RCA Victor Revives Bluebird

RCA Victor announces the reactivation of the legendary Bluebird label. The label stood out on Woolworth’s shelves in the 1930s and ’40s with records from musicians like Fats Waller, Duke Ellington and Earl Hines, but has remained largely inactive despite a few revival attempts by RCA since the mid-’70s.

RCA will merge all its current jazz artists—only Tom Harrell and Dave Douglas remain from last year’s purge—to the refreshed Bluebird label, and starting this fall will reissue early Bluebird classics including Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney’s Fancy Meeting You Here, Coleman Hawkins’ The Hawk in Hi-Fi, Charles Mingus’ Tijuana Moods and boxed sets of Louis Armstrong, Glenn Miller and Artie Shaw.

The reissues will feature audio restoration, unique photography, original artwork and original liner notes, as well as new liner notes by today’s jazz writers. New Bluebird releases include Harrell’s Paradise, out now, and Douglas’ Witness, due Aug. 21.

Originally Published August 2, 2001