Pacific Jazz Records
Pacific Jazz Records
Main page

Pacific Jazz Records

logo
Community Hub0 subscribers
Read side by side
from Wikipedia

Pacific Jazz Records was an American record company and label based in Los Angeles, best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988)[1] and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003).[2] Harte, in 1954, also co-founded Nocturne Records with jazz bassist Harry Babasin (1921–1988).[3]

Key Information

Some of the musicians who recorded for Pacific Jazz included Chet Baker, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Joe Pass, Gerald Wilson, the Jazz Crusaders,[4] Don Ellis, Clare Fischer, Jim Hall, Groove Holmes, Les McCann, Wes Montgomery, and Art Pepper.[5]

In 1957, Pacific Jazz Records changed its name to World Pacific Records[6] to expand into a full-line label, with the Pacific Jazz imprint retained for jazz releases.[7][8]

In 1958 Richard Bock and World Pacific were instrumental in introducing Indian traditional music to the West via Ravi Shankar, who also recorded for World Pacific.[9][5][10]

Bock sold the label to Liberty Records in 1965, although he remained as an adviser until 1970. Liberty was merged into and discontinued by United Artists Records in 1971; UA in turn was bought by EMI in 1979. Mosaic reissued some Pacific Jazz material in the late 1980s, as did Blue Note when it gained control of the catalog in the 1990s.[5]

Releases from Pacific Jazz Records are distributed digitally on streaming platforms through Universal Music Group.

Partial discography

[edit]

Pacific Jazz Ten Inch LP series

[edit]

Pacific Jazz released 20 10-inch LPs between 1953 and 1954 before the label moved to 12-inch albums in 1955[11]

Catalog No. Artist Album Notes
PJLP 1 Gerry Mulligan Gerry Mulligan Quartet
PJLP 2 Lee Konitz and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet Lee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet
PJLP 3 Chet Baker Chet Baker Quartet
PJLP 4 Harry Edison Sweets at the Haig
PJLP 5 Gerry Mulligan Gerry Mulligan Quartet
PJLP 6 Chet Baker Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ Freeman
PJLP 7 Laurindo Almeida Laurindo Almeida Quartet Featuring Bud Shank
PJLP 8 Russ Freeman Russ Freeman Trio
PJLP 9 Chet Baker Chet Baker Ensemble
PJLP 10 Lee Konitz and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet Lee Konitz and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet
PJLP 11 Chet Baker Chet Baker Sings
PJLP 12 Bob Gordon Meet Mr. Gordon
PJLP 13 Laurindo Almeida Laurindo Almeida Quartet Featuring Bud Shank Volume 2
PJLP 14 Bud Shank Bud Shank and Three Trombones
PJLP 15 Chet Baker Chet Baker Sextet
PJLP 16 Bob Brookmeyer Quartet featuring John Williams and Red Mitchell Bob Brookmeyer Quartet
PJLP 17 Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Trio
PJLP 18 Al Haig Al Haig Trio (not released)
PJLP 19 Clifford Brown The Clifford Brown Ensemble Featuring Zoot Sims
PJLP 20 Bud Shank and Bob Brookmeyer Bud Shank and Bob Brookmeyer

Pacific Jazz/World Pacific 1200 Twelve Inch LP Series

[edit]

Commencing in 1955 a total of thirty-one 12 inch albums were released on the Pacific Jazz label before the name was changed to World Pacific.[11]

Catalog No. Artist Album Notes
PJ 1201 Gerry Mulligan California Concerts
PJ 1202 Chet Baker Chet Baker Sings and Plays with Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and Strings
PJ 1203 Chet Baker Jazz at Ann Arbor
PJ 1204 Laurindo Almeida Laurindo Almeida Quartet Featuring Bud Shank Reissue of PJLP 7 and PJLP 13
PJ 1205 Bud Shank with Shorty Rogers / Bud Shank with Bill Perkins Bud Shank - Shorty Rogers - Bill Perkins
PJ 1206 Chet Baker The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker
PJ 1207 Gerry Mulligan The Original Gerry Mulligan Quartet Selections from PJLP 1 and PJLP 5
PJ 1208 Jack Montrose Jack Montrose Sextet
PJ 1209 Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Quintet featuring Buddy Collette
PJ 1210 Gerry Mulligan Paris Concert
PJ 1211 Cy Touff His Octet and Quintet
PJ 1212 Russ Freeman and Richard Twardzik Trio
PJ 1213 Bud Shank Strings & Trombones Reissue of PJLP 14 and PJLP 20
PJ 1214 Bob Gordon Quartet / Clifford Brown Ensembles Arranged by Montrose Reissue of PJLP 12 and PJLP 19
PJ 1215 Bud Shank The Bud Shank Quartet
PJ 1216 Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Quintet in Hi Fi
PJ 1217 John Lewis Grand Encounter
PJ 1218 Chet Baker Chet Baker in Europe
PJ 1219 Bud Shank Jazz at Cal-Tech
PJ 1220 Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Trio Reissue of PJLP 17 with additional tracks
PJ 1221 Bill Perkins The Bill Perkins Octet on Stage
PJ 1222 Chet Baker Chet Baker Sings Reissue of PJLP 11 with additional tracks
PJ 1223 Hoagy Carmichael Hoagy Sings Carmichael
PJ 1224 Chet Baker Chet Baker & Crew
PJ 1225 Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Quintet
PJ 1226 Bud Shank and Bob Cooper Flute 'n Oboe
PJ 1227 Jim Hall Jazz Guitar
PJ 1228 Gerry Mulligan Quartet Recorded in Boston at Storyville
PJ 1229 Chet Baker Chet Baker Big Band
PJ 1230 Bud Shank Bud Shank Quartet Featuring Claude Williamson
PJ 1231 Fred Katz Zen: The Music of Fred Katz with Paul Horn and the Chico Hamilton Quartet
PJ 1232 Chet Baker Quartet: Russ Freeman/Chet Baker
Label name changes to "World Pacific" [12]
PJ 1233 Bob Brookmeyer Traditionalism Revisited
PJ 1234 Chet Baker & Art Pepper Playboys
PJ 1235 Jack Lidström Look, Dad! They're Comin' Down Our Street (in Hi-Fi)
PJ 1236 Sidney Bechet & Martial Solal Sidney Bechet Has Young Ideas
PJ 1237 Gerry Mulligan and the Sax Section The Gerry Mulligan Songbook Volume 1
PJ 1238 Chico Hamilton South Pacific in Hi-Fi
PJ 1239 Bob Brookmeyer, Jim Hall & Jimmy Raney The Street Swingers
PJ 1240 The Montgomery Brothers The Montgomery Brothers and Five Others
PJ 1241 Gerry Mulligan Quartet and Chet Baker Reunion with Chet Baker
PJ 1242 Chico Hamilton Chico Hamilton Trio Introducing Freddie Gambrell
PJ 1243 The Mastersounds Kismet
PJ 1244 Various Artists Jazz Canto: An Anthology of Poetry and Jazz Vol 1
WP 1245 Charlie Mariano & Jerry Dodgion Beauties Of 1918
WP 1246 Gil Evans New Bottle Old Wine
WP 1247 Various Artists Drums On Fire!
WP 1248 Ravi Shankar India's Master Musician
WP 1249 Chet Baker Pretty/Groovy
WP 1250 David Allyn Let's Face the Music and Dance
WP 1251 Bud Shank with the Len Mercer Strings I'll Take Romance
WP 1252 The Mastersounds Flower Drum Song
WP 1253 Annie Ross and Gerry Mulligan Annie Ross Sings a Song with Mulligan!
WP 1254 Bud & Travis / Barbara Dane / Rolf Cahn / Lynn Gold A Night at The Ash Grove subtitled Saturday Night at the Coffeehouse
WP 1255 Gerald Heard Reflections
WP 1256 Freddie Gambrell Freddie Gambrell
WP 1257 Various Artists The Sound of Big Band Jazz in Hi-Fi
WP 1258 Chico Hamilton Ellington Suite
WP 1259 Bud Shank with Laurindo Almeida Holiday in Brazil
WP 1260 The Mastersounds Ballads & Blues
WP 1261 Various Artists More Drums on Fire!
WP 1262 Freddie Gambrell & Paul Horn Mikado
WP 1263 Buddy Bregman Swingin' Standards
WP 1264 Lambert, Hendricks & Ross The Swingers!
WP 1265 Bud Shank Slippery When Wet Original soundtrack
WP 1266 Paul Horn Impressions!
WP 1267 Jimmy Witherspoon Singin' the Blues
WP 1268 Gerald Heard Indications: What Is Love?
WP 1269 The Mastersounds The Mastersounds in Concert
WP 1270 Gil Evans Great Jazz Standards
WP 1271 The Mastersounds Jazz Showcase
WP 1272 The Mastersounds The King and I
WP 1273 Lee Konitz & Gerry Mulligan Lee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet Selections from PJLP 2 and PJLP 10 with additional tracks
WP 1274 Shorty Petterstein The Wide Weird World of Shorty Petterstein: More Interviews of Our Time Comedy
WP 1275 Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers Ritual
WP 1276 Annie Ross Gypsy
WP 1277 Bud Shank and Bob Cooper Blowin' Country
WP 1278 Kimio Eto Koto Music
WP 1279 Lord Buckley The Way Out Humor of Lord Buckley
WP 1280 The Mastersounds Happy Holidays from Many Lands
WP 1281 Bud Shank Latin Contrasts
WP 1282 Sarita Heredia Sarita & Co.
WP 1283 Jon Hendricks A Good Git-Together
WP 1284 The Mastersounds The Mastersounds Play Horace Silver
WP 1285 Annie Ross A Gasser!
WP 1286 Bud Shank Flute 'n Alto Selections from PJ 1215 and PJ 1230
WP 1287 Chico Hamilton The Original Chico Hamilton Quintet
WP 1288 Joe Newman Counting Five in Sweden
WP 1289 Various Artists Swingin' Like 60! Vol 1: The Singers / The Swingers
WP 1290 Various Artists Swingin' Like 60! Vol 2: Around the World
WP 1291 Various Artists Swingin' Like 60! Vol 3: Ballads and Blues
WP 1292 Eddie Condon Tiger Rag and All That Jazz
WP 1293 Gloria Smyth Like Soul!
WP 1294 Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee Blues is a Story
WP 1295 David Allen David Allen Sings the Music of Jerome Kern
WP 1296 Brownie McGhee, Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Joe Williams & Sonny Terry Down South Summit Meetin'
WP 1297 Don Randi Feelin' Like Blues
WP 1298 Cannonball Adderley & the Gil Evans Orchestra New Bottle Old Wine Reissue of PJ 1246
WP 1299 Kimio Eto & Bud Shank Koto & Flute

