Various Artists - The Best of the 50's and 60's (1999)

Columbia Jazz has been releasing music since 1917 and the label has featured some of the biggest names in jazz over the years. In the 1950s and '60s the label had some of the world's best and greatest jazz artists recording what were to become classic songs. To date, Columbia Jazz has never released a compilation of songs in one package -- until this collection. The Best of the 50's and 60's is just what the title implies: a four-CD box set that captures the essence of the label during those two decades. This set is only available in Canada at a budget price and contains 47 tracks of incredible jazz classics. It includes an informative 20-page booklet featuring information on each artist and an overview by noted Canadian broadcaster and writer Ross Porter from the CBC. With classic performances by such artists as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Dave Brubeck, Sarah Vaughan, Art Blakey, Aretha Franklin, Dexter Gordon, Billy Holiday and many more, it is easy to see why this is one of the most anticipated jazz releases of 1999. For the casual listener or jazz aficionado, there is something on this set for everyone, and it makes a great companion piece to similar styled jazz boxes released previously by the Verve and Mercury labels