Guide to Verve Records (Jazz Label Guide No. 7; Episode 368)

The series of videos focusing on individual jazz record labels continues with a seventh episode. In this instalment Allan discusses Verve Records, the landmark jazz label created by Norman Granz out of the whirlwind of Jazz At The Philharmonic, which championed the giants of mid-century jazz and lit the bossa nova touchpaper in the 1960s under Creed Taylor. Plus attention to Verve's precursor labels Clef and Norgran, and the usual tips for new collectors.
00:00:08 Part 1: Introduction
00:04:02 Part 2: Norman Granz's early years
00:08:44 Part 3: Jazz At The Philharmonic
00:13:53 Part 4: Clef and Norgran 1953-56
00:18:08 Part 5: Verve: the Granz years 1956-61
00:21:50 Part 6: Verve: the Taylor years 1961-67
00:32:56 Part 7: Verve post-Taylor: 1972 & all that
00:35:10 Part 8: Collecting Verve, Clef and Norgran
00:56:13 Part 9: Conclusion and suggestions
See also:
- londonjazzcollector.wordpress...
- www.jazzdisco.org/verve-records/
- Tad Hershorn's interview by Marc Myers of JazzWax at www.jazzwax.com/2011/10/tad-h...
- Tad Hershorn's book, Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz For Justice at www.amazon.ca/Norman-Granz-Us...
Check out the channel's home page and subscribe for weekly record reviews, label guides, special episodes and much more.

[@Markymarkvinylnut]

Thanks Allan, this is one of your best videos. Top effort! it must have taken you hours of research. Superb! Fascinating to learn how influential Granz was rebelling against segregation. I agree the Pablo covers are dreadful, but they are beautifully recorded, sound fab, and fairly cheap here in the UK. I loved understanding the links between Verve, CTI, Pablo etc. Agree that Granz's heart is in the swing, big band stuff. Pablo recorded Peterson and Basie a hell of a lot! Thanks for starting my week on a high. Cheers. Mark

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thank you Mark - likewise, you with my week!

[@marksheargold5536]

Another great video Allan. You’re expanding the knowledge base of many music lovers like me. Cheers. Great stuff.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thanks Mark. I'm on the same learning journey. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@louisswaim7024]

Jimmy Giuffre’s Verve albums “Fusion” and “Thesis,” were later reissued in ‘92 as one title, “Jimmy Giuffre 3, 1961,” by ECM Records, available as a double LP or CD. It’s sublime music.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

They were indeed and I completely agree, two of the gems of the Verve catalogue.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thank you very much. There is probably more social history in this than most, but if I discussed Norman Granz and didn’t talk about his fight against racism I’d be missing perhaps his greatest contribution!

[@razorback-mark]

Very,very informative! You always do a great job. Look forward to more videos from you!

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thanks; I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@celtic-audiophile]

Really enjoyed this, nice delivery style. Greetings from Oxford UK

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Glad you enjoyed it! As it happens I lived in Oxford (well, nearby... in Yarnton) for a year or so as a small boy, just before we emigrated.

[@marktubeie07]

I'm late to watching & discovering this label series Allan, just superb & learning so much about the various catalogues. Passing on for interest sake - here in Australia, almost all Verve recordings were issued on the red labels with yellow, some deep groove, but luckily using the same cat#s as the US counterparts. So seeing the red labels, as you say, are more rare over there is fascinating. Some downsides for Australia were that the distributor here was a company called 'Astor'. They used awful vinyl, badly pressed, paper thin covers and in most cases only issued the mono variants, very little stereo until Phonogram here took over the catalogue down the track. So naturally I look out for the original US where possible, but very hard to find. Great channel and sub'd. Cheers & thanks for reading !

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thanks very much (for this, and for subscribing). I have occasionally bought Oz versions of hard to find LPs, particularly when I was on my Contemporary Records kick a couple of years ago. I did notice that now and then the vinyl and/or the cover were sub-par (for instance, Shelly Manne’s L’il Abner) and this sheds a bit more light on it. But I don’t know if those were Astor as well. Have to check. Didn’t know about the Verve series; that’s a good bit of intel. It’s sometimes the case that early jazz pressings from the non-US Anglosphere are as good or sometimes better than US originals. That was true of Sparton pressings of Impulse records in Canada, and of many London American Recordings in the UK (for instance, of their licensed Bethlehem releases and perhaps Riverside if memory serves). But I don’t know much about the Australian scene so I greatly appreciate this tidbit. I think the Australian subsidiary of Vogue were very active on the licensed jazz release scene for a while? I may have a few of those.

