VIA PRESS RELEASE | In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the art form we call jazz exploded into endless permutations, including free jazz, spiritual jazz, soul jazz, fusion, and funk.
At that time, a number of black-run collectives organically sprang up across America. In Chicago, there was the AACM (Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians), which spawned among many other artists the Art Ensemble of Chicago. In Watts, Horace Tapscott founded UGMAA (Union of God’s Musicians and Artists Ascension). In Brooklyn, the CBA (Collective Black Artists) included Reggie Workman, Donald Byrd, and Stanley Cowell (co-founder of the Strata East Record label) among its members. In Detroit, Wendell Harrison, Phil Ranelin, and others formed a collective called The Tribe.
And from Oakland came Black Jazz Records, founded by pianist Gene Russell and percussionist Dick Schory. Reputed to be the first jazz record label started by an African-American since 1921, its mission statement was “to promote the talents of young African American jazz musicians and singers.” Under Russell’s artistic direction, the label only put out about 20 albums during its short, 4-year (1971-1975) tenure; and then, due to ownership issues and general neglect, the label went underground.
Way underground, in fact…but not so far down that a new generation of crate diggers and DJs weren’t able to discover the label’s incredible array of modal, soul, funk, and free jazz, much of it imbued with the political and spiritual concerns of the day (and selling for a pretty penny online). Finally, in the ‘90s and early ‘oughts, the Black Jazz catalog emerged on CD in Japan; but for the most part, the entire label’s output was never reissued on vinyl anywhere.
Real Gone Music first began tracking down the rights to the Black Jazz label back in 2017. Finally, after a couple of leads went cold, we were able to connect with the rights-holders in early 2020…right before quarantine and the subsequent events that triggered worldwide protests for racial equality. But this music succeeds on a deeper level than just a reminder that the struggle against prejudice continues unabated 50 years later. It offers manifold moments of beauty that remind all of us of our common humanity and the love that, if we let it, binds us all.
Real Gone is proud to present the Black Jazz catalog on LP, remastered by Mike Milchner at Sonic Vision Mastering, and pressed on black vinyl at Gotta Groove Records with lacquer cutting by Clint Holley and Dave Polster at Well Made Music. Produced by Real Gone Music’s Gordon Anderson and decorated jazz archivist Zev Feldman, each vinyl reissue features the original black-and-white Black Jazz album artwork, which, on early releases, featured an identical front and back cover, with the back cover turned “upside down.”
And, both our vinyl and CD releases will feature added liner notes by Pat Thomas, author of Listen Whitey! The Sights and Sounds of Black Power 1965-1975 that draw a straight line between what was happening then…and what is happening right now. With each Black Jazz album release, Real Gone Music will donate $500 to the Equal Justice Initiative.