Mark Four Series

[edit]

From 1956 to 1958 the Mark Four Series released twelve albums with the PJM prefix.

Catalog No.[13][14] Artist Album Notes
PJM 401 Bill Perkins, Richie Kamuca and Art Pepper Just Friends
PJM 402 The Jazz Messengers featuring Art Blakey Ritual
PJM 403 The Mastersounds Jazz Showcase: Introducing The Mastersounds
PJM 404 Chico Hamilton Quartet / Bud Shank-Bob Cooper Quintet / Stu Williamson Quartet / Russ Freeman Trio Jazz Swings Broadway
PJM 405 The Mastersounds The King and I
PJM 406 Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan Lee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet
PJM 407 Pepper Adams Critics' Choice
PJM 408 David Allen A Sure Thing: David Allen Sings Jerome Kern
PJM 409 Pat Healy Just Before Dawn
PJM 410 Cy Touff Havin' a Ball Reissue of PJ 1211
PJM 411 Bud Shank and Bob Cooper The Swing's to TV
PJM 412 Shorty Petterstein The Wide Weird World of Shorty Petterstein Comedy

Pacific Jazz 10000/20000 Series

[edit]

In 1960 a new series of Pacific Jazz was launched with the PJ prefix with initial catalogue numbers increasing numerically for the first 91 releases before the 10000 numbering system was put into effect.[15][16]

