Vee-Jay Records

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Vee-Jay Records
VeeJayRecord.jpg
Single by Jimmy Reed, 1956
Parent company Concord
Founded1953 (1953)
FounderVivian Carter, James C. Bracken
Genre Jazz, blues, rock, R&B, disco
Country of originU.S.
Location Chicago, Illinois

Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll.

Contents

The label was founded in Gary, Indiana, in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a husband-and-wife team who used their initials for the label's name. [1] Vivian's brother, Calvin Carter, was the label's A&R man. Ewart Abner, formerly of Chance Records, joined the label in 1955, first as manager, then as vice president, and ultimately as president. [2] One of the earliest African American-owned record companies, [3] Vee-Jay quickly became a major R&B label, with the first song recorded, the Spaniels' "Baby It's You," making it to the top ten on the national R&B charts. [2]

Notable artists

Major acts on the label in the 1950s included blues singers Jimmy Reed, Memphis Slim, and John Lee Hooker, and rhythm and blues vocal groups the Spaniels, the Dells, and the El Dorados. The 1960s saw the label become a major soul label with Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, Dee Clark, and Betty Everett having hit singles on both the pop and R&B charts. Vee-Jay was also the first label to nationally issue a record by the Pips (through a master purchase from the tiny HunTom label of Atlanta), who became Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1962 when they moved to Fury Records.

Vee-Jay had significant success with pop/rock and roll acts, such as the Four Seasons (their first non-black act) and the Beatles. Vee-Jay acquired the rights to some of the early recordings by the Beatles through a licensing deal with EMI, as the American affiliate Capitol Records was initially uninterested in the group. [3] [2] The main attraction at the time, however, was another EMI performer, Frank Ifield. Calvin Carter later said, "There was a number one record over in England at the time—It was 'I Remember You' by Frank Ifield. We took the record, and as a throw in, they had a group and asked us if we would take them, too. The group turned out to be the Beatles and we got a five-year contract on the Beatles as a pickup on the Frank Ifield contract." [4]

In the mid-1960s, Vee-Jay signed the former successful child singer Jimmy Boyd, known for the hit "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus"; Boyd was then twenty-five years old. The company ventured into folk music with Hoyt Axton and New Wine Singers, and also picked up Little Richard who re-recorded his Specialty hits and recorded (1965) "I Don't Know What You've Got (But It's Got Me)", an R&B success, with Don Covay, Bernard Purdie, Ronny Miller, Billy Preston, and Jimi Hendrix (before Hendrix became successful on his own).

Vee-Jay's jazz line accounted for a small portion of the company's releases, but recorded such artists as Eddie Harris, Wynton Kelly, Lee Morgan, and Wayne Shorter. [5] The A&R for the label's jazz releases was Sid McCoy. [6] The company also had a major gospel line, recording such acts as the Staple Singers, The Famous Boyer Brothers, the Argo Singers, Swan Silvertones, the Caravans, Dorothy Love Coates and the Gospel Harmonettes, and Maceo Woods. [5] Vee-Jay even released comedy on LP, with records by Dick Gregory, and Them Poems, Mason Williams' early nightclub act, recorded with a studio audience in 1964.

Early history

Calvin Carter set up Vee-Jay's first rehearsal space in a garage at 47th Street and King Drive in Chicago in 1953, then discovered and signed Jimmy Reed. Carter also established a regular studio use arrangement with Universal Recording Corporation, one of the largest independent recording studios in the U.S. [7]

Success

Vee-Jay's biggest successes occurred from 1962 to 1964, with the ascendancy of the Four Seasons and the distribution of early Beatles material ("From Me to You" b/w "Thank You Girl," "Please Please Me" b/w "From Me to You," and "Do You Want to Know a Secret" b/w "Thank You Girl" via Vee-Jay; [1] and "Love Me Do" b/w "P.S. I Love You" and "Twist and Shout" b/w "There's a Place" via its subsidiary Tollie Records), because EMI's autonomous United States company Capitol initially refused to release Beatles records. [8] [9] [10] [11] [2] Vee-Jay's releases were at first unsuccessful, but quickly became huge hits once the British Invasion took off in early 1964, selling 2.6 million Beatles singles in a single month. Cash flow problems, reportedly caused by Ewart Abner's tapping the company treasury to cover personal gambling debts, led to the company's active demise; Vee-Jay had been forced to temporarily cease operations in the second half of 1963, leading to royalty disputes with the Four Seasons and EMI. The Four Seasons then left Vee-Jay for Philips Records, and EMI's Capitol Records picked up the U.S. rights for both the Beatles and Frank Ifield. [2]

