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

Savoy Records

Masterworks
by Charlie Parker

SAVOY was founded in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey by Herman Lubinsky. The most succesful parts of the label's catalogue were rhythm & blues, but Savoy also played an important part in popularizing bebop in the 1940s.

The artists and repertory were directed by Teddy Reig. He was responsible for introducing several musicians of the emerging bop movement to the label. Charlie Parker's first recordings as a leader was for Savoy; the famous KoKo-session in november 1945. Other masterworks were recorded for Savoy by Charlie Parker in 1947 and 1948. In the 1940s Savoy also organized sessions by Fats Navarro, Dexter Gordon, Brew Moore, Sonny Stitt among others.

Savoy began purchasing other labels in the late 1940s. Among them were Regent, National, Bop and Discovery, all of which had extensive jazz catalogues. In the early 1950s Savoy also took over the short-lived Dee Gee label, which was founded by Dizzy Gillespie.

In 1950s the artists and repertory was controlled by Ozzie Cadena. He instigated reissues on 12" LP of major recordings of the 1940s, and also orginized new recordings by Kenny Clarke, Cannonball Adderley, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan and others.

In the late 1950s, jazz began to figure less prominently on the Savoy label. The focus went to black gospel music. Ozzie Cadena's successor, Fred Mendelsohn, built a large and important gospel catalogue for the label.

Avant-garde in the 1960s

In the early 1960s the company recorded a number of avant-garde jazz artists giving them important early exposure. These included Sun Ra, Bill Dixon, Archie Shepp and Paul Bley.

Savoy issued about 100 LPs in the 10" format, and from 1955 into the mid 1960s about 200 LPs in the 12" format, but many of them where reissues.

Savoy's founder Herman Lubinsky died in 1974 and the following year the label and the entire catalogue was sold to Arista.

Variable quality

The cover designs on the Savoy label is of quite variable quality. Some of them were beautiful, others were not. Credit was mostly not given to photographers or designers.

The owner Herman Lubinsky himself seems to have had a great interest in the designs. No other labels made so many alternate covers as Savoy did. There are some Savoy LPs from the 1950s which have 3-4 different covers on the same original pressing.

Burt Goldblatt created some of the early Savoy covers. In an interviue with Angelynn Grant in 1998 he has some viewpoints on Mr. Lubinsky: "Savoy did pitifull bad covers, they did awful covers, because Herman Lubinsky hade to be the "designer" more or less and he didn´t know beans. He was a horrar, that guy".

However Goldblatt created some fine covers for Savoy in the early 1950s, among others the first 10" LPs of Charlie Parker´s recordings. These covers have fine photographic images.

- For Savoy, I would work the whole night, he said to Angelynn Grant. I would do three or four covers in one night, bring them over and get a check right away. Then I'd grab a sandwich and go home and sleep.

The Harvey covers

Some of the Savoy jazz covers (and many gospel covers) have illustrations which are signed "Harvey". Collectors have tried to find the identity of this Harvey, but it seems to be a mystery. One theory says that Harvey was the owner himself, Herman Lubinsky. On Art Pepper´s album Surf Ride the painting is signed Harvey Ragsdale. Could it be the same Harvey?

See also

Burt Goldblatt at Bethlem

LINKS

Savoy Discography
jazzdiscorg.com

The cover art of Harvey
harveyalbums.com

Interview BURT GOLDBLATT
Angelynnn Grant

Charlie Parker's first recordings as a leader was for Savoy - the famous KoKo-session in november 1945. It´s included on this 10" LP from 1950 (Savoy MG 9000), the first volume
in a series of four.

Savoy Records

Charlie Parker, Vol. 1 Label: Savoy MG 9000 10" LP early 1950s
Alternate cover. Design: Burt Goldblatt

Charlie Parker, Vol. 2 Label: Savoy MG 9001 10" LP 1951

Charlie Parker, Vol. 2 Label: Savoy MG 9001 10" LP early 1950s
Alternate cover. Design: Burt Goldblatt

Lester Young: Tenor Sax Solos Label: Savoy MG 9002 10" LP 1951

Stan Getz: New Sounds in Modern Music, vol. 1 Label: Savoy MG 9004 10" LP 1951

Stan Getz: New Sounds in Modern Music, vol 1 Label: Savoy MG 9004 10" LP 1951
Alternate cover. Design: Burt Goldblatt

