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| Jazz Icons on DVD The eagerly anticipated release of the second series of Jazz Icons™ DVDs is here. Reelin' In The Years Productions and Naxos are proud to announce the September 4, 2007 release of the next seven titles in the illustrious DVD series featuring performances by John Coltrane, Dave Brubeck, Duke Ellington, Sarah Vaughan, Dexter Gordon, Wes Montgomery, and Charles Mingus. Filmed in Europe between 1958 and 1966, this set of Jazz Icons™ DVDs features concerts by seven of the most influential jazz artists of the 20th century captured in their prime and accompanied by some of the most legendary sidemen of the day. Previously forgotten or lost in the vaults of TV studios throughout Europe (in some cases for nearly 50 years!), they are now being made available for the first time. The running time for the DVDs range from 60 to 120 minutes. All seven Jazz Icons™ titles will be sold separately and as a deluxe boxed set with a bonus eighth disc featuring additional rare, never-before-seen, performances. The first series of Jazz Icons™ DVDs featuring classic vintage concerts by Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Count Basie, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Buddy Rich, and Chet Baker, was released in September 2006 to universal critical acclaim, including feature stories in the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, as well as reviews in The New York Times and USA Today (including their holiday gift guide.) Each of the new Jazz Icons™ DVDs features one or more concerts filmed live in television studios and concert halls throughout Europe between 1958 and 1966, one of the most creative periods in jazz history. All seven DVDs feature performances that have never been officially released, and in many cases, the material is newly discovered and was never broadcast. In addition, every performance in the Jazz Icons™ DVD series has been transferred and re-mastered from the best-quality original masters yielding excellent sound and video. Among the wealth of highlights in the second series of Jazz Icons™ DVDs: Three incredible John Coltrane concerts (filmed in 1960, 1961 and 1965) featuring over 90 minutes of music and including sideman appearances by several other jazz legends - Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, McCoy Tyner, Eric Dolphy, and Elvin Jones. The 1960 concert, recorded in Germany with Miles Davis' band (sans Miles), features recently discovered performance footage that had been lost for over 45 years. Two historic Dave Brubeck concerts from 1964 and 1966 featuring the classic Quartet with Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright, and Joe Morello. An amazing 80-minute Duke Ellington big band concert from 1958 (the earliest known complete Ellington show on film) featuring Clark Terry, Johnny Hodges, and Ray Nance. Three never-before-seen Sarah Vaughan shows (two from 1958 and one from 1964) showcasing "The Divine One" in great voice. Three Wes Montgomery concerts from 1965 (a guitar-lovers dream) filmed in Holland, Belgium and England with liner notes by Pat Metheny and an afterword by Carlos Santana. Three Dexter Gordon concerts filmed in 1963 and 1964 in Holland, Belgium and Switzerland that highlight the Bebop (and beyond) legend's classic style and silky tone. Three exceptional concerts by Charles Mingus performed in April 1964 featuring the great Eric Dolphy on alto sax, flute and bass clarinet and recorded less than three months before Dolphy's death. Although the three concerts, recorded in Norway, Sweden and Belgium, are barely a week apart they showcase the band’s incredible diversity with each show featuring unique performances and arrangements. Each DVD also includes a 24-page booklet with insightful and informative essays by noted jazz historians as well as previously unseen photos and memorabilia. The second series of Jazz Icons™ DVDs will be unveiled at this year's Detroit Jazz Festival (August 31 - September 3). The series will be an integral part of the four-day festival, including performances from both Jazz Icons™ DVD series being broadcast on the Jumbotron screens during all set changes on the main stages. Total festival attendance is estimated at 750,000. In addition, Reelin' In The Years Productions and Naxos are proud to announce their partnership with The International Association for Jazz Education™ to further increase jazz awareness in schools. A percentage of the proceeds from each sale of second series DVDs will go to the IAJE's Campaign for Jazz, providing support for student scholarships, jazz advocacy, and teacher training. To quote IAJE Executive Director Bill McFarlin, &qout;The value the Jazz Icons series brings to the music classroom is incalculable. This is American jazz history of the highest order, and an unprecedented opportunity to see and hear our jazz masters at the height of their creative genius. We are proud to be a partner in this remarkable program, and are committed to bringing it to a larger audience." Reelin' In The Years Productions LLC is the world’s largest music footage library. Including the first nine DVDs in the Jazz Icons™ series, Reelin' In The Years Productions has produced over 30 DVDs including the four volume The American Folk Blues Festival 1962-1969 DVD series, released to universal critical acclaim, commercial success and numerous industry awards. Volume One was nominated for a GRAMMY® award in the category of "Best Long Form Music Video". 2006 saw the release of the certified-platinum The Temptations - Get Ready, The Definitive Performances 1965 – 1972 and the certified-gold Marvin Gaye - The Real Thing In Performance 1964 – 1981, the first official DVD anthologies of classic archival television performances by Motown artists. For further information, please visit reelinintheyears.com. Since 1987, Naxos the World’s leading Classical Musical label has redefined how classical music is presented and marketed. The innovative strategy of recording exciting new Grammy nominated and Grammy winning repertoire with exceptional talent has enabled the label to develop one of the largest and fastest growing catalogues of unduplicated repertoire available anywhere-currently 5,500 active titles-with state-of-the-art sound and the consumer-friendly prices. Naxos of America is owned by the North American Classical Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Naxos Global Distribution. write your comments about the article :: © 2007 Jazz News :: home page |