On Internet since 1999

The Birka Jazz Archive
Records we have bought and sold over the years - the rare and the beautiful!

Please note!
Birka Jazz record store is closed but Birka Jazz Archive is still available. Scroll down and use the links to browse this comprehensive archive of rare jazz album covers

AMERICAN LABELS

COLUMBIA RECORDS
The pioneers of album cover design

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (1)
David Stone Martin

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (2)
The photographic covers

BLUE NOTE 10" LPs
Searching for a modern jazz identity

BLUE NOTE 1500 series
Defining the hard bop style

BLUE NOTE 4000 series
Masterpieces of Reid Miles

PRESTIGE RECORDS
Images of East Coast jazz

RIVERSIDE RECORDS
Street cred with Thelonious Monk

PACIFIC JAZZ
Moods of Chet and Claxton

CONTEMPORARY
Cool West Coast, great Sound

SAVOY RECORDS
Masterworks by Charlie Parker

DIAL RECORDS
Small label, big Bird sound

ATLANTIC RECORDS
Bold and striking albums

EMARCY RECORDS
The classic drummer logo label

BETHLEHEM RECORDS
The beautiful design of Burt Goldblatt

DEBUT RECORDS
Artist-operated jazz label with Mingus & Roach

CANDID RECORDS
Legendary, early 1960s LPs

ESP-DISK
Free jazz and silk screened covers

IMPULSE RECORDS
Edgy and experimental

RCA VICTOR
The high spirit of Jim Flora

VARIOUS US labels (1)
ABC-Paramount, Aladdin, Argo, Capitol, Coral, Dawn, Decca,
and more

VARIOUS US labels (2)
Epic, Fantasy, HiFi, Imperial, Jazzland, Jazz West, Jubilee, Mercury, Mode, and more

VARIOUS US labels (3)
Roost, Signal, Storyville, Tampa, Transition, United Artists, Vee Jay, and more

EUROPEAN LABELS

SWEDEN (1)
The EP era and Metronome Records in 1950s

SWEDEN (2)
The LPs in the 1950s, and Swedish jazz abroad

SWEDEN (3)
Changing times in the 1960s

SWEDEN (4)
New energy to Swedish jazz in the 1970s

DENMARK
Montmartre, Debut Records and the heydays in Danish jazz

NORWAY
Krog and Garbarek, greats in Norwegian jazz

FINLAND
Plenty of merged styles in Finnish jazz

FRANCE
Americans in Paris, force in French jazz

ENGLAND
Esquire and Tempo, classic labels in British jazz

GERMANY
Jazz labels with strong identity

ITALY
Rare Italian jazz covers

HOLLAND
From Diamonds to ICP in
Dutch jazz

POLAND
Unique series of Polish jazz on Muza

OTHER COUNTRIES
Jazz labels around the world

Riverside Records

From trad jazz
to street cred
with Thelonious Monk

RIVERSIDE was established in 1953 by Orrin Keepnews and Bill Grauer. It started as a reiusse label for early jazz. In 1954, beginning with two 10" LPs by Randy Weston, the company begun recording modern jazz.

Riverside took off for real street credibillity in 1955 by signing Thelonious Monk, and became, after Blue Note and Prestige, the most important jazz label of the era.

Almost all Riverside's new jazz were produced by Orrin Keepnews. Bill Grauer directed the company's sales and business operations. The company established the subsidary labels Judson in late 1950s and Jazzland in 1960.

PAUL BACON designed a large number of covers for Riverside in the 1950s. He had started as designer at Blue Note and went to Riverside as art director in 1954.

Another designer at Riverside was Ken Deardoff. Often hired photographers were Paul Weller and Donald Silverstein, but Riverside also used pictures from William Claxton, Burt Goldblatt and Bob Parent among others.

Riverside issued around 120 LPs in the Archives series (traditionl jazz), of which about the half where 10". In the Contemporary series about 300 12" LPs were issued between 1955 and 1964.

Bill Grauer died in 1963, and the company went bankrupt the following year.

Paul Bacon, who in total made around 2000 covers for Blue Note, Riverside and other labels, turned to the book world in the 1960s. He designed book covers for famous writers such as Norman Mailer, Joseph Heller, Kurt Vonnegut and Philip Roth.

     Paul Bacon in 2002
     Photo: Hank O'Neal

Orrin Keepnews

See also

Paul Bacon at Blue Note

LINKS

Riverside Discography
jazzdisco.com

Interview Paul Bacon
jazzwax.com

Randy Weston: Cole Porter In A Modern Mood Label: Riverside 2508 10" LP 1954
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Bob Parent

Riverside Records

Randy Weston Trio Label: Riverside 2513 10" LP 1955
Design: Paul Bacon

Barbara Lea: A Woman In Love Label: Riverside 2518 10" LP 1955
Design: Paul Bacon

The Incomparable Jelly Roll Morton Label: Riverside 12-128 12" LP 1956
Painting: Jacob Lawrence Design: Paul Bacon

King Oliver: Back O' Town Label: Riverside 12-130 12" LP 1956
Painting: Jacob Lawrence Design: Paul Bacon

Randy Weston: Get Happy Label: Riverside 12-203 12" LP 1956
Design: Gene Gogerty

Thelonious Monk: The Unique Label: Riverside 12-209 12" LP 1956
First cover. Design: Gene Gogerty Photo: Carole Reiff

Randy Weston: With These Hands Label: Riverside 12-214 12" LP 1957
Design: Fran Scott Photo: Hank Parker

Thelonius Monk: The Unique Label: Riverside 12-304 12" LP c.1957
Second cover. Design: Paul Bacon