Fats Navarro: New Sounds in Modern Music Label: Savoy MG 9005 10" LP 1951

Fats Navarro, vol. 1 Label: Savoy MG 9005 10" LP 1952
Alternate cover design of the album above. Design: Burt Goldblatt

Sonny Stitt: New Sounds In Modern Music Label: Savoy MG 9006 10" LP 1952

Don Byas: Tenor Sax Solos Label: Savoy MG 9007 10" LP 1952
Design: Burt Goldblatt

Leo Parker: New Sounds In Modern Music Label: Savoy MG 9009 10" LP 1952

Leo Parker: New Sounds In Modern Music Label: Savoy MG 9009 10" LP 1952
Alternate cover

Charlie Parker, Vol. 3 Label: Savoy MG 9010 10" LP 1952

Charlie Parker, Vol. 3 Label: Savoy MG 9010 10" LP early 1950s
Alternate cover. Design: Burt Goldblatt

Charlie Parker, Vol. 4 Label: Savoy MG 9011 10" LP 1952

Charlie Parker, Vol. 4 Label: Savoy MG 9011 10" LP early 1950s
Alternate cover

Allen Eager: New Trends of Jazz, vol. 2 Label: Savoy MG 9015 10" LP early 1950s

The Great Fats Navarro, vol. 2 Label: Savoy MG 9019 10" LP 1952

Pee Wee Russell: Jazz at Storyville Label: Savoy MG 15014 10" LP 1952
Design: Burt Goldblatt

Wild Bill Davison: Ringside at Condon´s Label: Savoy MG 15029 10" LP 1953
Design and photo: Burt Goldblatt

J.J. Johnson - Kai Winding: Jay and Kai Label: Savoy 15038 10" LP 1953

Phil Urso and Bob Brookmeyer Label: Savoy MG 15041 10" LP 1954

Don Byas Label: Savoy MG 15043 10" LP 1954

Allen Eager Label: Savoy MG 15044 10" LP 1954

J.J. Johnson - Kai Winding: Jay & Kai Label: Savoy MG 15048 10" LP 1954
Design: D. Picini Jr.

Charles Mingus: The Moods of Mingus Label: Savoy MG 15050 10" LP 1954

Kenny Clarke Label: Savoy MG 15051 10" LP 1954

Brew Moore, vol. 1 Label: Savoy xp 8066 7" EP 1954 Design: Burt Goldblatt

Illinois Jacquet, vol. 1 Label: Savoy XP 8068 7" EP 1954 Design: Burt Goldblatt

Kai Winding´s All Stars´s Hollywood Party Label: Savoy xp 8114 7" EP 1954
Design and photo: Burt Goldblatt

Charlie Parker Memorial, vol 1 Label: Savoy MG 12000 12" LP 1955

The Immortal Charlie Parker Label: Savoy MG 12001 12" LP 1955

Charlie Parker Memorial, vol 2 Label: Savoy MG 12009 12" LP 1955

Fats Navarro: Fats - Bud - Klook - Sonny - Kinney Label: Savoy MG 12011 12" LP 1955

Big Maybelle Sings Label: Savoy MG 14005 12" LP 1955

Coleman Hawkins: The Hawk Returns Label: Savoy MG 12013 12" LP 1955

The Genius of Charlie Parker Label: Savoy MG 12014 12" LP 1955
Photo: William Popsie Randolph

Kenny Clarke: Bohemia After Dark Label: Savoy MG 12017 12" LP 1955
Design and Photo: Unknown

Eddie Bert with J.R. Monterose: Encore Label: Savoy MG 12019 12" LP 1955

Dizzy Gillespie: Groovin´ High Label: Savoy MG 12020 12" LP 1955

Howard McGhee and Milt Jackson Label: Savoy MG 12026 12" LP 1955

John Mehagan´s Reflections Label: Savoy MG 12028 12" LP 1955

Donald Byrd: Byrd´s Word Label: Savoy MG 12032 12" LP 1955

Milt Jackson - Frank Wess: Opus De Jazz Label: Savoy MG 12036 12" LP 1955

Milt Jackson: Roll 'Em Bags Label: Savoy MG 12042 12" LP 1956

Ernie Wilkins: Top Brass Label: Savoy MG 12044 12" LP 1956

The Quartet Label: Savoy MG 12046 12" LP 1956

Al Cohn´s Tones Label: Savoy MG 12048 12" LP 1956

Joe Wilder: ´n´ Wilder... Label: Savoy MG 12063 12" LP 1956
Design and photo: Richard Corson