Catalog No. Artist Album Notes
PJ 1 Lenny McBrowne Lenny McBrowne and the 4 Souls
PJ 2 Les McCann Ltd. Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth
PJ 3 Clifford Brown featuring Zoot Sims Jazz Immortal
PJ 4 Bud Shank Bud Shank Plays Tenor
PJ 5 Monk Montgomery, Wes Montgomery & Buddy Montgomery Montgomeryland
PJ 6 Teddy Edwards with Les McCann Ltd. It's About Time
PJ 7 Les McCann Ltd. Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shout
PJ 8 Gerry Mulligan The Genius of Gerry Mulligan Recordings from sessions in the 1952–1954 period
PJ 9 Curtis Amy & Paul Bryant The Blues Message
PJ 10 The Modest Jazz Trio Good Friday Blues
PJ 11 Harry Edison The Inventive Mr. Edison Expanded version of Sweets at the Haig (PJLP 4)
PJ 12 Paul Bryant Burnin'
PJ 13 Various Artists This Is the Blues Vol. 1
PJ 14 Teddy Edwards Sunset Eyes
PJ 14 Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Ritual
PJ 16 Les McCann Ltd. Les McCann Ltd. in San Francisco
PJ 17 Wes Montgomery, Buddy Montgomery & Monk Montgomery Wes, Buddy & Monk Montgomery
PJ 18 Chet Baker, Art Pepper and Phil Urso Picture of Heath
PJ 19 Curtis Amy & Frank Butler Groovin' Blue
PJ 20 Zoot Sims Choice
PJ 21 Bud Shank New Groove
PJ 22 Red Mitchell Rejoice!: Cello Debut at the Renaissance
PJ 23 Richard "Groove" Holmes "Groove"
PJ 24 Larry Wrice Wild!: The Big Big Sound of Larry "Wild" Wrice
PJ 25 Les McCann Ltd. Pretty Lady
PJ 26 Curtis Amy & Paul Bryant Meetin' Here
PJ 27 The Jazz Crusaders Freedom Sound
PJ 28 Gil Evans and His Orchestra America's #1 Arranger Originally released as Great Jazz Standards on World Pacific in 1959
PJ 29 Carmell Jones The Remarkable Carmell Jones
PJ 30 Various Artists This Is the Blues Vol. 2
PJ 31 Les McCann Les McCann Sings
PJ 32 Gene Ammons & Richard Holmes Groovin' with Jug
PJ 33 Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers / The Elmo Hope Quintet Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers / The Elmo Hope Quintet Featuring Harold Land split album
PJ 34 Gerald Wilson Orchestra You Better Believe It!
PJ 35 Bud Shank featuring Carmell Jones and Bob Cooper Barefoot Adventure Original soundtrack
PJ 36 Ron Jefferson Love Lifted Me
PJ 37 Richard Twardzik The Last Set
PJ 38 Lee Konitz and Gerry Mulligan Konitz Meets Mulligan Selections from PJLP 2 and PJLP 10 with alternate takes added on
PJ 39 Chico Hamilton Quintet Spectacular! Originally released as Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1955
PJ 40 Gil Evans Orchestra featuring Cannonball Adderley Gil Evans Orchestra Featuring Cannonball Adderley Originally released as New Bottle Old Wine in 1958
PJ 41 Kenny Dorham & Jackie McLean Inta Somethin'
PJ 42 Cy Touff & Richie Kamuca Keester Parade Originally released as Cy Touff, His Octet & Quintet in 1956
PJ 43 The Jazz Crusaders Lookin' Ahead
PJ 44 John Lewis, Bill Perkins, Jim Hall, Percy Heath and Chico Hamilton 2° East, 3° West Originally released as Grand Encounter in 1957
PJ 45 Les McCann Ltd. Les McCann Ltd. in New York
PJ 46 Curtis Amy featuring Victor Feldman Way Down
PJ 47 Gerry Mulligan Quartet Reunion Originally released in 1958
PJ 48 Arnold Ross, Joe Pass, Dave Allan, Greg Dykes, Ronald Clark, Bill Crawford and Candy Latson Sounds of Synanon
PJ 49 Tricky Lofton & Carmell Jones Brass Bag
PJ 50 Gerry Mulligan California Concerts Originally released in 1955
PJ 51 Richard "Groove" Holmes & Les McCann Somethin' Special
PJ 52 Clare Fischer First Time Out
PJ 53 Carmell Jones Business Meetin'
PJ 54 Bumble Bee Slim Back in Town!
PJ 55 Don Ellis Essence
PJ 56 Les McCann Ltd. On Time
PJ 57 The Jazz Crusaders The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse
PJ 58 Bud Shank & Clare Fischer Bossa Nova Jazz Samba
PJ 59 Richard Holmes After Hours
PJ 60 Art Pepper The Artistry of Pepper
PJ 61 Gerald Wilson Orchestra Moment of Truth
PJ 62 Curtis Amy Tippin' on Through
PJ 63 Les McCann Ltd. Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shampoo
PJ 64 Bud Shank, Clare Fischer and Joe Pass Brasamba!
PJ 65 Earl Anderza Outa Sight
PJ 66 Clifford Scott Out Front
PJ 67 Clare Fischer Surging Ahead
PJ 68 The Jazz Crusaders Tough Talk
PJ 69 Les McCann Ltd. The Gospel Truth
PJ 70 Curtis Amy & Dupree Bolton Katanga!
PJ 71 Sonny Stitt My Mother's Eyes
PJ 72 Charles Kynard Where It's At!
PJ 73 Joe Pass Catch Me!
PJ 74 Dick Grove Orchestra Little Bird Suite
PJ 75 Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker Timeless Sessions from the mid-1950s
PJ 76 The Jazz Crusaders Heat Wave
PJ 77 Clare Fischer Extension
PJ 78 Les McCann Soul Hits
PJ 79 Jim Hall Jim Hall Reissue of 1957 album Jazz Guitar
PJ 80 Gerald Wilson Orchestra Portraits
PJ 81 Les McCann & The Jazz Crusaders Jazz Waltz
PJ 82 Roy Haynes People
PJ 83 The Jazz Crusaders Stretchin' Out
PJ 84 Les McCann McCanna
PJ 85 Joe Pass For Django
PJ 86 Monty Alexander Alexander the Great
PJ 87 The Jazz Crusaders The Thing
PJ 88 Gerald Wilson Orchestra On Stage
PJ 89 Bud Shank & João Donato Bud Shank & His Brazilian Friends
PJ 90 João Donato Sambou Sambou
PJ 91 Les McCann & The Gerald Wilson Orchestra McCann/Wilson
PJ 10092 The Jazz Crusaders Chile Con Soul
PJ 10093 Gil Fuller & Dizzy Gillespie Gil Fuller & the Monterey Jazz Festival Orchestra featuring Dizzy Gillespie
PJ 10094 Monty Alexander Spunky
PJ 10095 Albert Mangelsdorff Now, Jazz Ramwong
PJ 10096 Clare Fischer Manteca!
PJ 10097 Les McCann Spanish Onions
PJ 10098 The Jazz Crusaders Live at the Lighthouse '66
PJ 10099 Gerald Wilson Orchestra Feelin' Kinda Blues
PJ 10100 Various Artists On Mike: A Decade of Pacific Jazz
PJ 10101 Gil Fuller & James Moody Night Flight
PJ 10102 Gerry Mulligan Paris Concert
PJ 10103 Zimbo Trio Zimbo Trio
PJ 10104 Wes Montgomery Easy Groove Selections from PJ 5 and PJ 17
PJ 10105 Richard "Groove" Holmes Tell It Like It Tis
PJ 10106 The Jazz Crusaders Talk That Talk
PJ 10107 Les McCann A Bag of Gold
PJ 10108 Chico Hamilton Jazz Milestones Series Tracks recorded between 1956–1959
PJ 10109 Richard "Groove" Holmes Jazz Milestones Series Compilation of PJ 23, PJ 32, PJ 51, PJ 59, PJ 10105
PJ 10110 Bud Shank Bud Shank & the Sax Section
PJ 10111 Gerald Wilson Orchestra The Golden Sword
PJ 10112 Don Ellis Orchestra Don Ellis Orchestra 'Live' at Monterey!
PJ 10113 Buddy Rich Swingin' New Big Band
PJ 10114 Zimbo Trio The Brazilian Sound: Restrained Excitement
PJ 10115 The Jazz Crusaders The Festival Album
PJ 10116 The Jazz Corps The Jazz Corps Under the Direction of Tommy Peltier featuring Roland Kirk
PJ 10117 Buddy Rich Big Swing Face
PJ 10118 Gerald Wilson Orchestra Live and Swinging
PJ 10119 Booker Ervin Structurally Sound
PJ 10120 Les McCann From the Top of the Barrel
PJ 10121 Victor Feldman Victor Feldman Plays Everything in Sight
PJ 10122 Roger Kellaway Spirit Feel
PJ 10123 Don Ellis Orchestra Live in 3 2/3 / 4 Time
PJ 10124 The Jazz Crusaders Uh Huh
PJ 10125 Johnny Lytle Done It Again
PJ 10126 Buddy Rich The New One!
PJ 10127 Booker Ervin Booker 'n' Brass
PJ 10128 Victor Feldman The Venezuela Joropo
PJ 10129 Johnny Lytle Swingin' at the Gate
PJ 10130 The Mastersounds Kismet Reissue of PJ 1243
PJ 10131 The Jazz Crusaders Lighthouse '68
PJ 10132 Gerald Wilson Orchestra Everywhere
PJ 10133 Buddy Rich Mercy, Mercy
PJ 10134 Jean-Luc Ponty More than Meets the Ear
PJ 10135 Gerald Wilson Orchestra California Soul
PJ 20136 The Jazz Crusaders Powerhouse
PJ 20137 Wes Montgomery A Portrait of Wes Montgomery
PJ 20138 Chet Baker Plays and Sings
PJ 20139 Clifford Brown Jazz Immortal Reissue of PJ 3
PJ 20140 Gerry Mulligan The Genius of Gerry Mulligan Reissue of PJ 8
PJ 20142 Lee Konitz & Gerry Mulligan Konitz Meets Mulligan Reissue of PJ 38
PJ 20143 Chico Hamilton Spectacular! Reissue of PJ 1209
PJ 20144 John Lewis 2 Degrees East, 3 Degrees West Reissue of PJ 1217
PJ 20145 Gerry Mulligan California Concerts Reissue of PJ 1201
PJ 20146 Gerry Mulligan & Chet Baker Timeless Reissue of PJ 75
PJ 20147 Richard "Groove" Holmes Welcome Home
PJ 20149 Various Artists This Is the Blues Vol. 1
PJ 20150 Various Artists This Is the Blues Vol. 2
PJ 20152 Wilton Felder Bullitt
PJ 20153 Richard "Groove" Holmes Workin' on a Groovy Thing
PJ 20154 Bobby Bryant Earth Dance
PJ 20155 Ernie Watts Planet Love
PJ 20156 Jean-Luc Ponty Electric Connection
PJ 20157 Bud Shank Windmills of Your Mind
PJ 20158 Buddy Rich Big Band Buddy & Soul
PJ 20159 Bobby Bryant The Jazz Excursion Into Hair
PJ 20160 Gerald Wilson Orchestra Eternal Equinox
PJ 20161 Wilbert Longmire Revolution
PJ 20162 Freddy Robinson The Coming Atlantis
PJ 20163 Richard "Groove" Holmes X-77: Recorded Live at the Lighthouse
PJ 20165 The Jazz Crusaders Lighthouse '69
PJ 20166 Les McCann with the Gerald Wilson Orchestra More or Les McCann Selections from Pretty Lady, Les McCann Sings, Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shampoo, Spanish Onions and McCanna with additional orchestral overdubs
PJ 20167 Klaus Doldinger Quartet Blues Happening
PJ 20168 Jean-Luc Ponty with the George Duke Trio The Jean-Luc Ponty Experience
PJ 20169 Buddy Rich The Best of Buddy Rich
PJ 20170 Bud Shank with The Bob Alcivar Singers Let It Be
PJ 20171 Richard "Groove" Holmes and Ernie Watts Come Together
PJ 20172 Jean-Luc Ponty King Kong: Jean-Luc Ponty Plays the Music of Frank Zappa
PJ 20173 Les McCann Ltd. New from the Big City
PJ 20174 Gerald Wilson Orchestra The Best of the Gerald Wilson Orchestra
PJ 20175 The Jazz Crusaders The Best of the Jazz Crusaders
PJ 20176 Freddy Robinson Hot Fun in the Summertime

