Soul Jazz Records: The Best Of Black Jazz Records

This album brings together some of the finest music ever released on Black Jazz Records which in its short four-year history between 1971 and 1975, released over 20 superlative albums which all successfully blending spiritual jazz, funk and soul jazz of the highest calibre.

Similar to other independent jazz labels at the time including Strata-East Records and Tribe Records, Black Jazz focused on a number of key artists, most of whom first established their career during this period, and all of whom are featured here.

Black Jazz Records was founded in Oakland, California, by pianist, Gene Russell, and percussionist, Dick Schory. Artists who recorded for Black Jazz Records included Cleveland Eaton (bassist for Ramsey Lewis), keyboardists, Doug Carn and Chester Thompson, vocalist, Kellee Patterson, saxophonist, Rudolph Johnson, bassist, Henry Franklin, and spiritual fusion group, The Awakening. The label was distributed and financed by Ovation Records, based in Chicago. Schory founded Ovation in 1969, shortly after leaving RCA. Schory was a Grammy-nominated percussionist who was also known for his development of the stereo recording techniques including Dynagroove, and RCA Victor’s Stereo Action. Schory also pioneered quadrophonic sound, and a number of Black Jazz Records were in quadrophonic and other formats such as ¼” tape and 8-track.

Released: April 2026
Cat: SJRLP592
Label: Transgressive

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Tracklist