Verve Jazz Masters series Vol. 51-60

 Jazz Masters is a series of mainly single artist compilations released by Polygram/Verve between 1994 and 1996. The compilations collect material that was originally released on Verve or on one of the labels that became part of the Polygram group. The 20th and 60th releases in the series were various artist collections.

VJM 51 - Blossom Dearie

VJM 52 - Maynard Ferguson

VJM 53 - Stan Getz

VJM 54 - Woody Herman

VJM 55 - Harry James

VJM 56 - Herbie Mann

VJM 57 - George Shearing

VJM 58 - Nina Simone 

VJM 59 - Toots Thielemans

VJM 60 - The Collection

 

Woody Herman — Mosaic Select 31 (3 CD, 2008/FLAC)

 

Woody Herman’s tremendous success in the mid ’40s was one the last bright moments during the tail end of the Swing Era. At a time when the big bands were being decisively challenged by a growing trend towards small groups, the burning excitement and new sounds of the Woody Herman band stemmed the tide, at least for a moment. Playing the brilliant arrangements of the 22-year-old Ralph Burns, Woody Herman and his Thundering Herds made music that is as electrifying today as it was six decades ago. 

 

 

Woody Herman - The Complete Decca, Mars and MGM Sessions (1943-1954) (7CD, 2019)

The Complete Woody Herman Decca, Mars and MGM Sessions (1943-1954) presents Woody on seven CDs over a remarkable span of his development: at the very beginning of his career leading a band that would become one of the most enduring in music; a few years later, in the studio and in concert at Carnegie Hall, when the band was enjoying its much-deserved, worldwide renown; and during the Third Herd period, when Woody was not only running his own band but his own record operation as well.

These three dips into Woody's career have had far less exposure than his more-famous work for Columbia and Capitol, previously collected by Mosaic on sets that are now completely sold out. Some of the music has been completely unavailable since the long-playing era. And even if you own Mosaic’s other box sets, or even the Mosaic Select mini-set documenting his early 1960s work on Phillips, you've never had a chance to sample such diverse material in one set by a bandleader who was never content to sit still.

Through its diverse material and the evolving nature of the personnel, Woody's point of view remains consistently crisp, energetic, youthful and relevant. His commitment to big bands was never nostalgic or locked in time, but always looking ahead

Woody Herman - Complete Columbia Recordings of Woody Herman And His Orchestra & Woodchoppers (1945-1947) [7 CD, 2004]

 

Extremely rare & limited 2004 US 141-track Mosaic audiophile 7-CD box set, including many alternate and unissued takes, entirely comprehensive of Woody's fabulous output for Columbia.