Los Angeles Jazz Institute Committed to preserving, promoting and perpetuating Jazz FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
info@lajazzinstitute.org
PHONE: 909-939-0777
The Archive
Sound Recordings
Unissued Recordings
Interviews/Oral Histories
Books
Periodicals
Photographs
Jazz Film
Music
Vertical Files
Original Artwork
Jazz Memorabilia


THE ARCHIVE

The Los Angeles Jazz Institute Archive consists of:

SOUND RECORDINGS

Over 100,000 sound recordings in all formats including:

78 RPM records, 10" and 12" long playing records, 45 RPM single and extended play records, 8", 12" and 16" radio transcriptions, 7", 10", 12" and 16" acetates, V-Discs, Reel to Reel tapes, Digital Audio tapes, Cassette tapes, Compact Discs and Piano Rolls

The record collection has been carefully assembled to include all styles and eras of jazz. The record archives are very extensive including complete or near complete catalogs of many important jazz labels.

One of the goals of the archive is to preserve a complete collection of all jazz recordings made in Los Angeles from the early 1920s to the present. Complete catalogs of many Los Angeles labels are represented including: Dial, Atomic, Nordskog, Pacific, World Pacific, Mode, Jazz West, Tampa, Contemporary, Lighthouse, Philo, HiFi, Verve, Clef, Norgran, Nocturne, Pablo, Revelation, Jewel....

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UNISSUED RECORDINGS

The Sound Archive also includes several hundred hours of rare recordings from a variety of sources including radio broadcasts, live performances and unissued studio sessions. Many of these are one of kind items and are a very important aspect of the collection. Included are many Armed Forces Radio Service broadcasts from the 1940s which feature all of the significant artists of the period. All of the AFRS programs are represented such as Jubilee, One Night Stand, Downbeat, Spotlight Bands and Command Performance. There is also a large collection of Armed Forces V-Discs. The collection also contains many unissued broadcasts from ballrooms, clubs and concert venues all over the world.

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INTERVIEWS/ORAL HISTORIES

The recorded sound collection includes hundreds of interviews and oral histories with dozens of artists from all era of jazz. Highlights include unpublished interviews with Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Gerry Mulligan, Shorty Rogers, Howard Rumsey, Gerald Wilson, Gil Evans, June Christy, Stan Kenton, Lennie Tristano, Bill Evans and many more.

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BOOKS

The archive contains hundreds of books on jazz and related subjects including biographies, discographies, photographic, reference and general information.

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PERIODICALS

The archive features an exhaustive collection of Jazz periodicals including the comprehensive John Irwin Collection. The collection includes important titles such as Downbeat, Metronome, Orchestra World, Swing, Music and Rhythm, Bandleaders, Jazz Times, Jazz Is, Cadence, Coda, Swing Journal, Jazz Journal, Le Jazz Hot, Jazz Review and The Jazz Record. The collection also includes numerous obscure titles such as: Theme, Hollywood Note, The Bronz, Sound and Fury and Playback.

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PHOTOGRAPHS

The archive maintains and preserves a large collection of photographs and negatives, including the Don Dean Collection which features several hundred thousand images.

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JAZZ FILM

Holdings feature a comprehensive collection of jazz related film and television appearances from the 1920s to the present. This includes major motion pictures, soundies, shorts, television programs, documentaries, live performances, home movies and interview segments.

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MUSIC

The Archive houses a large collection of scores and band arrangements including many priceless autograph scores. The music holdings represent a variety of composer/arrangers including: Gerry Mulligan, Shorty Rogers, Pete Rugolo, Marty Paich, Bob Cooper, Bill Holman, Dr. Wesley LaViolette, Gil Evans, Ken Hanna, Jimmy Giuffre, George Handy, Johnny Richards, Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, Manny Albam, Quincy Jones, Russ Freeman and Jack Montrose.

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VERTICAL FILES

The Archive maintains extensive research files on individual artists and specific topics

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ORIGINAL ARTWORK

Includes pieces by Rodney Evans Bacon, Olivia Burke and David Stone Martin.

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JAZZ MEMORABILIA

One of the highlights of the archive is a very large collection of jazz memorabilia including concert programs, autographs, posters, signs, record company catalogs, advertising items, memorabilia from clubs, ballrooms and concert venues, movie posters, handbills and awards.

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