World Pacific 1400 Twelve Inch LP Series

[edit]

Commencing in 1960 the World Pacific label began releasing a range of world music recordings on the 1400 Series.[17][18]

Catalog No. Artist Album Notes
WP-1401 Carl Reiner & Mel Brooks 2000 Years with Carl Reiner and Mel Brooks
WP-1402 Jimmy Witherspoon There's Good Rockin' Tonight!
WP-1403 Chatur Lal The Drums of India
WP-1404 Bobby Montez Viva! Montez
WP-1405 Roy Harte & Milt Holland Perfect Percussion: The 44 Instruments of Roy Harte and Milt Holland
WP-1406 Kitty White Intimate
WP-1407 Bruce Spencer The Best of Crazy Ads
WP-1408 Al Viola Guitar Lament
WP-1409 Various Artists Poetry and Jazz
WP-1410 Ben Di Tosti Carnival
WP-1411 Bobby Montez Pachanga Y Cha Cha Cha
WP-1412 Laurindo Almeida Brazilliance Reissue of PJ 1204
WP-1413 Gerald Heard Explorations Volume 2: Survival, Growth & Re-Birth
WP-1414 Modesto's Charanga Kings Featuring Olguita Pachanga, Anyone?
WP-1415 Virginia Denison Yoga for You (not released)
WP-1416 Ravi Shankar Improvisations
WP-1417 Gerald Heard Explorations / Reflections / Indications
WP-1418 Sharan Rani The Music of India
WP-1419 Bud Shank Brazilliance Vol. 2 Reissue of Holiday in Brazil
WP-1420 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Deep Meditation
WP-1421 Ravi Shankar India's Most Distinguished Musician in Concert
WP-1422 Ravi Shankar India's Master Musician
WP-1423 Kimio Eto Koto Music
WP-1424 Kimio Eto Featuring Bud Shank Koto & Flute
WP-1425 Bud Shank Brazilliance Vol. 3 Reissue of Latin Contrasts
WP-1426 Balachander Magic Music of India
WP-1427 Sarita Heredia Flamenco Fire!: Sarita Heredia at the Matador
WP-1428 Kimio Eto Koto Master
WP-1430 Ravi Shankar India's Master Musician/Recorded in London
WP-1431 Ravi Shankar Ragas & Talas
WP-1432 Ravi Shankar Portrait of Genius
WP-1433 Ali Akbar Khan North Indian Master of the Sarod
WP-1434 Ravi Shankar Sound of the Sitar
WP-1435 Ali Akbar Khan Sound of the Sarod
WP-1436 Balachander Sounds of the Veena
WP-1437 Various Artists Drums of North and South India
WP-1438 Ravi Shankar Three Ragas
WP-1439 Kimio Eto Sound of the Koto
WP-1440 Subbulakshmi The Sounds of Subbulakshmi: India's Greatest Singer
WP-1441 Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar in New York
WP-1442 Ravi Shankar Live: Ravi Shankar at the Monterey International Pop Festival
WP-1443 Kinichi Nakanoshima The Music of Kinichi Nakanoshima: Koto and Flute
WP-1444 Ashish Khan Young Master of the Sarod
WP-1445 Paul Horn Paul Horn in Kashmir: Cosmic Consciousness
WP-1446 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi The Master Speaks
WP-1447 Paul Horn Paul Horn in India: Ragas for Flute, Veena and Violin
WP-1449 Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar in San Francisco
WP-1450 K. V. Narayanaswamy The Voice of K. V. Narayanswamy: Carnatic Music: Music of South India
WPS-21451 T. Viswanathan South Indian Flute
WPS-21452 Brij Bhushan Kabra Two Raga Moods on Guitar
WPS-21453 Buddy Rich and Alla Rakha Rich à la Rakha
WPS-21454 Ravi Shankar Charly (Soundtrack)
WPS-21455 Maharishi Mahesh Yogi The Seven States of Consciousness
WPS-21456 Ramani The Soul of Indian Flute
WPS-21457 Balachander Man from Madras
WPS-21458 Alla Rakha Tabla!
WPS-21459 Ashish Khan California Concert
WPS-21461 Lakshmi Shankar The Voice of Lakshmi Shankar
WPS-21463 Subbulakshmi Subbulakshmi in Concert from Her American Tour
WPS-21464 Ravi Shankar A Morning Raga / An Evening Raga
WPS-21465 Satya Sai Baba Satya Sai Baba Chants the Bajans
WPS-21466 Ashish Khan with Narration by Ravi Shankar Song of God: Bagavad Gita
WPS-21467 Ravi Shankar Ravi Shankar at the Woodstock Festival

World Pacific 1800 Twelve Inch LP Series

[edit]

From 1962 until 1970 the World Pacific label released a range of popular music recordings on their 1800 Series.[17][19]