Hank Mobley: The Jazz Message Label: Savoy MG 12064 12" LP 1956

Kenny Clarke - John La Porta: Klook´s Clique´s Touch Label: Savoy MG 12065 12" LP 1956

Lester Young: Blue Lester Label: Savoy MG 12068 12" LP 1956

Milt Jackson: Skyline Label: Savoy MG 12070 12" LP 1956 Design: Castronovo

Lester Young: The Master´s Touch Label: Savoy MG 12071 12" LP 1956

Frank Wess: North, South, East...Wess Label: Savoy MG 12072 12" LP 1956
Design: Castronova

Chuck Wayne: The Jazz Guitarist Label: Savoy MG 12077 12" LP 1956

The Charlie Parker Story Label: Savoy MG 12079 12" LP 1956
Photo: Herman Leonard

The Charlie Parker Story Label: Savoy MG 12079 12" LP 1956
Alternate cover

Milt Jackson: Jackson's-Ville Label: Savoy MG 12080 12" LP 1956

George Wallington Trio Label: Savoy MG 12081 12" LP 1956

Jazzmen: Detroit Label: Savoy MG 12083 12" LP 1956

Frank Wess: Opus in Swing Label: Savoy MG 12085 12" LP 1956

Red Norvo: Move! Label: Savoy MG 12088 12" LP 1956

Art Pepper: Surf Ride Label: Savoy MG 12089 12" LP 1956
Illustration: Harvey Ragsdale

Introducing Lee Morgan Label: Savoy MG 12091 12" LP 1956

Hank Mobley: Message´s Touch Label: Savoy MG 12092 12" LP 1956

Art Farmer: Trumpets All Out Label: Savoy MG 12096 12" LP 1956
Design: Stephen Haas

J. J. Johnson Quintets Label: Savoy MG 12106 12" LP 1957
Design: Portrait Productions

Sahib Shihab - Herbie Mann: The Jazz We Heard Last Summer
Label: Savoy MG 12112 12" LP 1957

Yusef Lateef: Prayer to the East Label: Savoy MG 12117 12" LP 1957

George Wallington: Jazz at Hotchkiss Label: Savoy MG 12122 12" LP 1957

Sahib Shihab: Jazz Sahib Label: Savoy MG 12124 12" LP 1957

Wilbur Harden Quintet featuring John Coltrane; Mainstream 1958
Label: Savoy MG 12127 12" LP 1958

Dexter Gordon Rides Again Label: Savoy MG 12130 12" LP 1958

Wilbur Harden: Jazz Way Out Label: Savoy MG 12131 12" LP 1958

Wilbur Harden: Tanganiyka Strut Label: Savoy MG 12136 12" LP 1958

Yusef Lateef: The Dreamer Label: Savoy MG 12139 12" LP 1958

Yusef Lateef: The Fabric of Jazz Label: Savoy MG 12140 12" LP 1958

Curtis Fuller: Blues-ette Label: Savoy MG 12141 12" LP 1959

Curtis Fuller: Imagination Label: Savoy MG 12144 12" LP 1959
Design: Harvey

Cecil Payne: Patterns of Jazz Label: Savoy MG 12147 12" LP 1959
Design: Levy A. Agency

The Tenor Stylings of Bill Barron Label: Savoy MG 12160 12" LP 1961
Design: Lee J. Morton

Bill Barron: Modern Windows Label: Savoy MG 12163 12" LP 1959

The Futuristic Sounds of Sun Ra Label: Savoy MG 12169 12" LP 1961
Design: Harvey

The Bill Hardman Quintet Label: Savoy MG 12170 12" LP 1961
Design: Harvey

Herbie Mann: Gone Native Label: Savoy MG 12175 12" LP 1961
Design: Harvey

Perry Robinson: Funk Dumpling Label: Savoy MG 12177 12" LP 1962
Design: Harvey

Archie Shepp - Bill Dixon Label: Savoy MG 12178 12" LP 1962
Photo: Irwin Goldstein

Charlie Parker: The Bird Returns Label: Savoy MG 12179 12" LP 1963

Paul Bley: Footloose Label: Savoy MG 12182 12" LP 1964

Bill Barron: Hot Line Label: Savoy MG 12183 12" LP 1965

Charlie Parker: Newly Discovered Sides Label: Savoy MG 12186 12" LP 1965
Design: Harvey

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