Gene Russell

The first album released by the most sought-after label, bar none, among jazz collectors! And since keyboardist Gene Russell was at the artistic helm of Black Jazz, it was only natural that the label's debut record featured Russell himself, with the fitting title New Direction.

William Eugene Russell (December 2, 1932-May 5, 1981), known as Gene Russell, was an American pop, jazz, and soul keyboardist who played acoustic and Fender Rhodes. He is mainly known for founding and releasing albums on Black Jazz Records.

Gene Russell should be a name familiar to committed and more casual fans of jazz and R&B made in the 1970s. Talk to My Lady has its transcendent moments.

Always forward-looking, always prolific, Clark left behind a rich legacy of professionally recorded music both released and unreleased. This album introduces previously unreleased studio sessions from Clark's pre-Byrds days in 1964, to his 1982 reunion with former bandmates, Chris Hillman and Michael Clarke, as Nyteflyte. Since his passing in 1991, many of Gene Clark's home demo recordings and various live recordings have been released. Actual studio recording sessions were rare and their existence was more rumor than fact until now! This collection of "lost" studio recordings has been lovingly restored by Sierra Records to ensure the best possible sound quality and is presented here for the very first time. This is essentially an alternate history of Gene Clark's most productive years as a songwriter. To call them revelatory would be to understate their importance.

Gene Clark's 1971 classic “White Light” is a bittersweet and knowing statement from a singer/songwriter at the peak at his creative powers. Having fronted The Byrds, Clark on his own here is stripped down in guitarist Jesse Ed Davis' stark production. The lyrics, singing and guitar playing are so powerful that less production here is immeasurably more musically. The album art is beautifully restored by IR's Tom Vadakan.

A lost legacy of work from Black Jazz Records – the important 70s imprint that's best known for its groundbreaking albums of spiritual and funky jazz – and a company who also issued some rare 45s back in the day! The cuts here represent some of the coolest, funkiest tracks these artists recorded for Black Jazz – all originally issued as 7" singles, some with a two-part approach that has both parts of a longer track spread out over both sides of the wax. The presentation here is as top-shelf as the other Black Jazz reissues handled by Real Gone – complete with notes by Pat Thomas – and titles include "Little B's Poem" and "Peace" by Doug & Jean Carn, "Chi Town Theme" by Cleveland Eaton, "Soul Daddy" and "Be All Your Own" by Kellee Patterson, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Me & Mrs Jones" by Gene Russell, "Coral Keys (parts 1 & 2)" by Walter Bishop, "Moon Child (parts 1 & 2)" by Doug Carn, "Mr TJ (single edit)" and "Devon Jean" by Rudolph Johnson, "Gee Gee (parts 1 & 2)" by Calvin Keys, and "Powerhouse (parts 1 & 2)" by Chester Thompson.

24 track compilation contains music recorded in New York from 1929-30 directed by Red Nichols. Features Jack Teagarden, Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, Jimmy Dorsey, Pee Wee Russell, Adrian Rollini, Gene Krupa, Bud Freeman and others. Transfers and remastering by John R.T. Davies, an internationally recognized master sound engineer.

Digitally remastered edition of this 1974 album from the under-rated Soul vocalist. Let's hope that in addition to appeasing the faithful, the reappearance of Maiden Voyage generates the interest of a new generation of listeners who are interested in honest and attractive music of the past.