Platinum Jazz (album)
Encyclopedia
Platinum Jazz is a double album
, the seventh studio album by War
, released on Blue Note Records
in 1976.
The album is an unusual entry in War's discography in several aspects. Its first half is new material, while its second half is a compilation of tracks from previous albums. It is also the only record they made for Blue Note, a jazz label, which was then owned and controlled by their current label at the time, United Artists Records
, so it was not a matter of changing labels or going outside of contract. And it is their first album to put an emphasis on instrumental jazz-based music, although some tracks have vocals. This album was apparently Blue Notes first Platinum Disc selling album.
A single from the album was issued, also on Blue Note: "L.A. Sunshine" backed with "Slowly We Walk Together"; both are edited versions.
The Album was released as re-issue in UK , on Island Records , as Platinum Funk and as a single album with tracks as Side 1 - War is Coming War is Coming , I got you , L.A.Sunshine (Shortened to 8.40 from original 11.52) Side 2 River Niger , Slowly We Walk Together , Platinum Jazz
award (while the Greatest Hits cover showed a gold disc; but the actual records within both covers were on regular black vinyl). The cover was printed using metallic silver ink. Cover design concept is credited to Lee Oskar
. The record labels on the cover resemble the actual record's labels, but are not an exact match, as the front cover label lists all tracks from sides one and two, and the back cover lists sides three and four, which is not done on the actual labels. (Note that the cover illustration shown here is from a reissue on MCA Records
as issued in Canada, and the cover's label design has been modified to replace the Blue Note logo with MCA. Furthermore the records within this edition have labels that do not match the blue labels on the cover, the records having MCA's regular rainbow-on-black design. For CD reissue, the cover was further modified to show a logo for Avenue Records.) There are some other trivial inaccuracies in the picture: the records have no centre hole, the photo of the record has been mirror reversed (as seen from the run-out groove), and the matrix number
(which is the actual album's matrix, and not mirror reversed) is inscribed over top of the run-out groove, which is never done (at least not deliberately) on actual records.
to MCA (allowing the group to record a one-off album for another label between contracts), as well as the fact that Blue Note was distributed by United Artists, and a licensing deal between the two labels for reissue of material from previous United Artists albums was possible. Unable to decide whether to stay with the compilation idea, or record a new album for Blue Note, the group decided to do both, and make it a double album. Six new tracks were recorded for disc one, but a wrinkle occurred at the last minute when United Artists decided it was willing to license their older recordings to the album only if they appeared in edited form. The list of songs to be licensed had already been decided, and their editing would have made the second disc much shorter than the first, so the order of songs was altered. The result was that the new material covers all of sides one and two, and the first track on side three, while the rest is a compilation of tracks from previous albums. Had the original sequence and full length songs been used, the two discs would have had total timings of 46:55 and 47:41 respectively. After trimming nearly 15 minutes from the reissued tracks, the album's total time was 79:36.
(Papa Dee Allen, Harold Brown, B.B. Dickerson
, Lonnie Jordan
, Charles Miller
, Lee Oskar
, Howard E. Scott
), except where indicated.
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
, the seventh studio album by War
War (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
, released on Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
in 1976.
The album is an unusual entry in War's discography in several aspects. Its first half is new material, while its second half is a compilation of tracks from previous albums. It is also the only record they made for Blue Note, a jazz label, which was then owned and controlled by their current label at the time, United Artists Records
United Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
, so it was not a matter of changing labels or going outside of contract. And it is their first album to put an emphasis on instrumental jazz-based music, although some tracks have vocals. This album was apparently Blue Notes first Platinum Disc selling album.
A single from the album was issued, also on Blue Note: "L.A. Sunshine" backed with "Slowly We Walk Together"; both are edited versions.
The Album was released as re-issue in UK , on Island Records , as Platinum Funk and as a single album with tracks as Side 1 - War is Coming War is Coming , I got you , L.A.Sunshine (Shortened to 8.40 from original 11.52) Side 2 River Niger , Slowly We Walk Together , Platinum Jazz
Packaging
The album was packaged as a companion disc to War's Greatest Hits album, and like that album, sports a cover showing a picture of the record itself, in the form of a platinum discMusic recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
award (while the Greatest Hits cover showed a gold disc; but the actual records within both covers were on regular black vinyl). The cover was printed using metallic silver ink. Cover design concept is credited to Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
. The record labels on the cover resemble the actual record's labels, but are not an exact match, as the front cover label lists all tracks from sides one and two, and the back cover lists sides three and four, which is not done on the actual labels. (Note that the cover illustration shown here is from a reissue on MCA Records
MCA Records
MCA Records was an American-based record company owned by MCA Inc., which later gave way to the larger MCA Music Entertainment Group , of which MCA Records was still part. MCA Records was absorbed by Geffen Records in 2003...
as issued in Canada, and the cover's label design has been modified to replace the Blue Note logo with MCA. Furthermore the records within this edition have labels that do not match the blue labels on the cover, the records having MCA's regular rainbow-on-black design. For CD reissue, the cover was further modified to show a logo for Avenue Records.) There are some other trivial inaccuracies in the picture: the records have no centre hole, the photo of the record has been mirror reversed (as seen from the run-out groove), and the matrix number
Matrix numbers
Matrix numbers are alphanumeric codes stamped or hand written into the run-out groove area of a gramophone record...
(which is the actual album's matrix, and not mirror reversed) is inscribed over top of the run-out groove, which is never done (at least not deliberately) on actual records.
