Riverside Label Discography [document]

1 Discography of the Riverside LabelThe Riverside Label was established in 1953 by traditional jazz enthusiasts Bill Grauer and Orrin Keepnews in NewYork City. Originally Grauer and Keepnews intended to reissue classic jazz that they purchased from long defunctlabels. Later the Label recorded jazz, folk, comedy, spoken word, sound effects, children s and gospel. Shortly after starting the Riverside Label , Grauer went to Richmond Indiana, to see Harry Gennett Jr. to try to purchasethe recordings of the Gennett Label . The Gennett Record Label was formed in 1918 as a division of the Starr PianoCompany in Richmond Indiana. In the early 20 s, the Label started recording the early jazz bands that wereperforming in Chicago.

2 Gennett made the first recordings of Ferd Jellyroll Morton, King Oliver s Creole JazzBand with Louis Armstrong and the Wolverines with Bix Beiderecke. The first recording of Stardust was made byits author Hoagy Carmichael in the Gennett Richmond studio The Gennett Label had ceased operation in 1932, butmany of the historic metal recording plates were still stored in Richmond. Grauer was able to purchase all of theremaining plates for $2000. Grauer began a massive reissue campaign, releasing much of the Gennett material on longplaying albums for the first time. Later, Grauer obtained masters from other early jazz and blues labels, includingParamount, Circle, and QRS, and reissued that the early catalog of Riverside releases contained mostly purchased material, Riverside started recording jazzsessions on its own, including Thelonious Monk, Randy Weston, Wes Montgomery and Cannonball Adderley.

3 A subsidiary Label Judson was established in 1957 and operated into 1959. Judson recorded pop, classical, jazz andchildren s records. The Jazzland Label subsidiary was established in 1960 and released albums into 1964, Jazzland recorded jazz . TheJazzland Label was used to reissue many of the eariler Riverside albums. The Washington Label was formed in 1957 by Robert Bialek and Will Lerner in Washington DC. The Label recordedfolk, classical, and children s music. A subsidiary Label called Offbeat was formed in 1957. The Offbeat Label recordedjazz, comedy and popular music. Riverside acquired both labels in 1960 and moved their operations to New YorkCity.

4 The Washington Label was used by Riverside to reissue many of the Riverside folk albums; the Washington labelwas used into 1964. The Offbeat Label was used into also distributed the Battle Label , which was started by Joe Von Battle in Detroit. The Battle Label has itsown web page, but the Battle Label albums distributed by Riverside are included in this Discography . It also distributed Wonderland Records (US), a children's music Label created by Grauer in 1959, until selling it in1963 to Records. Bill Grauer died in 1964 and the Label went bankrupt. Orrin Keepnews retained the rights to the Riverside name andmaster tapes.

5 ABC Records leased the catalog from Keepnews and reissued Riverside recordings sporadically from1967 until Riverside Label and its subsidiary s were acquired by Fantasy in 1972. Most of the Riverside jazz recordings arestill in print on CD by Fantasy Records who own the Riverside masters. Many of the CD reissues have unreleasedbonus tracks added to the original LP This Discography includes Riverside , Battle, Jazzland, Judson, Offbeat, Washington and Wonderland labels. Wehave tried to note where an album is a reissue of a previous album, but we re sure the list is not Riverside Label Discography was compiled using Schwann catalogs from 1950 to 1982, Phonolog from 1963,The Complete Library of American Phonograph Recordings (1958-1968) by Jerry Osborne, The Jazz DiscographyProject Website ( ), The American Record Label Directory and Dating Guide, 1940-1959 byGalen Gart and my record collection.

6 Tracks are listed in order they appear on the albums, when known and the double slash (//) is indication of theseparation between sides. Titles listed without a double slash (//) are listed as printed in the Phono-Log or Schwanncatalog New Entries listing, and the separation between side one Riverside Label DiscographyThe first Riverside Label was white with black printing, Riverside in white in a light blue box above the centerhole..Above Riverside are 2 tape reels and a microphone logo. At the bottom of the Label is Bill Grauer ProductionsNew York City . This Label was used from the start of the Label to 1956 approximately #240 & # second Label was dark blue with silver printing, Riverside above the center hole in silver.

7 Above Riverside isa silver box with 2 tape reels and a microphone logo. At the bottom of the Label is Bill Grauer Productions Inc. NewYork City . This Label was used from 1956 to 1965. During this time the stereo issues had a black Label with silverprint, graphics being the third Label was blue with silver print. Riverside above the center hole in a thinner print font and the 2 tapereels and microphone logo wa omitted. This Label was used in late 1965 and forth Label was blue/green with silver print, Riverside in a bolder font above the center hole, at the bottom ofthe Label was ORPHEUM PRODUCTIONS INC: NEW YORK CITY.

8 This Label was used in 1966 and fifth Label was used on the RS-3000 series. It was brown and black with a black and white logo. Printing waswhite. A large R above the center hole with Riverside below it. At the bottom of the Label was DISTRIBTEDBY ABC RECORDS, INC., NEW YORK, 10019 - MADE IN There were no Riverside records issued between 1972 to the early 1980 s. In the 1980 s Riverside records werereleased by Fantasy Records as part of the Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series. These records had the graphics of thefirst Riverside Label but white and gray rather than the white and blue used originally. At the bottom of this Label was FANTASY, INC.

9 , BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA . 1000 10 Inch Series:RLP 1001 - Louis Armstrong Plays The Blues - Louis Armstrong [1953] The Railroad Blues/The World's Jazz Crazy,Lawdy, So Am I/Jelly Bean Blues/Countin' The Blues/See See Rider Blues/Come On Coot And Play That Thing/FindMe At The Greasy Spoon/When Your Man Is Going To Put You DownRLP 1002 - Johnny Dodds - Johnny Dodds [1953] Available on red vinyl. Oriental Man/Sock That Thing/Weary WayBlues/There'll Come A Day/Merry Makers' Twine/In The Alley Blues/Hot Potatoes/Ape ManRLP 1003 - Ma Rainey - Ma Rainey [2/53] Available on red vinyl. Daddy, Goodbye Blues/Black Eye Blues/DeepMoanin' Blues/Runaway Blues/Leaving This Morning/Travelling Blues/Sleep Talking Blues/Blame It On The BluesRLP 1004 - Muggsy Spanier And Chicagoans - Muggsy Spanier & Frank Teschmacher [1953] China Boy/Bull FrogBlues/Whoopee Stomp/Sister Kate/Jazz Me Blues/Friars Point Shuffle/Darktown Strutters Ball/Nobody's SweetheartRLP 1005 - New Orleans Horns - Various Artists [1953]

10 Mabel's Dream - Louis Armstrong/Southern Stomp - LouisArmstrong/ Riverside Blues - Louis Armstrong/'Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do - Matson's Creole Serenaders/I JustWant a Daddy - Matson's Creole Serenaders/Dearborn Street Blues - Young's Creole Jazz Band/Stockyard Strut -Freddie Keppard And His Jazz Band/Salty Dog - Freddie Keppard And His Jazz BandRLP 1006 - Ragtime Piano Roll - Various Artists [1953] Ragtime Oriole - James Scott/Grace and Beauty - JamesScott/St. Louis Rag Turpin, - Thomas "Million" Turpin/American Beauty Rag - Joseph Lamb/Scott Joplin's New Rag- Scott Joplin/Original Rags - Scott Joplin/Fig Leaf Rag (A High Class Rag)