Catalog No. Artist Album Notes
WP-1801 Olguita with the Big Band Sound of George Hernandez Latinsville!
WP-1802 Modesto's Charanga Kings featuring Olguita Pachanga, Anyone?
WP-1803 Bobby Montez Viva! Montez
WP-1804 Bobby Montez Pachanga Y Cha Cha Cha
WP-1805 Hugh Romney Third Stream Humour
WP-1806 The Goldcoast Singers Here They Are!
WP-1807 Victor Feldman Stop the World I Want to Get Off
WP-1808 Annie Ross Gypsy
WP-1809 Bud Herrmann Grand Style
WP-1810 The De-Fenders The De-Fenders Play the Big Ones
WP-1811 Clifford Scott Clifford Scott Plays the Big Ones
WP-1812 The Folkswingers 12 String Guitar!
WP-1813 Various Artists Hootenanny Saturday Nite!
WP-1814 The Folkswingers 12 String Guitar! Vol. 2
WP-1815 Lord Buckley Lord Buckley in Concert
WP-1816 Tut Taylor and The Folkswingers with 12 String Guitar 12 String Dobro!
WP-1817 Lightnin' Hopkins with Brownie McGhee, Sonny Terry and Big Joe Williams First Meetin'
WP-1818 The Sandells Scrambler!
WP-1819 Bud Shank and The Folkswingers Folk 'n Flute
WP-1820 Long Gone Miles Country Born
WP-1821 The Kentucky Colonels with Roland White and Clarence White Appalachian Swing!
WP-1822 Joe Pass and The Folkswingers 12 String Guitar!: Great Motion Picture Themes
WP-1823 Charles Kynard and Buddy Collette Warm Winds
WP-1824 David Parker Balalaika!
WP-1825 Clifford Scott Lavender Sax
WP-1826 Chet Baker Chet Baker Sings
WP-1827 Bud Shank/Bob Cooper Orchestra Flute, Oboe and Strings
WP-1828 The Stoneman Family Big Ball in Monterey: Live!
WP-1829 Tut Taylor/Roland and Clarence White Dobro Country
WP-1830 Clare Fischer So Danco Samba
WP-1831 The Mastersounds The King and I Reissue of PJM-405
WP-1832 The Sandals The Endless Summer (Soundtrack)
WP-1833 The Bandits The Electric 12
WP-1834 John Barbour It's Tough To Be White... The Wit of John Barbour
WP-1835 Glenn Campbell Mr. 12 String Guitar
WP-1836 Larry Nelson The "In" Harmonica
WP-1837 Billy Larkin and the Delegates Hole in the Wall
WP-1838 The Carmel Strings Featuring Larry Knechtel Boss Baroque
WP-1839 The Mariachi Brass Featuring Chet Baker A Taste of Tequila
WP-1840 Bud Shank Michelle
WP-1841 Bob Lind Don't Be Concerned
WP-1842 The Mariachi Brass Featuring Chet Baker Hats Off
WP-1843 Billy Larkin and the Delegates Ain't That a Groove!
WP-1844 Joe Pass A Sign of the Times
WP-1845 Bud Shank California Dreamin'
WP-1846 The Folkswingers Featuring Harihar Rao on Sitar Raga Rock
WP-1847 Chet Baker and the Carmel Strings Quietly There
WP-1849 Lord Buckley Blowing His Mind (and Yours, Too)
WP-1850 Billy Larkin and the Delegates Hold On!
WP-1851 Bob Lind Photographs of Feeling
WP-1852 The Mariachi Brass Featuring Chet Baker Double-Shot
WP-1853 Bud Shank Girl in Love
WP-1854 Joe Pass The Stones Jazz
WP-1855 Bud Shank Brazil! Brazil! Brazil! Selections from Holiday in Brazil, Brasamba!, Bud Shank & His Brazilian Friends and Bud Shank & the Sax Section
WP-1856 Walter Wanderley Samba So!
WP-1857 Joe Torres Latino Con Soul
WP-1858 Chet Baker and the Carmel Strings Into My Life
WP-1859 The Mariachi Brass Featuring Chet Baker In The Mood
WP-1860 Bob Florence Pet Project The Bob Florence Big Band Plays Petula Clark Hits
WP-1861 Roger Kellaway Stride!
WP-1862 Ken & Beverly Watch What Happens!
WP-1863 Billy Larkin and the Delegates Don't Stop!
WP-1864 Bud Shank Bud Shank Plays Music from Today's Movies
WP-1865 Joe Pass Simplicity
WP-1866 Walter Wanderley Quarteto Bossamba
WP-1867 The Hard Times {{{last}}} Blew Mind
WP-1868 Bud Shank A Spoonful of Jazz
WP-1870 The Marketts Sun Power
WP-1873 Bud Shank Magical Mystery
WPS-21874 Billy Larkin and the Delegates Dr. Feelgood
WPS-21875 Kali Bahlu Kali Bahlu Takes the Forest Children on a Journey of Cosmic Remembrance
WPS-21876 Terry Bêr Through the Eyes Of Terry Ber
WPS-21879 Lord Buckley Buckley's Best
WPS-21880 Craig Hundley Trio Arrival of a Young Giant
WPS-21881 J.P. Rags Scruffety
WPS-21882 Harper and Rowe Harper and Rowe
WPS-21883 Billy Larkin and the Delegates The Best of Billy Larkin and the Delegates Guest Artist Clifford Scott
WPS-21884 The Sandals The Last of the Ski Bums (Soundtrack)
WPS-21886 Shakey Jake and the All Stars Further On Up the Road
WPS-21887 George Smith and the Chicago Blues Band Blues with a Feeling: A Tribute to Little Walter
WPS-21888 Roy Harper Folkjokeopus
WPS-21889 Lord Buckley Bad Rapping of the Marquis de Sade
WPS-21890 Sunnyland Slim Slim's Got His Thing Goin' On
WPS-21891 Billy Larkin I Got the Feelin'
WPS-21892 The Groundhogs Scratching the Surface
WPS-21893 L. C. "Good Rockin'" Robinson/Lafayette "Thing" Thomas/Dave Alexander Oakland Blues
WPS-21894 The Carnival The Carnival
WPS-21895 Peter Sarstedt Where Do You Go to My Lovely (not released?)
WPS-21896 Craig Hundley Craig Hundley Plays With the Big Boys
WPS-21897 Big Joe Williams Hand Me Down My Old Walking Stick
WPS-21898 Various Artists Bluegrass Special
WPS-21899 Peter Sarstedt As Though It Were a Movie
WPS-21900 Craig Hundley Rhapsody in Blue

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia
from Grokipedia
Pacific Jazz Records was an American jazz record label founded in 1952 in Los Angeles, California, by producer Richard Bock and drummer Roy Harte.[1][2] Specializing in West Coast jazz and cool jazz, the label quickly became a cornerstone of the genre, releasing innovative recordings that captured the laid-back, melodic style emerging on the West Coast.[2] It played a pivotal role in promoting the "cool" sound, contrasting with the hotter bebop styles from the East Coast, and helped launch the careers of several iconic musicians.[1] The label's early success was driven by Bock's experience in the music industry, including his prior roles at Discovery Records, where he gained expertise in record production and artist development.[1] Key artists associated with Pacific Jazz included trumpeter Chet Baker, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, alto saxophonist Bud Shank, drummer Chico Hamilton, and trumpeter Clifford Brown, among others who defined the West Coast scene.[2] Notable releases encompassed the debut album by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet featuring Chet Baker in 1952 (PJLP-1), which exemplified the pianoless quartet format, and Baker's vocal showcase Chet Baker Sings in 1954 (PJLP-11), which blended jazz improvisation with popular standards.[2] These recordings, often featuring striking cover art, not only achieved commercial success but also influenced the broader evolution of jazz in the postwar era.[2] In 1954, Pacific Jazz established a subsidiary label, Pacifica, to explore folk, pop, and spoken-word content alongside jazz.[2] By October 1957, the company restructured as World Pacific Records, with Pacific Jazz operating as its jazz-focused imprint, expanding its catalog to include more diverse jazz subgenres.[2] The label was sold to Liberty Records in 1964, marking the end of its independent era, and was subsequently absorbed into United Artists Records in 1968 before ceasing active operations around 1971.[2] Today, Pacific Jazz's extensive catalog is owned by Capitol Records under Universal Music Group, with many original recordings reissued in remastered formats that preserve its legacy in jazz history.[2]

History

Founding and early development

Pacific Jazz Records was founded in 1952 in Los Angeles by Richard Bock and Roy Harte, marking the beginning of a pivotal label in the West Coast jazz scene.[3][4] Bock, who had previously served as vice president and head of artists and repertoire at Discovery Records, brought extensive experience in jazz production and promotion, including supervising sessions for artists like Art Pepper.[1] Harte, a professional drummer and owner of a retail drum store, contributed financial backing and designed the label's distinctive stenciled logo, enabling the venture's independent launch in June of that year.[3] The label's inception stemmed from Bock's deep passion for jazz, cultivated through his roles at Down Beat magazine and as publicity manager for The Haig, a prominent Los Angeles jazz club where he encountered emerging West Coast talents.[3] This enthusiasm, combined with Harte's support, motivated the duo to create a platform dedicated to capturing the relaxed, innovative sound of cool jazz prevalent on the West Coast.[1] Operating as an independent entity, Pacific Jazz emphasized high-quality recordings of local musicians, initially distributing through small presses and offering releases in multiple formats including 78 RPM singles, 45 RPM EPs, and long-playing records to reach jazz enthusiasts efficiently.[3] The first release came in late October 1952 with a single, followed by the inaugural 10-inch LP in early 1953: Gerry Mulligan Quartet (PJLP-1), featuring baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan's piano-less ensemble, which Bock had signed based on performances at The Haig.[3][4] This studio-recorded album at Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles exemplified the label's focus on cool jazz, setting a template for subsequent output with its clean production and cover photography by William Claxton.[5] By 1954, Pacific Jazz had established its signature sound through the release of 15 10-inch LPs, including works by artists like Chet Baker and Lee Konitz, which helped solidify the label's reputation for documenting the West Coast jazz movement before transitioning to 12-inch formats in 1955.[3][6]

