Complete Keynote Collection

Review by Scott Yanow
This is an incredible set, a 21-LP box that has all of the jazz recordings ever made for Harry Lim's Keynote label. Much of this music has been reissued in piecemeal fashion on CD by Polygram but this is the way to get it, complete and in chronological order with all of the alternate takes. Lim had impeccable taste and recorded Chicago jazz, small-group swing and bop by many of the top musicians of the period; all but the first session (George Hartman Dixieland sides from 1941) are from Dec. 1943 to May 1947. This box has dates by Lester Young, Dinah Washington, Roy Eldridge, Coleman Hawkins, Cozy Cole, the Kansas City Seven, Charlie Shavers with Earl Hines, Benny Morton, Rex Stewart, the Keynoters, Pete Brown, Red Norvo, bassist Billy Taylor, Jonah Jones, George Wettling, Chubby Jackson, Barney Bigard, Bill Harris, Willie Smith, Corky Corcoran, Milt Hinton, J.C. Heard, Irving Fazola, Bud Freeman, Ted Nash, Babe Russin, Manny Klein, Herbie Haymer, Clyde Hurley, Arnold Ross, Juan Tizol, Benny Carter, Marie Bryant, Bernie Leighton, Ann Hathaway, Joe Thomas, George Barnes, Lennie Tristano, Danny Hurd, Dave Lambert and Buddy Stewart, Gene Sedric, Neal Hefti and Red Rodney, and that is only the leaders. There is so much music (334 performances including 115 that were not previously released) that in addition to the 21 LPs included is a 45 with an extra Lennie Tristano song. This box will be very difficult to locate but fans of small-group swing and historic jazz should get it at any price.