Other Vee-Jay subsidiary labels included Interphon (which yielded the Top 5 hit "Have I the Right?" by another British group, the Honeycombs), and Oldies 45 for reissues along with Tollie and Abner Records, which was an early subsidiary label formed in 1958. Vee-Jay also did distribution for Champion Records (notable for producing the original version of Tainted Love [12] ) as well as Rick Hall's Fame Records and, for a time, the Memphis label Goldwax Records and Johnny Vincent's Ace Records.

Vee-Jay moved back to Chicago in 1965 after a year in Los Angeles. Liens were placed on Vee-Jay assets still in Los Angeles after legal action by Pye Records due to non-payment of royalties. [13]

As Vee-Jay International

Vee-Jay Records filed for bankruptcy in August 1966. [14] The assets were subsequently purchased by label executives Betty Chiappetta and Randy Wood (not the Dot Records founder), who changed its name to Vee-Jay International. From 1967 to 1972, Vee-Jay was limited to selling some of the inventory on hand when the company went under, and leasing or licensing the Vee Jay masters to Buddah Records, who came out with "The First Generation" series, and Springboard International, who issued dozens of albums featuring Vee Jay material on their subsidiary label, Upfront. In the 1970s, Vee Jay International itself re-released a number of titles on LPs and 8-track tapes.

In 1978, Vee Jay issued a Silver Anniversary catalog to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the label. [15]

1980s–present

The label was revived under new management in 1982 as a dance and R&B label, but closed down in 1986.

In the mid-late 1980s, a one-hour independent documentary film titled “Cradle of Rock and Roll" aired on PBS soon after its completion. It covered the history of Vee-Jay and Chess Records in Chicago, which helped to begin a revival of some interest in Vee-Jay's history and catalog. In 1986 Motown licensed 26 of Vee Jay's soul, blues and R&B hits for a CD compilation, "Hits from the Legendary Vee Jay Records."

In 1993, the Vee Jay Limited Partnership released a 3-CD boxed set, "The Vee Jay Story (Celebrating 40 Years of Classic Hits)," again drawn from the label's R&B, soul, and blues catalog. The package includes a red-vinyl facsimile 45 of the Spaniels' "Goodnite Sweetheart Goodnite."

Under the management of Michele Tayler, the company was reactivated in 1998 as The Vee-Jay Limited Partnership. Its main office is located in Redding, Connecticut.

Collectables Records has been remastering and reissuing Vee-Jay albums on audio CD since 2000. A compilation which contains a Best of Vee-Jay box set as well as individual "Best of the Vee-Jay Years" CDs is released by Shout! Factory. [16]

In July 2014 its catalogue was acquired by Concord Music Group. [17] The sale was facilitated by Minneapolis film producer, Scott McLain. [18]

The Vee-Jay Records story is featured on the documentary series Profiles of African-American Success .

Subsidiaries

Abner Records was a subsidiary of Vee-Jay Records. It was originally named Falcon Records, but the name was changed in 1958 since there already existed a Falcon Records. [19] The label was named after Ewart Abner who was general manager at Vee-Jay, 1955–1961. Falcon Records Scotland (2011–present) is a sub-label of Jilted Generation Inc. Falcon Records launched October 2011 in partnership with "Music Media Management" owned by Diania Elliott Tomlin Perkins & Eric Bryce, "In Hoodz We Trust (IHWT)" owned by Jay Supa & "Make Noise Fife" owned by Alex Herbert. Exodus Records was also a subsidiary of Vee-Jay, focusing largely on gospel music releases (such as early Billy Preston recordings) as well as being the label for some reissues of blues and jazz records.

