COSTCO for $14.99 each. Great price for gift-giving!

February 22, 2007- WNET (Channel 13/PBS- New York) along with other PBS affiliates nationwide aired the Ella Fitzgerald- Live In ’57 & ’63 program from the Jazz Icons DVD series.