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

WAS ASCH Moe Asch the founder of FOLKWAYS REC, an excellent, thick history exists, superb study & in-depth writing, seen it years ago in library, read some hrs

[@louisswaim7024]

This is a genuinely fine video, particularly the first half. Delving into and understanding this social history enhances the listener’s appreciation for the artists and their music. Well done!

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thank you very much. It’s a bit dense maybe but to discuss Verve without mentioning all that Granz did to change attitudes and behaviours would be to miss his greatest contribution IMHO.

[@dbugatto]

Nicely done! Verve definitely had a bigger tent .

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

They sure did. Crunching the numbers of releases by artist was an eye opener.

[@ergloo6660]

Thank you for this lengthy and informative session which I enjoyed

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Claus-CaptainPhoenixCorner]

Another great, informative and well made video, Allan. You kept me hanging on the full hour 👍 Also the sound is much better now (after moving your "head quarter"). A joy to follow 🙂

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Glad you enjoyed it! And the sound improvements are all down to my pro bono AV consultant who shall remain anonymous - and more to come on that front!

[@tonycord-growthexitadvisor]

Truly enjoyable and informative hour with you, Allan. Such rich history and respect for the great musicians and game-changers like Granz. Thanks.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thanks for watching Tony. He’s a fascinating character!

[@guillermocevallos9587]

I really dig your vids. You are a joy to watch. Any chance of doing a Pablo Records video. Interested in knowing how Norman Granz got those jazz musicians from the 40s and 50s to record for his new label. Imo, he was responsible for the resurgence of their careers.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thanks very much. At some point, maybe. I haven’t been a particularly keen collector of Pablo releases, not because I have any reason to avoid them per se but more because in building my jazz collection I’ve had a greater interest in collecting music from the original heyday of these artists. Pablo was very much a kind of latter-day, end of career enterprise for both producer and artists alike, and Granz’ tastes are slightly earlier and more traditional than my own. Though I am coming around to the idea that there is much to enjoy nonetheless.

[@norrieclark5217]

Excellently put together musical history presentation.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thank you Norrie.

[@psychesoap]

Now I'm not gonna begin this with "...as a black guy" but I will, lol. About that "...white savior line..." on 7:15... don't worry about how some closed-minded, left-leaning minority is gonna view your presentation. Please KEEP doin' what you've been doin' brother because it MUST be duly noted in today's collective consciousness that in history, there have been people lighter than blue that have been contributors and champions for the cause of unity among the cultures. For THAT and THIS, I thank you. ❣🎼🎶

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thank you. You speak the truth. I simply wanted to acknowledge that as great a figure as Granz was, he was simply doing what many white folks had in their power/privilege to do… but didn’t. But you’re right: anyone who brings people together deserves to be celebrated.

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

WAS ASCH Moe Asch the founder of FOLWAYS REC, an excellent, thick history exists, superb study & in-depth writing, seen in years ago in library, read some hrs

[@louisswaim7024]

Another aside: that Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster album is a gem!

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Yes I love it. Ben Webster did a number of collaboration records (as did Mulligan!) so it was inevitable I suppose they’d do one together.

[@dlove2830]

You should be a guest on the 'Jazz Bums' Friday evening podcast.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

That’d be fun. They’ve invited me to drop in but I’m an old man who can’t figure out Discord lol.

[@jeffreysobczynski7113]

Another book worth searching out is “Verve: Sound of America” by Richard Havers published by Thames & Hudson

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Thanks!

[@gigsfunk]

Hello mate, who is the drummer in that fantastic picture behind your head ? I would love to get one for my wall.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Elvin Jones, my favourite. When we were decorating the new “jazz lounge” (reclaiming former teen space) my wife found a site that does a lot of classic jazz photos on stretched canvas. I’ll ask her.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

@gigsfunk it’s Fine Art America I believe.

[@gigsfunk]

Thanks, I’m in UK so I’m going to have to get creative

[@gigsfunk]

My collection of Pablo’s have nice black & white covers

[@mymixture965]

So you presenting Verve without mentioning Wes Montgomery? That is strange, he was one of the big stars on Verve.

[@TenMinuteRecordReviews]

Yes I could have; the challenge with Verve is the sheer number of artists and eras so it’s hard to catalogue everyone and keep the video under 24 hrs lol. Could also have lingered on Basie, Hodges and Gene Krupa. Funnily enough Wes made around six or seven records for Verve and that just squeaks him into the top 40 on the label.