Contents
The idea for the album began when the group briefly considered adding a second compilation disc of instrumental music to their Greatest Hits album, to demonstrate their wide range of musical styles. Blue Note expressed an interest in releasing an album of this type, which was feasible since War was in the process of switching from United Artists RecordsUnited Artists Records
United Artists Records was a record label founded by Max E. Youngstein of United Artists in 1957 initially to distribute records of its movie soundtracks, though it soon branched out into recording music of a number of different genres.-History:...
to MCA (allowing the group to record a one-off album for another label between contracts), as well as the fact that Blue Note was distributed by United Artists, and a licensing deal between the two labels for reissue of material from previous United Artists albums was possible. Unable to decide whether to stay with the compilation idea, or record a new album for Blue Note, the group decided to do both, and make it a double album. Six new tracks were recorded for disc one, but a wrinkle occurred at the last minute when United Artists decided it was willing to license their older recordings to the album only if they appeared in edited form. The list of songs to be licensed had already been decided, and their editing would have made the second disc much shorter than the first, so the order of songs was altered. The result was that the new material covers all of sides one and two, and the first track on side three, while the rest is a compilation of tracks from previous albums. Had the original sequence and full length songs been used, the two discs would have had total timings of 46:55 and 47:41 respectively. After trimming nearly 15 minutes from the reissued tracks, the album's total time was 79:36.
Track listing
All tracks composed by WarWar (band)
War is an American funk band from California, known for the hit songs "Low Rider", "Spill the Wine", "The Cisco Kid" and "Why Can't We Be Friends?". Formed in 1969, War was a musical crossover band which fused elements of rock, funk, jazz, Latin, rhythm and blues, and reggae...
(Papa Dee Allen, Harold Brown, B.B. Dickerson
B.B. Dickerson
Morris "B.B." Dickerson was the bass player for the 1970s Latin–funk group War, and before that The Creators....
, Lonnie Jordan
Lonnie Jordan
Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion...
, Charles Miller
Charles Miller (musician)
Charles Miller was an American musician best known as the saxophonist and flutist for multicultural Californian funk band War.-Biography:...
, Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar
Lee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
, Howard E. Scott
Howard E. Scott
Howard E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
), except where indicated.
Side one
- "War is Coming! War is Coming" – 7:12
- "Slowly We Walk Together" – 5:53
- "Platinum Jazz" – 7:14
Side three
- "River Niger" (War, Goldstein) – 8:40
- "H2Overture" – 3:59 (from Deliver the WordDeliver the WordDeliver the Word is the sixth album by War, released in 1973 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album featured two singles, "Gypsy Man" backed with "Deliver the Word" , and "Me and Baby Brother" backed with "In Your Eyes"...
, original timing 4:38) - "City, Country, City" – 7:23 (from The World is a GhettoThe World Is a GhettoThe World Is a Ghetto is the fifth album by the band War, released in late 1972 on United Artists Records.-Reception:The album attained the number one spot on Billboard, and was Billboard magazine's Album of the Year as the best-selling album of 1973...
, original timing 13:18)
Side four
- "Smile Happy" – 3:59 (from Why Can't We Be Friends?Why Can't We Be Friends?Why Can't We Be Friends? is the seventh studio album by War.-Reception:Recorded in 1974 and released on United Artists Records in June 1975. The title song reached #8 on Billboard's Hot 100. The original LP edition came with a poster. Two singles from the album were released: "Why Can't We Be...
, original timing 7:22) - "Deliver the Word" – 5:53 (from Deliver the Word, original timing 7:48)
- "Nappy Head (theme from Ghetto Man)" – 4:12 (from All Day MusicAll Day MusicAll Day Music is the fourth album by funk group War, released November 1971 on United Artists Records."Slipping Into Darkness", backed with "Nappy Head", was War's first big hit since their name change from Eric Burdon and War...
, original timing 6:05) - "Four Cornered Room" – 7:15 (from The World is a Ghetto, original timing 8:30)
Personnel
- Howard ScottHoward E. ScottHoward E. Scott is an American funk/rock guitarist and founding member of the successful 1970s funk band War.-Biography:...
– guitar, percussion, vocals - B.B. DickersonB.B. DickersonMorris "B.B." Dickerson was the bass player for the 1970s Latin–funk group War, and before that The Creators....
– bass, percussion, vocals - Lonnie JordanLonnie JordanLeroy "Lonnie" Jordan was a founding member of War, an American funk band in the 1970s and 1980s. Jordan had a number of roles over the years, acting as vocalist and playing guitar, piano, synthesizer, and percussion...
– organ, piano, timbales, percussion, vocals - Harold Brown – drums, percussion, vocals
- Papa Dee Allen – conga, bongos, percussion, vocals
- Charles MillerCharles Miller (musician)Charles Miller was an American musician best known as the saxophonist and flutist for multicultural Californian funk band War.-Biography:...
– clarinet, alto, tenor and baritone saxes, percussion, vocals - Lee OskarLee OskarLee Oskar is a Danish harmonica player, notable for his contributions to the sound of the rock-funk fusion group War, which he formed with Eric Burdon, his solo work, and as a harmonica manufacturer...
– harmonica, percussion, vocals
- Jerry Goldstein in association with Lonnie Jordon and Howard Scott – producers, except:
- Jerry Goldstein – producer on "Nappy Head"
- Ed Barton – engineer on sides one and two, and side three, track one
- Chris Huston – engineer on side three, tracks two and three, and side four