Discography

Vee-Jay LP/SR-1000 Main Series

The Vee-Jay LP/SR 1000 Series of 12 inch LPs were released between 1958 and 1963 with a catalog prefix of LP for mono releases and SR for stereo. [20]

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
LP-1001Crazy Little Mama The El Dorados with the Magnificents Compilation of singles featuring one track by The Magnificents
LP-1002Goodnite, Its Time to Go The Spaniels
LP-1003/SR-1003We Bring You LoveSarah McLawler and Richard OttoThe first stereo record issued by Vee-Jay
LP-1004 I'm Jimmy Reed Jimmy Reed
LP-1005/SR-1005 The Swingin'est Bennie Green and Gene Ammons also released as Juggin' Around
LP-1006/SR-1006We Bring You SwingSarah McLawler and Richard Otto
LP-1007 I'm John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker
LP-1008 Rockin' with Reed Jimmy Reed
LP-1009Gene Allison Gene Allison
LP-1010 Oh, What a Nite The Dells
LP-1011Wade Flemons Wade Flemons
LP-1012Memphis Slim at the Gate of Horn Memphis Slim
LP-1013/SR-1013Walter Perkins' MJT + III Walter Perkins and the MJT + 3
LP-1014/SR-1014 Go Paul Chambers
LP-1015/SR-1015Bill Henderson Sings Bill Henderson
LP-1016/SR-1016 Kelly Great Wynton Kelly
LP-1019You're Lookin' Good Dee Clark
LP-1020The BluesVarious Artists
LP-1021Teen DelightsVarious Artists
LP-1022Found LoveJimmy Reed
LP-1023 Travelin' John Lee Hooker
LP-1024The Spaniels The Spaniels
LP-1025Jimmy Reed ...Now AppearingJimmy Reed
LP-1026/SR-1026Dee ClarkDee ClarkReissue of Abner LP-2000
LP-1027Jerry Butler, Esquire Jerry Butler Reissue of Abner LP-2001
LP-1028/SR-1028How About ThatDee ClarkReissue of Abner LP-2002
LP-1029 He Will Break Your Heart Jerry Butler
LP-1030/SR-1030At the Break of DayRichard Otto and Sarah McLawler
LP-1031/SR-1031Bill HendersonBill Henderson
LP-1032Stepin Fetchit in Person Stepin Fetchit
LP-1033/SR-1033 The Folk Lore of John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker
LP-1034Love MeJerry ButlerReissue of LP-1027
2LP-1035/2SR-1035 Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall Jimmy ReedThis is a 2LP studio album containing one disc of new material and a second disc "best of" compilation of singles
LP-1036Teen Delights Volume 2Various Artists
LP-1037/SR-1037Hold on... It's Dee ClarkDee Clark
LP-1038/SR-1038Aware of LoveJerry Butler
LP-1039/SR-1039The Best of Jimmy ReedJimmy ReedReissue of second disc of Jimmy Reed at Carnegie Hall
LP-1040/SR-1040 Duke of Earl Gene Chandler
LP-1041/SR-1041Twist Along with Cal Carter Calvin Carter
LP-1042 Tomorrow's Hits Various Artists
LP-1043/SR-1043 Burnin' John Lee Hooker
LP-1044/SR-1044 Lightnin' Strikes Lightnin' Hopkins
LP-1046/SR-1046Moon RiverJerry Butler
LP-1047/SR-1047The Best of Dee ClarkDee Clark
LP-1048/SR-1048The Best of Jerry ButlerJerry Butler
LP-1049/SR-1049The Best of John Lee HookerJohn Lee Hooker
LP-1050/SR-1050Just Jimmy ReedJimmy Reed
LP-1051The Unavailable 16 Hits of YesteryearVarious Artists
LP-1052The Moonglows Meet the Flamingos on the Dusty Road of Hits The Moonglows and The Flamingos
LP-1053/SR-1053 Sherry & 11 Others The Four Seasons
LP-1054/SR-1054I Remember You Frank Ifield
LP-1055/SR-1055 The 4 Seasons Greetings The Four Seasons
LP-1056/SR-1056Big Girls Don't Cry and 12 OthersThe Four Seasons
LP-1057/SR-1057Folk SongsJerry Butler
LP-1058/SR-1058 The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker John Lee Hooker
LP-1059/SR-1059Ain't That a ShameThe Four Seasons
LP-1060/SR-1060Come Surf with Me Aki Aleong and the Nobles
LP-1061Africa CallingThe Dungills
LP-1062/SR-1062 Introducing... The Beatles The Beatles Two versions of this album were released containing slightly different tracks
LP-1065/SR-1065 Golden Hits of the Four Seasons The Four Seasons
LP-1066/SR-1066 John Lee Hooker on Campus John Lee Hooker
LP-1067/SR-1067T'ain't No Big Thing... But He IsJimmy Reed
LP-1069/SR-1069Pop Gospel Live from London Alex Bradford and Chris Barber
LP-1070/SR-1070Live.. At the Losers Ann Richards with the Bill Marx Trio

