Great Britain's
JSP imprint is well-known for its often-exhaustive boxed sets, for single as well as multiple artists, and this one, which covers the
Gennett imprint form Indiana in the 1920s, is no exception. While this box doesn't include the complete catalog of the legendary (if little known by all but early jazz collectors) imprint, it does offer a massive sampling of the 1,250 records they released between the label's founding in 1922 right on through to its final releases in 1930. Some of the artists represented here include
King Oliver, the
Friars Society Orchestra,
Watson's Pullman Porters,
Josephine Beatty,
Bailey's Lucky Seven, the
Bucktown Five,
Ladd's Black Aces,
Alberta Hunter,
Jelly Roll Morton, and the
Red Onion Jazz Babies, to name a few. This set is basically a must for fans of early jazz. It marks the very first time many of the selections have appeared on CD, and is the first such compilation of the label in a digital format.
JSP releases are all remastered, and fully annotated with discographical information, and this one is no exception. There is a fine historical liner essay by
Pat Harrison, as well. ~ Thom Jurek