Jazz for aficionados

You are wise to not draw any conclusions from one article, Alex.  I would preface my comments (opinions) by pointing out that it was I who first mentioned Tina Brooks on this thread way back when, and then again more recently as one of the players deserving more recognition; one of the exceptions to my belief that "there is usually a reason why".  It is important to remember that record labels, even great and art-sensitive ones like BN, are a business.  As a business they have to consider things like whether there is room in their catalogue for one more hard-bop tenor player.  All sentimentality and opinion of the article's author aside, as good as he was, Tina Brooks was not the unique and influential voice that (of the other mentioned tenor players) Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson was; or Lee Morgan for that matter.  I put him in the same broad stylistic "shelf" as Hank Mobley; but, not quite on the same level imo.  And even if he was arguably on the same level as Mobley, they already had Mobley.  IMO, as far as unique and influential voices go, if Shorter and Henderson are level A+ players and Mobley an A, Tina Brooks was an A- or B+.  Obviously just my opinion, but that is the kind of thing that labels and producers have to consider.  Add to that the insinuated personality issues and it's possible to see why things went the way they did for Brooks.  A shame, but I don't believe, based on what I know of the story that there is anything sinister involved.  Why would they release his work decades later?  Different economic and artistic climate and fewer big jazz record labels than decades earlier.  Great player.  

Frogman,  There are things in that story consistent with other musicians; like music not being released until their "dead", they seem to prefer "junkys" who they could pay a flat "peanut" sum for a record, and not pay royalties.  For some reason or another, I didn't know about Grant Greens best work, which were his early Blue Note recordings.  That might have been my fault, but I don't have an answer.

For a fact I know about them paying someone a flat fee.  Of course that was his fault, but that's the way they liked to do business; with people who are easily taken advantage of; oh I forgot "That's Business".

Miles Davis should have held a business clinic, they rarely screwed him.  Did he ever record for Blue Note?  Miles wasn't a junky for that long, he was one of those able to quit.

***** players deserving more recognition; one of the exceptions to my belief that "there is usually a reason why".  It is important to remember that record labels, even great and art-sensitive ones like BN, are a business.*****

That sums it up.   First there is always a reason why, good or bad, deserved or not,  but there is a reason.

All these labels were / are  in business to make money.   Do not assume that the decision makers at BN loved Jazz.  They may have, but they loved making money more.   Business people don't always love or even care about the product that they sell.

For example, you'd be hard pressed to find an automobile aficionado among car dealers and salesmen.   It's just a product.   We may see the MBs and BMWs as wonderful feats of automotive engineering, but they could be washing machines as far as the average dealer is concerned.   The bottom line is all that concerns them.

The owners at BN and other labels, did not see the players as we saw / see them.

Cheers

Rok, I knew you would take that attitude, after all BN, did nothing illegal. But now almost every business is a predator, and you're the prey. Those laws on the books that protected you, are no longer there; that's because "We Don't need no stinking regulations", they ruin business.

No, I'm not getting on my soap box today, since we all have PC's, if you want to know what's going on, you can find out just like I did. Once upon a time you could get legal help when you got screwed by big business, but now all you can do is reach for a crying towel.