Expansion and diversification

In 1955, Pacific Jazz Records transitioned from 10-inch to 12-inch LPs, a shift that enhanced audio fidelity and facilitated wider distribution through standard industry formats. This change enabled the label to expand its catalog rapidly, culminating in 31 releases by 1957, including seminal West Coast jazz sessions by artists such as Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker.[2][7] That same year, amid growing ambitions to broaden beyond jazz, the company considered rebranding entirely as World Pacific Records but ultimately retained the Pacific Jazz imprint specifically for its jazz output while adopting World Pacific as the overarching entity in October 1957.[2] World Pacific continued to explore non-jazz genres, including folk and world music; its inaugural highlight was Ravi Shankar's U.S. debut album, India's Master Musician, which featured the sitarist accompanied by tabla master Alla Rakha and marked a pioneering introduction of Indian classical music to Western audiences.[8][9] This diversification strategy propelled output to new heights, with over 100 releases by 1964 across both imprints, encompassing collaborations like Chet Baker's Chet Baker & Crew (1956) and Art Pepper's Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section (1959).[10] The venture into Indian classical music, spearheaded by more than a dozen Shankar recordings on World Pacific's 1400 series, not only broadened the label's scope but also fostered cultural exchange, influencing jazz musicians like John Coltrane and Bud Shank through exposure to ragas and improvisational structures.[9][11] However, rapid expansion brought financial pressures, including rising production costs and uneven sales in niche markets, which by 1964 led Richard Bock to prepare for the label's acquisition by Liberty Records the following year.[12]

Acquisition and later developments

In spring 1965, Pacific Jazz Records was sold to Liberty Records for an undisclosed sum, marking the end of its independent operation after 13 years under founder Richard Bock, who departed from full-time involvement but served as an adviser until 1970.[13][14][2] Following the acquisition, Liberty integrated Pacific Jazz into its operations, but the label underwent further corporate changes: Liberty was acquired by Transamerica Corporation in 1968 and merged into United Artists Records in 1971, which itself was purchased by EMI in 1979; the catalog later passed to Capitol Records under the Universal Music Group.[13][2][15] Post-sale, Pacific Jazz continued issuing new jazz recordings under Liberty's umbrella through the early 1970s, though the parent's growing emphasis on rock and pop acts gradually diminished the label's focus on jazz output.[13][16] The label ceased active production after the early 1970s, becoming defunct as an independent entity since 1965, yet its catalog has been preserved through periodic reissues and archival efforts. Universal Music Group now handles modern digital distribution of Pacific Jazz material on streaming platforms, while Mosaic Records has produced limited-edition box sets compiling original sessions, such as those featuring artists like Chet Baker and Gerald Wilson, to highlight the label's historical contributions.[17][18][19]

Leadership and personnel

Founders and executives

Pacific Jazz Records was founded in 1952 by Richard Bock and Roy Harte in Los Angeles, California.[1][20] Bock, born Richard Eugene Bock on January 22, 1927, in Syracuse, New York, developed an early interest in music through high school bands and orchestra before serving in the U.S. Coast Guard from 1945 to 1946. After studying at Los Angeles City College on the G.I. Bill, he gained experience in the record industry working at music stores and then as vice president and head of artists and repertoire (A&R) at Discovery Records from 1950 to 1951, where he oversaw sessions with artists like Dizzy Gillespie and Art Pepper.[1] As the primary force behind Pacific Jazz, Bock managed A&R, produced numerous sessions, and discovered key talents such as Chet Baker, guiding the label's focus on West Coast jazz until he sold it in 1965.[4] He continued as an adviser to the label until 1970 and passed away on February 6, 1988, in Los Angeles.[21] In 1958, George Avakian, a pioneering jazz producer who had worked at Columbia Records on landmark albums by Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck, briefly joined as a partner and co-owner at the invitation of Bock, contributing to the label's growth before departing to pursue other ventures.[22] Roy Harte, born Roy S. Harte on May 27, 1924, in New York City, was a seasoned jazz drummer who rose to prominence in the Swing Era, playing with orchestras led by Jerry Wald, Henry Jerome, Muggsy Spanier, and Bobby Sherwood in the 1940s.[23] Ranked as high as No. 3 in Down Beat magazine's drum polls in 1947, Harte settled in Los Angeles around 1950 and provided the initial funding for Pacific Jazz while also performing on early recording sessions as a drummer.[20] His involvement in daily operations diminished after the founding, as he shifted focus to other ventures, including co-founding Nocturne Records in 1954 with bassist Harry Babasin and operating a drum shop. Harte died on October 26, 2003, in Burbank, California. Following the 1965 acquisition by Liberty Records, Pacific Jazz operated under Liberty's management, though Bock retained significant advisory input on artistic matters until 1970.[24] Bock's leadership emphasized a hands-on approach, prioritizing artistic integrity and innovation in jazz recording over strict commercial pressures, which allowed Pacific Jazz to champion emerging West Coast talents and experimental sessions.[4] This vision shaped the label's reputation for high-quality, musician-driven releases during its independent years.[1]

Producers and collaborators

Richard Bock served as the primary producer for the majority of Pacific Jazz Records' sessions, overseeing hundreds of recordings that defined the West Coast jazz sound from the label's inception in 1952. Drawing from his prior experience at Discovery Records, where he handled A&R and publicity, Bock emphasized capturing the spontaneity of jazz performances, often producing sessions that highlighted innovative ensembles and improvisational freedom.[4][1] Engineering support was crucial to Bock's vision, with Phil Turetsky contributing significantly as an early recording engineer who handled both studio and live sessions. Turetsky's setup in his Laurel Canyon home served as an informal studio for initial Pacific Jazz releases, including live captures from Los Angeles clubs like the Haig, where high-fidelity techniques preserved the ambient energy of performances without excessive post-production. Later collaborations extended to partnerships with Capitol Studios for advanced recording facilities, particularly in the mid-1960s, enabling more polished outputs as the label evolved.[25][26][27] Production techniques at Pacific Jazz prioritized authenticity and audio quality, focusing on direct-to-tape live recordings in intimate club settings to retain natural acoustics and musician interactions. Cover art played a key role in branding, with photographer William Claxton designing innovative, integrated visuals that blended imagery with typography to evoke the cool, laid-back aesthetic of West Coast jazz. Notable among Bock's productions was the 1952 session for Gerry Mulligan's pianoless quartet, which captured the group's signature interplay on tracks like "Bernie's Tune," setting a benchmark for chamber jazz arrangements. Bock also handled cross-cultural recordings, such as those featuring Ravi Shankar on the World Pacific subsidiary, introducing Indian classical elements to jazz audiences through meticulous production that bridged Eastern and Western musical traditions.[3][9]

