Jazz at the Philharmonic - Jazz at the Philharmonic

From 1944 onwards, impresario Norman Granz used his considerable talents as an organizer and promoter to put together the definitive musical "package tours" of the day. Starting out with a gig in LA, (and a lineup including Illinois Jacquet, Nat King Cole and J.J. Johnson) Granz booked nationwide concert hall tours that included all of the star jazz soloists of the day, playing in a jam session-style setting. These proved phenomenally popular, despite some critical sniping about the grandstand nature of some of the playing, and the tours were also notable for the racial integration of their lineups. As well as being popular with audiences, the tours were popular with the musicians and this shows in the quality of the issued recordings that originally emerged on Granz's Verve label. This 4 CD set presents the cream of the crop from 1946-1952, including nearly every notable soloist of the day, and tells the full story of this pioneering and much-loved institution.

1) Disc 01
2) The Trumpet Battle - Roy Eldridge Charlie Shavers
3) Sweet Georgia Brown - Oscar Peterson Trio
4) Cheek to Cheek - Oscar Peterson Trio
5) C Jam Blues - Oscar Peterson Trio
6) D.B. Blues - the Lester Young Quintet
7) I Cover the Waterfront - the Lester Young Quintet
8) Lester Leaps in - the Lester Young Quintet
9) The Ballad Medley - Jatp
10) Indiana - Gene Krupa Trio
11) Cocktails for Two - Gene Krupa Trio
12) Cottontail - Jatp
13) Disc 02
14) The Opener - Jatp
15) Lester Leaps in - Jatp
16) Embraceable You - Jatp
17) Flyin' Home - Ella Fitzgerald
18) How High the Moon - Ella Fitzgerald
19) Perdido - Ella Fitzgerald
20) Jam Session Blues - Jatp
21) Disc 03
22) Oh Lady Be Good - Charlie Parker Lester Young Howard McGhee Et Al - George Gershwin
23) After You've Gone - Charlie Parker Lester Young Howard McGhee Et Al - Creamer Layton
24) I Got Rhythm - Charlie Parker Lester Young Coleman Hawkins Et Al - George Gershwin
25) Introductions By Norman Granz - Norman Granz
26) Jatp Blues - Charlie Parker Lester Young Coleman Hawkins Et Al - Shrdlu
27) I Surrender Dear - Lester Young Coleman Hawkins Et Al - Barris Gordon
28) The Man I Love - Billie Holiday - George Gershwin
29) Gee Baby Ain't I Good to You? - Billie Holiday - Redman Razaf
30) All of Me - Billie Holiday - Simons/Marks
31) Billies Blues - Holiday
32) Norman Granz Announcement - Norman Granz
33) You Better Go Now - Billie Holiday - Graham Reichmer
34) You're Driving Me Crazy - Billie Holiday - Donaldson
35) There Is No Greater Love - Billie Holiday - Jones Symes
36) I Cover the Waterfront - Billie Holiday - Green Heyman
37) Disc 04
38) Rosetta - Jatp
39) Bugle Call Rag - Jatp
40) Tea for Two - Jatp
41) How High the Moon - Jatp
42) Body and Soul - Jatp
43) Strange Fruit - Jatp
44) Sweet Georgia Brown - Jatp
45) Blues for Norman - Jatp
46) I Can't Get Started - Jatp