News

313 is officially in the LP house. To wit: Third Man Records and Blue Note Records have just announced their new 313 Series Partnership, which will showcase five Detroit-themed albums from the Blue Note catalog specially chosen for re-release by Blue Note Records President Don Was.

The 313 Series Partnership will reissue the following five classic Blue Note titles, which will come out via a staggered release slate between July and November: Thad Jones’ Detroit-New York Junction (1LP; 1956), Donald Byrd’s Electric Byrd (1LP; 1970), Elvin Jones’ Genesis (1LP; 1971), a first-ever vinyl reissue of Kenny Cox and The Contemporary Jazz Quintet’s Multidirection, (1LP; 1969) and a first-ever vinyl release of Grant Green’s Live at Club Mozambique (2LP; 1971).

All five of the 180g LP releases in the 313 Series are newly remastered from the original tapes at Third Man’s Detroit mastering and pressing facility, where sound and mastering engineer Warren Defever and the Third Man team have “worked to ensure the closest possible approximation of the magic found on the original masters” (in their words).

Exclusive limited-edition color variants will be available directly via Third Man, Blue Note, and at indie record stores, with (naturally) 313 copies available per variant. The SRPs for the standard LPs are $35.98 for the 1LP sets and $42.98 for the Grant Green 2LP set, while SRPs for the variants run between $37.98 and $39.98 for the four 1LP set variants, and either $44.98 or $46.98 for the Grant Green 2LP set options.

You can get a taste of the Third Man-Blue Note collaborative process for this new series partnership via the videoclip below.

The specific, staggered release dates for these five 313 Series entries are as follows. Thad Jones’ Detroit-New York Junction and Donald Byrd’s Electric Byrd will be available on July 21, followed by Elvin Jones’ Genesis and Kenny Cox and The Contemporary Jazz Quintet’s Multidirection on September 22, with Grant Green’s Live at Club Mozambique rounding out the schedule on November 3.

Of the new 313 Series, Don Was — a native Detroiter in his own right — observes, “There’s no better way for us to celebrate the abundance of Detroit talent on the Blue Note roster than this 313 collaboration with our hometown brothers and sisters at Third Man Records. Spin your turntables, close your eyes, and listen as the sweet analog sounds of Detroit Jazz roll thru [sic] your mind like the cool, clear waters of the River Rouge.”

Here's some further info about each forthcoming title in the 313 Series. Note that all of the following notes comes courtesy of the Third Man-Blue Note tandem-PR team, word for word. (Links for where to purchase any of these LPs follow at the very end of the story.)

THAD JONES
DETROIT-NEW YORK JUNCTION

Recorded at Audio Video Studios, New York, NY 1956. Produced by Alfred Lion.
It would be difficult to overstate the importance of the Jones brothers Thad, Hank, and Elvin on the world of jazz. Between the three of them, their performances can be heard on thousands of recordings, including legendary sessions recorded with some of the greatest artists.

Post-War Detroit was taking notes on the new sounds of jazz coming into favor and the group of former Detroiters on this album include some of its most virtuosic students: Thad Jones (although he was technically from nearby Pontiac, MI) on trumpet, Kenny Burrell on guitar, Tommy Flanagan on piano, and Billy Mitchell on tenor saxophone.

Jones’ first for Blue Note from 1956 stands as a fantastic sounding announcement that the Detroiters had landed in New York and were about to take off. Also featuring greats Shadow Wilson on Drums and Oscar Pettiford on Bass; Detroit-New York Junction, is a long sought-after rarity and a testament to the importance of Detroit on the evolution of jazz music through Blue Note Records.

Thad Jones – trumpet
Billy Mitchell – tenor saxophone
Tommy Flanagan – piano
Kenny Burrell – guitar
Oscar Pettiford – bass
Shadow Wilson – drums

DONALD BYRD
ELECTRIC BYRD

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1970 by Rudy Van Gelder. Produced by Duke Pearson.
The experimentations taking shape in music at the end of the ’60s with Miles Davis leading the pack pushed jazz in many new directions. Released six months after Bitches Brew, Electric Byrd shows renowned Detroit hard bop trumpet player Donald Byrd was listening too, but not necessarily following concurrent paths.

Backed by a diverse group of players including several hard bop legends with Brazilians Moreira and Pascoal lending a fresh sound. Shimmering percussion, wind instruments, and electric piano and guitar set the backdrop for Byrd’s dramatic flight into a psychedelic space with his echo-laden trumpet blasts. The LP concludes with a classic funk number that foreshadows the gold he would soon mine with the Mizell Brothers on his string of hit records recorded shortly after. An important glimpse of an artist in transition and an astounding album.