Musical focus and artists

West Coast jazz emphasis

Pacific Jazz Records played a pivotal role in defining and promoting West Coast jazz, a subgenre of cool jazz that emerged in the 1950s in Los Angeles and emphasized a relaxed, melodic approach to improvisation.[28] Cool jazz, as captured by the label, featured lighter tones, softer dynamics, and influences from bebop, but with a laid-back swing that prioritized elaborate arrangements and contrapuntal interplay over aggressive solos.[29] This style contrasted sharply with the East Coast's hard bop, which was characterized by denser, more intense rhythms and blues-infused energy rooted in New York City's urban scene.[28] As the premier record label for West Coast jazz, Pacific Jazz, founded in 1952 by Richard Bock, focused on capturing the region's distinctive sound by recording sessions in California venues like the Lighthouse Cafe in Hermosa Beach.[29] The label quickly became Los Angeles's leading jazz imprint, releasing music that reflected the area's post-World War II cultural milieu, including influences from the film and entertainment industries, and prioritizing small, experimental ensembles of studio musicians.[28] By emphasizing live performances and on-location recordings, Pacific Jazz preserved the spontaneous, airy quality of West Coast improvisation, distinguishing it from the more formalized East Coast productions.[29] Signature elements of the label's West Coast jazz output included unconventional instrumentation, such as the pianoless quartet led by baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, which highlighted rhythmic interplay and melodic clarity without traditional harmonic anchors.[29] Pacific Jazz also promoted early precursors to free jazz through recordings that explored freer forms and post-harmonic improvisation, as seen in sessions with vibraphonist Chico Hamilton's quintet, whose track "Free Form" initiated collectively improvised music later associated with pioneers like Ornette Coleman.[28] These innovations underscored the genre's experimental ethos, blending bebop's improvisational freedom with cooler, more accessible structures that appealed to broader audiences.[29] The label's emphasis on West Coast jazz significantly popularized the regional scene during the 1950s, shaping global perceptions of jazz as a versatile, West Coast-inflected art form that extended beyond bebop's intensity.[28] By documenting artists like Mulligan and trumpeter Chet Baker, Pacific Jazz helped establish cool jazz as a counterpoint to East Coast dominance, influencing subsequent generations and solidifying California's place in jazz history.[29]

Key recordings and innovations

Pacific Jazz Records played a pivotal role in documenting and promoting key figures of West Coast jazz, including trumpeter and vocalist Chet Baker, baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, alto saxophonist Art Pepper, guitarist Joe Pass, and the Jazz Crusaders ensemble. These artists contributed to the label's signature cool, laid-back sound while pushing boundaries in improvisation and ensemble work. Landmark albums such as the Gerry Mulligan Quartet (1952), the debut release on the label, showcased Mulligan's innovative pianoless quartet format with Baker on trumpet, establishing a template for chamber-like jazz intimacy.[30] Similarly, Chet Baker Sings (1954) highlighted Baker's vulnerable vocal style alongside his trumpet mastery, blending standards with a dreamy, introspective vibe that became emblematic of the era's jazz vocalists. Ravi Shankar's Three Ragas (1956), released via the affiliated World Pacific imprint, marked a groundbreaking introduction of Indian classical music to American audiences through extended sitar improvisations on ragas like Ahir Bhairav and Yaman Kalyan.[31] The label's innovations extended beyond traditional jazz, pioneering cross-cultural recordings with Shankar's first U.S. releases, which influenced subsequent fusions of Eastern and Western musical traditions.[32] Early experiments in genre-blending appeared in sessions with pianist Les McCann, whose soul-infused trio work on albums like Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth (1960) incorporated rhythmic grooves foreshadowing jazz-funk, and trumpeter Don Ellis, whose New Ideas (1961) explored unconventional time signatures and modal structures, laying groundwork for progressive jazz ensembles. Pacific Jazz also bolstered hard bop elements through composer and bandleader Gerald Wilson's orchestral recordings, such as Big Band Modern (1962), which featured bold arrangements and powerhouse brass sections that contrasted the label's cooler leanings while enriching its catalog.[33] Through sustained support and prolific output, Pacific Jazz significantly advanced artist careers, most notably propelling Chet Baker to international stardom via a series of high-profile LPs that captured his meteoric rise from sideman to icon in the mid-1950s. The label's artist development extended to nurturing talents like Joe Pass, whose quartet sessions from 1961–1966 demonstrated his virtuosic single-note lines and harmonic sophistication, and the Jazz Crusaders, whose debut Freedom Sound (1961) solidified their funky, horn-driven sound, launching a decade-long tenure that evolved into broader soul-jazz explorations.[34] Art Pepper's extensive small-group dates, including Meets the Rhythm Section (1957), revitalized his career post-incarceration, allowing the altoist's emotive, bebop-rooted phrasing to flourish within the West Coast framework.[35]

Labels and imprints

Pacific Jazz core label

The Pacific Jazz core label, launched in 1952 by Richard Bock and Roy Harte, adopted a stenciled logo designed by Harte, featuring "Pacific Jazz" in a bold, simplified typeface that became synonymous with the imprint's identity.[3] Cover art for its releases emphasized a minimalist style, integrating high-contrast photographic images—often by William Claxton—to capture the essence of performers and sessions with clean lines, ample white space, and subtle typography.[36][3] This photographic approach, prioritizing natural lighting and intimate portraits over ornate graphics, reflected the label's commitment to authenticity in West Coast jazz presentation. The label's catalog numbering began with PJ-1 for the Gerry Mulligan Quartet's debut recording in March 1953, encompassing strictly jazz material through 1965.[37][3] Initial releases were on 10-inch LPs, a format phased out by 1955 after producing 21 titles, after which the imprint shifted to 12-inch LPs while preserving its jazz exclusivity and visual coherence.[3] Distribution started with a West Coast emphasis, leveraging local networks before broadening nationally via independent distributors to reach wider audiences.[3] In 1954, Pacific Jazz established Pacifica as a subsidiary to explore folk, pop, and spoken-word content.[12][3] Following the October 1957 restructuring in which the company was renamed World Pacific Records, the Pacific Jazz core label maintained its original name and branding for dedicated jazz output, ensuring continuity in its specialized identity.[2][12]

Pacifica subsidiary

Pacifica was launched in mid-1954 as a short-lived subsidiary of Pacific Jazz, focusing on popular music, folk, pop, and spoken-word recordings. It released a limited number of titles, primarily in the 10-inch format, but was not commercially successful and was phased out by 1955 alongside the ten-inch LP line.[3][12]

World Pacific subsidiary

In October 1957, Pacific Jazz Records restructured and was renamed World Pacific Records to expand the company's scope to include folk, world, and classical music genres that diverged from the core jazz focus, with Pacific Jazz retained as its jazz imprint. This allowed Bock to explore broader musical traditions, including classical Indian ragas, while leveraging the established infrastructure of the parent company.[10][12] Key releases on World Pacific highlighted its commitment to non-jazz ventures, particularly in world music. Beginning in the late 1950s, with the first album Three Ragas released in 1957, the label issued multiple albums by sitarist Ravi Shankar, such as those in the WP-1400 series, which captured performances of Indian classical ragas and introduced Shankar's intricate improvisations to American listeners. Shankar's Three Ragas album emerged as a commercial bestseller, underscoring the label's success in bridging Eastern and Western musical worlds. Folk offerings included recordings by groups like the Folkswingers, whose 1963 album This Train blended traditional folk elements with innovative arrangements, and the Goldcoast Singers' 1962 debut Here They Are!, which featured harmonious vocal ensembles drawing from American folk traditions. These releases diversified the catalog and attracted new audiences beyond jazz enthusiasts.[9][12][38] Operationally, World Pacific integrated closely with Pacific Jazz by sharing production facilities and personnel, yet maintained distinct catalog numbering—such as the WP-1400 and 1800 series for its folk and world music output—to preserve branding separation. By 1960, the subsidiary had absorbed certain administrative and distribution functions from Pacific Jazz, streamlining operations and enhancing overall commercial viability through cross-promotion and expanded market reach. This synergy enabled World Pacific to sustain Pacific Jazz's growth while venturing into lucrative non-jazz territories.[10][12] Culturally, World Pacific played a pivotal role in pioneering Western exposure to non-Western music, with Shankar's albums serving as gateways for American audiences to Indian classical traditions during the late 1950s and early 1960s. The label's emphasis on authentic recordings of ragas and folk forms not only boosted sales but also influenced broader cultural exchanges, predating the 1960s counterculture's fascination with global sounds.[9][10]

