It seems like almost every established artist on the planet has released a Best of album. Legacy Recordings plans to one-up even the best Best of discs with their new Signature Series, slated for release Aug. 1.
Compiled and produced by Richard Seidel-who previously worked on Legacy’s Jazz Moods Series and Music for Lovers Series-the Signature Series will present only the “greatest songs by the greatest artists” of jazz. Each title in the series will focus on one artist, and will include a short biography, discography information and trivia like what musicians influenced the artist, Grammy Awards and other career highlights.
The first six volumes of the series will feature Count Basie (pictured), the Brecker Brothers, Rosemary Clooney, Dizzy Gillespie, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. Although all these titles will be released at the same time, they will appear on different labels: Basie, Clooney and Holiday on Columbia/Legacy, Gillespie and Vaughan on Bluebird/Legacy and the Brecker Brothers on Arista/Legacy.
On Columbia/Legacy, Basie, Clooney and Holiday will each have 14 songs on their volumes. One O’Clock Jump: The Very Best of Count Basie will include “Boogie Woogie (I May Be Wrong),” “Oh, Lady Be Good” and “Goin’ To Chicago Blues,” while Clooney’s Come On-A My House collection will feature numerous number one hits like the title track and “Hey There.” God Bless the Child: The Very Best of Billie Holiday will include inimitable classics like “My Man,” “Solitude” and “Gloomy Sunday.”
Bluebird/Legacy will release Gillespie and Vaughan’s volumes, titled Night in Tunisia: The Very Best of Dizzy Gillespie and Send in the Clowns: The Very Best of Sarah Vaughan. “Stay On It” and “Cubana Bop” will be included on Night in Tunisia while “I’ll Remember April” and “So Many Stars” will be part of Send in the Clowns.
Lastly, Sneakin’ Up Behind You: The Very Best of the Brecker Brothers will be released on Arista/Legacy, with funky hits like “Tabula Rasa” and “Jackknife.”
Originally Published