Donald Byrd – trumpet
Bill Campbell – trombone
Frank Foster – tenor saxophone, alto clarinet
Jerry Dodgion – alto saxophone, soprano saxophone, flute
Lew Tabackin – tenor saxophone, flute
Pepper Adams – baritone saxophone, clarinet
Hermeto Pascoal – flute
Duke Pearson – electric piano
Wally Richardson – guitar
Ron Carter – bass
Mickey Roker – drums
Airto Moreira – percussion

KENNY COX AND THE CONTEMPORARY JAZZ QUINTET
MULTIDIRECTION

Recorded at GM Recording Studio, East Detroit, MI 1969 by Jim Bruzzese. Produced by Francis Wolff.
Detroit has a long tradition of being the farm team for the Big Apple jazz big leagues, but just as important is the acknowledgement of local stars who left their mark on the city by staying and releasing amazing music in Detroit. Kenny Cox and The Contemporary Jazz Quintet is one such group that could have — and definitely should have — had a wider audience in their day, but their recorded legacy continues to grow in estimation. A comprehensive group with no weak links, the compositions and playing on this record show the incredible talent and innovation that was brewing in Detroit before, during and after Motown locked its doors in the Motor City.

Of note is group member Charles Moore, an important figure in the jazz and arts scene in Detroit and founding member of an underground art and music co-operative called the Detroit Artist Workshop. A great musician and composer in his own right, Moore and group leader Cox composed all the material on Multidirection. Cox described it as “more of an orchestral-type effort than just a combo per se” in the original liner notes by Nat Hentoff. Both were integral in the future DIY jazz universe by co-founding the highly influential Strata Records.

But before embarking on that journey, his group recorded two timeless works for Blue Note Records. Often the best albums shine brightest as a whole with new dimensions to discover during each listen. This exciting first-ever vinyl reissue is certain to provide the listening experience with the best possible platform.

Kenny Cox – piano
Charles Moore – trumpet
Leon Henderson – tenor saxophone
Ron Brooks – bass
Danny Spencer – drums

ELVIN JONES
GENESIS

Recorded at Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 1971 by Rudy Van Gelder. Produced by Francis Wolff & George Butler.
Elvin Jones, one of the true great drummers in jazz, recorded this album in 1971 after having led his own band for several years following his immortal work with the John Coltrane Quartet. This unique recording has a spacious feel with plenty of room for the players to work out the melodic compositions created by the members of the group.

At times the recording creates an almost cinematic space, yet always propelling forward into unexpected territory. No pandering to contemporary tastes at this date or following trends, this is a fine example of mature musicians given the freedom to create their own vision and place in time. Frank Foster, Joe Farrell, and Dave Liebman’s instruments intertwine in a spellbinding way with many opportunities to showcase Jones’ incredible virtuosity as a drummer and bandleader.

Elvin Jones – drums
Joe Farrell – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Dave Liebman – tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
Frank Foster – tenor saxophone, alto flute
Gene Perla – bass

GRANT GREEN
LIVE AT CLUB MOZAMBIQUE

Recorded live at Club Mozambique, Detroit, MI 1971 by Ed Greene. Produced by Francis Wolff.
Grant Green’s near-perfect slice of jazz funk and soul, Live at Club Mozambique, is finally available on vinyl, remastered and rendered back in the Motor City. Green’s band had been playing a series of live dates at Detroit’s Club Mozambique, (before it became a fabled male dance club) when this session was recorded live on two cold January nights in 1971.

Soulful tenor star Houston Person was brought in to supplement Green’s current band featuring powerhouse drummer Idris Muhammad, organ phenom Ronnie Foster, and Clarence Thomas on soprano and tenor saxophone. This treasure remained in the Blue Note vaults for 35 years before a 2006 CD release. Sounding incredibly fresh, you’d be hard-pressed to find a more real stamping of Grant Green at the top of his game. Hypnotic and wild funk, such as the cover of local hit “Jan Jan” by the Fabulous Counts, contrasts with laidback renditions of early-’70s soul favorites like “Walk on By,” “Patches,” and “One More Chance” by the Jackson 5.

Live at Club Mozambique captures the magic of hearing a fantastic band effortlessly doing their thing in a small club while the audience unwinds after a long workday. Green pulls it all together with his melodic genius and perfect delivery. No pretensions, just Green and company burning up the stage with unmistakable chemistry on what might be the ultimate jazz funk time capsule.

Grant Green – guitar
Clarence Thomas – soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone
Houston Person – tenor saxophone
Ronnie Foster – organ
Idris Muhammad – drums

To preorder any version of these five titles via Third Man Records, go here.
To preorder any version of these five titles via Blue Note Records, go here.