Listening to Prestige

A complete chronicle of one of the greatest postwar jazz labels.

Founded by jazz enthusiast Bob Weinstock, Prestige Records recorded the leading jazz artists of its day, many of whom were at or approaching their creative peak, from its inception in 1949 until 1972. It documented the changing jazz styles as they emerged, from bebop and post-bop, to third stream, hardbop, free jazz, and soul jazz, while honouring the previous generation of jazz musicians.

Prestige was also among the first labels to work with recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, who revolutionised the way jazz was recorded. The 1950s were a growth era for jazz, as modern jazz came to be accepted as part of mainstream American music. Prestige captured the leading artists of the era, including the Modern Jazz Quartet, Thelonious Monk, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, and especially Miles Davis, all of whom did some of their most important work for the label in this period.

The 1960s saw an exciting and challenging new avant-garde, making the music that came to be known as "free jazz," epitomised by leading Prestige artists Eric Dolphy and Booker Ervin. Other musicians looked back to their roots, developing the earthy, danceable style called soul jazz or jazz funk. Prestige became the epicentre of this new sound, thanks to artists such as Gene Ammons, Shirley Scott, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Brother Jack McDuff, and George Benson.

Listening to Prestige presents the author's lifelong enthusiasm for the label and takes a deep dive into Prestige's impressive catalogue, documenting the key artists who shaped postwar American jazz.