The Apex of the Big Band Era
Restored, Reassembled, and Revealed
Last year, Mosaic released a massive 11-disc set of small group jazz recordings from the V-Disc program — the World War II project that sent music discs to military bases overseas while the domestic music industry was enduring a recording ban over performance royalties.
We’re thrilled to present that set’s counterpart, the equally weighty 10-CD set featuring Big Bands. Not only is this music most listeners today have never heard, it’s also music from the apex of the Big Band era, when bands were at their peak.
“Classic V-Disc Big Band Sessions” includes music by Woody Herman, Chubby Jackson, Les Brown, Charlie Barnet, Stan Kenton, Boyd Raeburn, Kay Kyser, Gene Krupa, Buddy Rich, Harry James, Claude Thornhill, Count Basie, Lionel Hampton, Yank Lawson, Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Jimmie Lunceford, Don Redman, and others. And we’re not talking about a cut here and there.
There are 24 tracks by Basie alone. 16 by Woody Herman. Buddy Rich contributed 12. The set includes some of Captain Glenn Miller’s last recordings with his celebrated Army Air Force Band. And in addition to each Dorsey brother getting his own spotlight, there’s an added treat in that they were able to put their feud aside to record as a combined band, featuring Charlie Shavers, Jess Stacy, Buddy Rich and others.
The Best Possible Sound: Thanks to our wide network of meticulous collectors around the world we have been able to obtain mint condition V-Discs. And not only did we obtain the original V-Disc 78s but lacquer discs and glass masters that were lovingly preserved. Even the re-recording process was special. Those original sources were professionally cleaned and transferred by Swan Studios using a variety of styli to capture the best signal possible from the grooves.
Mosaic’s Huge V-Disc Project Continues With Big Band Music You’ve Likely Never Heard
If you’re thinking, “Isn’t a lot of this available on the internet or from public domain sources,” the answer is no, not in this form. Other collections have been haphazardly assembled, often random and incomplete. Documentation has been nearly non-existent, certainly nothing approaching Mosaic’s level of scholarly analysis and appreciation. And to top it off Mosaic’s box set is respectful and collectable, featuring a gorgeous booklet and rare photographs.
As for the music, other collections have drawn from degraded and inferior copies, while Mosaic’s come from, truly, the best possible sources. Thanks to our wide network of meticulous collectors around the world we have been able to obtain mint condition V-Discs from Karl Pearson, Jeff Friedman (who now possesses the V-Discs from the collection of legendary collector Borris Rose) and the Institute of Jazz Studies which has in their historic collection rare test pressings from George T. Simon who produced a number of these V-Discs. And not only did we obtain the original V-Disc 78s but lacquer discs and glass masters that were lovingly preserved.
Even the re-recording process was special. Those original sources were professionally cleaned and transferred by Swan Studios using a variety of styli to capture the best signal possible from the grooves.
In every way, we’ve worked to respect the music and artists, as well as our fans who rely on our reputation for quality.
Breaking through the ban
If you are unfamiliar with V-Discs, they were a World War II solution for maintaining morale among the troops. Created exclusively for soldiers and other military personnel stationed overseas, V-Discs served up contemporary recordings, radio broadcasts, and sessions cut especially for V-Discs. Much of the music was new, and in many cases, innovative. Free from restrictions their label contracts imposed, musicians could play in combinations that could never have happened on commercial recordings. The discs were unbreakable, so they could travel and get passed around. And the larger disc size allowed for longer sessions, giving composers and musicians more freedom of expression.
The records were supposed to be destroyed after the war. Fortunately, many were not.
While the V-Disc program presented music of all genres, including country, classical, and marches, Big Bands were always the most heavily requested. The war years were the heyday of Big Bands. Back home, ramped-up production during World War II boosted U.S. employment and wages. For the first time since the onset of the Depression, people had money in their pockets. They wanted to go out dancing, and bandleaders could afford to pay the larger ensembles that were often the best backdrop for dancing. Big Bands surged and so did their artistry.
Woody Herman’s finest wartime music
Listening now to Woody Herman’s V-Disc recordings, it’s clear they are among his finest from the era. True to the spirit of the V-Disc project, these are joyous recordings featuring a version of Herman’s Herd that included musicians Pete Candoli, Sonny Berman, Flip Phillips, Bill Harris, Ralph Burns, Chubby Jackson, Davey Tough and vocalist Frances Wayne.
The Les Brown sessions feature 22-year-old singer Doris Day, whose smoky, sexy approach predates her brighter, poppier approach when she hit it big. The Charlie Barnet session is a wonderful showcase for Kay Starr, also 22 at the time. Her version of “Sharecroppin’ Blues” on this set is by far the best of a song she recorded numerous times. Also featured on the Barnet sides are Barney Kessell and Dodo Marmarosa, who really make the band jump.
Boyd Raeburn’s set featured the very first recorded version of the Dizzy Gillespie anthem, “A Night In Tunisia.” While Raeburn never achieved broad commercial success, it’s clear from these performances his modern sound pre-dated the work of Stan Kenton and Woody Herman. As for Gene Krupa’s dates, his “band that swings with strings” featured his tenor saxophone discovery, Charlie Ventura.
Initially a baby vaudevillian, Buddy Rich had played with Joe Marsala, Bunny Berigan, Artie Shaw and Tommy Dorsey when he got a chance to lead his own band. One of their first gigs ever was for a V-Disc session. Over the span of his V-Disc recordings, Rich would run through three entirely different line-ups but a highlight of these sessions is the artistry of the young tenor star Allen Eager who is featured heavily here.
Basie is heard with Jimmy Rushing, Lester Young, Buck Clayton, Buddy Tate, Don Byas and Harry Edison, along with the “All-American Rhythm Section” of Freddie Green, Walter Page and Jo Jones. A magnificent period for Basie and the band is captured brilliantly on these rare sessions.
An unexpected reunion
The Dorseys were able to perform together thanks to their hot feud beginning to simmer, as well as the fact that V-Discs could allow RCA and Decca artists to perform side by side. A highlight of Jimmy Dorsey’s own session is “Grand Central Getaway” by Dizzy Gillespie, showing that Dorsey was happy to dip his toe into the Be Bop stream. Tommy Dorsey’s set includes two V-Disc recordings that were never issued. Soloists include Charlie Shavers and Buddy DeFranco.
A real highlight is the AAF Band assembled by Glenn Miller. He produced hundreds of tunes for the war effort, including three sessions recorded exclusively for V-Discs with this organization. His “St. Louis Blues March” is likely the most famous V-Disc of all time. It is by every estimation a jazz masterwork.
Many other sessions feature sidemen of famous leaders getting a shot in the spotlight, and across all the recordings are many prominent sidemen of the era far too numerous to mention.
The Mosaic Presentation
Our set is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire these recordings in a deluxe Mosaic presentation. The 10-CD collection includes 214 recordings, with eight sides previously unissued. Every single track received a boost in clarity and quality thanks to our best-in-class reproduction process. Our massive booklet features the most accurate and up-to-date discography available, rare photographs, and an essay and analysis by Big Band expert and collector David Weiner.
As always, the release is strictly limited. When we’ve sold them, the music will never be available again in this form. Please place your order today to avoid missing out.
