JAZZ CLASSIC OF THE MONTH
One of the most remarkable reissues ever put out was the 21-LP box set The Complete Keynote Collection. Originally a folk music company founded by Erik Bernay, producer Harry Lim (who decades later ran the Famous Door label) took it over and during 1943-48 recorded a very large assortment of mostly small group swing sessions, also including some Dixieland and early bebop. Lim managed to get nearly every top swing soloist into the studios, mostly letting them play whatever they wanted. His roster of immortals included Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Dinah Washington, Charlie Shavers, Earl Hines, Rex Stewart, Red Norvo, Jonah Jones, Irving Fazola, Bud Freeman, Benny Carter, and on and on.
Some bad luck and unfortunate business decisions resulted in Lim selling Keynote to the Mercury label in 1948 and many of the sessions going out of print although some were reissued in piecemeal fashion through the years.
In 1986, all of the music (334 performances including 115 that were not released before and all of the existing alternate takes) came out on this unbeatable box set. As if to say that there was more music than one could possibly consume, the 21 LPs are joined by a 45 RPM single that has an extra recording by pianist Lennie Tristano.
The Complete Keynote Collection will not be inexpensive to acquire, but it is certainly worth it for collectors of small group 1940s swing.
The Complete Keynote Collection
Keynote SNP 1050