Presenting Ernie Henry Label: Riverside 12-222 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Thelonious Monk: Brilliant Corners Label: Riverside 12-226 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Randy Weston: Trio and Solo Label: Riverside 12-227 12" LP 1957

Randy Weston: Jazz a la Bohemia Label: Riverside 12-232 12" LP 1957

Thelonious Monk: Thelonious Himself Label: Riverside 12-235 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Sonny Rollins: The Sound of Sonny´s Music Label: Riverside 12-241 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon : Photo: Paul Weller

Thelonious Monk: Monk´s Music Label: Riverside 12-242 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Gerry Mulligan - Thelonious Monk Label: Riverside 12-247 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon

Ernie Henry: Seven Standards and a Blues Label: Riverside 12-248 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon

Freddie Redd: San Francisco Suite Label: Riverside 12-250 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Dennis Stock

Abbey Lincoln: That's Him! Label: Riverside 12-251 12" LP 1957
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Kenny Dorham: 2 Horns / 2 Rhythm Label: Riverside 12-255 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Charles Ingle

Benny Golson: The Modern Touch Label: Riverside 12-256 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Sonny Rollins: Freedom Suite´s Music Label: Riverside 12-258 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Thelonious Monk: Thelonious in Action Label: Riverside 12-262 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Jack Manning

Johnny Griffin Sextet Label: Riverside 12-264 12" LP 1958

Pepper Adams: 10 to 4 at the 5-Spot Label: Riverside 12-265 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Shjeilagh Coulter

Ernie Henry: Last Chorus Label: Riverside 12-266 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon

Portrait of Cannonball Label: Riverside 12-269 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon

Blue Mitchell: Big Six Label: Riverside 12-273 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Hugh Bell

Johnny Griffin: Way Out Label: Riverside 12-274 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon

Abbey Lincoln: It's Magic Label: Riverside 12-277 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Charles Stewart

Chet Baker: It Could Happen To You Label: Riverside 12-278 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Thelonious Monk: Misterioso Label: Riverside 12-279 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon : Painting: Giorgio de Chirico

Max Roach: Deeds, Not Words Label: Riverside 12-280 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Lawrence Shustak

Chet Baker in New York Label: Riverside 12-281 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

The Other Side of Benny Golson Label: Riverside 12-290 12" LP 1958
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Paul Weller

Everybody Digs Bill Evans Label: Riverside 12-291 (1139) 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon

Kenny Dorham: Blue Spring Label: Riverside 12-297 (1139) 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon

Wynton Kelly: Kelly Blue Label: Riverside 12-298 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Burt Goldblatt

Chet Baker: Chet Label: Riverside 12-299 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Melvin Sokolsky

Thelonious Monk at Town Hall Label: Riverside 12-300 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Melvin Sokolsky

Johnny Griffin: Little Giant Label: Riverside 12-304 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Charles Stewart

Thlonious Monk: Five by Monk by Five Label: Riverside 12-305 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Lawrence N. Shustak

Abbey Lincoln: Abbey Is Blue Label: Riverside 12-308 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Lawrence Shustak

Blue Mitchell: Blue Soul Label: Riverside 12-309 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Lawrence Shustak

Wes Montgomery Trio Label: Riverside 12-310 (1156) 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Art: Jules Maidoff

Cannonball Adderley in San Fransisco Label: Riverside 12-311 (1157) 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon

Thelonious Monk: Alone in San Fransisco Label: Riverside 12-312 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon : Photo: William Claxton

Jimmy Heath: The Thumper Label: Riverside 12-314 12" LP 1959
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Lawrence Shustak

Julian Priester: Keep Swingin´ Label: Riverside 12-316 12" LP 1960

Nat Adderley: Work Song Label: Riverside 12-318 (1167) 12" LP 1960
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Lawrence Shustak

John Lee Hooker: That's My Story Label: Riverside 12-321 12" LP 1960
Design: Paul Bacon : Photo: Lawrence N. Shustak

Thelonious Monk at the Blackhawk Label: Riverside 12-323 12" LP 1960
Design: Ken Deardoff :

Barry Harris: At the Jazz Workshop Label: Riverside 12-326 12" LP 1960
Design: Ken Deardoff : Photo: Jerry Stoll

James Clay - David Newman Label: Riverside 12-327 12" LP 1960
Photo: Lawrence N. Shustak

Cannonball Adderley at The Lighthouse Label: Riverside 12-344 12" LP 1960
Design: Ken Deardoff

Bill Evans: Explorations Label: Riverside 351 12" LP 1960
Design: Ken Deardoff : Photo: Mike Custa

Barry Harris: Preminado Label: Riverside 354 12" LP 1961
Design: Ken Deardoff : Photo: Lawrence N. Shustak

Bobby Timmons: Easy Does It Label: Riverside 363 12" LP 1961
Design: Ken Deardoff

Bill Evans: Waltz for Debby Label: Riverside 399 12" LP 1961
Design: Ken Deardoff

Bill Evans: Moon Beams Label: Riverside 428 12" LP 1962
Design: Ken Deardoff : Photo: Peter Sahula

Cannonball Adderley in New York Label: Riverside 9404 12" LP 1962
Design: Ken Deardoff : Photo: Steve Schapiro

Junior Mance: Juniors Blues Label: Riverside 447 (9447) 12" LP 1962
Design: Ken Deardoff

Bill Evans: How My Heart Sings Label: Riverside 473 (9473) 12" LP 1962
Design: Ken Deardoff

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Riverside Records

From trad jazzto street cred with Thelonious Monk

Riverside Records

From trad jazz
to street cred
with Thelonious Monk