Discography

10-inch LP series

The Pacific Jazz 10-inch LP series, designated PJ-1 through PJ-20, represented the label's inaugural recording efforts from 1952 to 1955, totaling 20 albums in a compact format that typically held 10 to 12 tracks per disc. This short-play design, limited to approximately 15 minutes per side, proved well-suited to documenting spontaneous club sessions and small-group improvisations central to the emerging West Coast jazz scene.[37] Among the key releases, PJ-1 featured the Gerry Mulligan Quartet with Chet Baker on trumpet, recorded at Phil Turetsky’s House and Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles that exemplified the cool, understated style of local ensembles. PJ-2 spotlighted Lee Konitz playing with the Gerry Mulligan Quartet, while PJ-3 introduced the Chet Baker Quartet, both emphasizing the talents of Los Angeles-based musicians like baritone saxophonist Mulligan and trumpeter Baker in intimate quartet settings. Subsequent entries, such as PJ-4 by the Harry Edison Quartet and PJ-14 by Bud Shank and Three Trombones, continued to prioritize West Coast collaborations, often recorded in nearby studios like Radio Recorders.[37] These albums were produced in modest initial pressings, with the debut release selling several thousand copies despite the niche market, reflecting careful attention to high-fidelity vinyl pressing to retain the acoustic clarity of live jazz. Cover artwork, frequently by photographer William Claxton, provided innovative visual storytelling that complemented the music's relaxed aesthetic, though the series avoided elaborate gatefolds in favor of simple, evocative designs.[39][3] Commercially, the 10-inch series achieved steady but unflashy sales for an independent label, bolstered by price cuts to $2.99 that broadened appeal; this success cultivated Pacific Jazz's enduring prestige among jazz connoisseurs, paving the way for expanded 12-inch releases.[39]

12-inch LP series

The Pacific Jazz 12-inch LP series, initiated in 1955, marked a shift to full-length albums that allowed for more expansive musical presentations compared to the label's earlier 10-inch format. This primary series, known as the 1200 numbering (PJ-1201 to PJ-1231), encompassed 31 releases through 1957, focusing on West Coast jazz ensembles and soloists in comprehensive sets typically running 30-40 minutes. These albums built on the experimental foundations of the 10-inch LPs by providing deeper explorations of artists' repertoires, often featuring live recordings or studio sessions with quartets, quintets, and larger groups.[2][40] Notable entries in the 1200 series highlighted key Pacific Jazz artists, particularly trumpeter Chet Baker, who contributed multiple volumes that showcased his vocal and instrumental versatility. For instance, PJ-1202 Chet Baker Sings and Plays (1955) blended standards with original material, while PJ-1206 The Trumpet Artistry of Chet Baker (1955) emphasized his melodic phrasing in a quartet setting; subsequent releases like PJ-1218 Chet Baker in Europe (1956), PJ-1222 Chet Baker Sings (1956), and PJ-1229 Chet Baker Big Band (1957) further documented his evolving style and collaborations with European and American musicians. Other significant albums included PJ-1201 California Concerts by the Gerry Mulligan Quartet (1955) and PJ-1209 Chico Hamilton Quintet (1956), which exemplified the label's emphasis on cool jazz improvisation and chamber-like arrangements. The series' release volume increased to accommodate the expanding roster, with approximately 10-12 albums per year by 1956-1957, reflecting Pacific Jazz's growing prominence in the jazz market.[40][2] Following the 1957 rebranding to World Pacific Records, the 1200 series integrated seamlessly with the new imprint's numbering, extending releases under WP prefixes (e.g., WP-1245 onward) and enabling cross-listing for wider distribution. This continuity allowed earlier Pacific Jazz titles to be reissued or continued in the series, broadening their reach through World Pacific's expanded network. By the late 1950s, stereo editions were introduced, particularly in the parallel 1000 series, which provided monaural-to-stereo reprocessings of 1200 catalog material, enhancing audio fidelity for hi-fi enthusiasts and aligning with industry trends toward stereophonic recording.[12][40]

Specialized and later series

The Mark Four Series, launched in July 1957, consisted of budget-priced 12-inch LP reissues drawn from Pacific Jazz's early catalog, targeted at a suggested retail price of $3.98 to broaden accessibility amid the standard $4.98 jazz LP market.[41] This series, internally coded "Mark IV" to reflect the four-dollar price point, included twelve albums prefixed with PJM, such as PJM-401 Just Friends by Bill Perkins, Art Pepper, and Richie Kamuca from 1957, emphasizing cool jazz ensembles from the label's foundational years.[42] These releases featured simplified packaging and mono recordings, serving as an economical entry point for collectors without introducing new material.[43] Following the acquisition of World Pacific by Liberty Records in 1964, the Pacific Jazz 10000/20000 Series emerged as the primary numbering for new releases from 1960 to 1970, encompassing over 100 albums that shifted toward harder bop, soul jazz, and emerging fusion styles under Liberty's oversight.[44] Mono issues bore the 10000 prefix (e.g., PJ-1 Lenny McBrowne and the 4 Souls in 1960), while stereo counterparts used 20000 (e.g., ST-20131 Lighthouse '68 by the Jazz Crusaders, 1968), with notable entries including the Crusaders' exploratory works like Freedom Sound (ST-27, 1961) and fusion-tinged sessions by artists such as Gerald Wilson.[45] This era marked Pacific Jazz's evolution from West Coast cool to more groove-oriented jazz, producing approximately 90 early albums under World Pacific before Liberty's influence expanded the catalog to include broader genre explorations.[2] The World Pacific 1400/1800 Series, active from 1958 through the 1960s, extended the label's scope beyond jazz into folk, world music, and classical traditions, with the 1400 prefix (mono) and 1800 (stereo, later ST-21400) hosting culturally diverse recordings.[12] This line prominently featured Indian classical music, exemplified by WP-1430 India's Master Musician: Recorded in London by Ravi Shankar in 1963, which captured live sitar performances and introduced Western audiences to ragas and talas through Shankar's collaborations with Indian ensembles.[46] Additional releases like WP-1431 Ragas and Talas (1964) solidified the series' role in global music dissemination, while folk and spoken-word titles diversified the imprint, reflecting Dick Bock's interest in non-jazz idioms.[47] Under Liberty Records from 1965 to 1971, Pacific Jazz continued issuing new material, integrating into Liberty's portfolio alongside Blue Note, with releases emphasizing electric jazz and crossover appeal until Liberty's merger into United Artists Records discontinued the standalone operations.[13] Post-1971, EMI's 1979 acquisition of United Artists prompted reissue campaigns, including vinyl editions of classic Pacific Jazz titles as part of broader catalog revivals, often with updated artwork and digital remastering to sustain interest in the label's archives.[48] In modern times, Mosaic Records has spearheaded comprehensive digital box sets, such as the 1989 three-CD The Complete Pacific Jazz Live Recordings of the Chet Baker Quartet with Russ Freeman and the six-CD The Complete Pacific Jazz Recordings of the Chico Hamilton Quintet (1997), compiling rare sessions and outtakes for audiophile-grade preservation.[49] These limited-edition sets, exceeding 150 volumes in Mosaic's catalog, prioritize high-impact artists like Art Pepper and Joe Pass, ensuring the label's legacy through exhaustive, remastered anthologies. In 2025, the Blue Note Tone Poet series continued reissuing Pacific Jazz classics, including Teddy Edwards' Sunset Eyes (April 4, 2025).[18][27]

References

User Avatar
No comments yet.