Vee-Jay LP/SR-3000 Jazz Series

In 1960 Vee-Jay began issuing jazz records with separate catalog numbers as the LP/SR 3000 Series of 12 inch LPs with a catalog prefix of LP for mono releases and SR for stereo. [21]

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
LP/SR-3004 Kelly Great Wynton Kelly Reissue of Vee-Jay LP-1016
LP/SR-3005 Fantastic Frank Strozier Frank Strozier
LP/SR-3006 Introducing Wayne Shorter Wayne Shorter
LP/SR-3007 Here's Lee Morgan Lee Morgan
LP/SR-3008Make Everybody Happy MJT + 3
LP/SR-3009Dixie on the RocksDave Remington and the Dixie 6
LP/SR-3010 Louis Hayes Louis Hayes
LP/SR-3011 Kelly at Midnight Wynton Kelly
LP/SR-3012 1st Bassman Paul Chambers
LP/SR-3013 The Young Lions The Young LionsFeaturing Lee Morgan, Frank Strozier, Wayne Shorter, Bobby Timmons, Bob Cranshaw, and Louis Hayes / Albert Heath
LP/SR-3014 MJT + 3 MJT + 3
LP/SR-3015 Expoobident Lee Morgan
LP/SR-3016 Exodus to Jazz Eddie Harris
LP/SR-3017 Eddie Higgins Eddie Higgins
LP/SR-3018Here's HaroldHarold Harris
LP/SR-3022 Wynton Kelly! Wynton Kelly
LP/SR-3024 Juggin' Around Gene Ammons with Bennie Green Reissue of Vee-Jay LP 1005
LP/SR-3025 Mighty Like a Rose Eddie Harris
LP/SR-3026Summit MeetingVarious Artists
LP/SR-3027 Jazz for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" Eddie Harris
LP/SR-3028 A Study in Jazz Eddie Harris
LP/SR-3029 Wayning Moments Wayne Shorter
LP/SR-3030Dixie/Chicago StyleDave Remington
LP/SR-3031 Eddie Harris Goes to the Movies Eddie Harris
LP/SR-3032Jazz Kaleidoscope Bill Marx and the Jazz Octet
LP/SR-3033 Bird Lives! Ira Sullivan and the Chicago Jazz Quintet
LP/SR-3034 Bossa Nova Eddie Harris
LP/SR-3035My Son the Folk SwingerBill Marx
LP/SR-3036Harold Harris at the Playboy ClubHarold Harris
LP/SR-3037Half and HalfEddie Harris

Vee-Jay LP/SR-5000 Gospel Series

Between 1959 and 1965 the Vee-Jay LP/SR-5000 Gospel Series released seventy-eight 12 inch LPs. [22]

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
LP-5000 Uncloudy Day The Staple Singers
LP-5001Amazing Grace Maceo Woods
LP-5002The Harmonizing Four The Harmonizing Four
LP-5003The Swan Silvertones Swan Silvertones
LP-5004The Original Five Blind Boys Five Blind Boys of Mississippi
LP-5005Highway QC's The Highway QC's
LP-5006Singing in My SoulSwan Silvertones
LP-5007Jesus Is WaitingThe Highway QC's
LP-5008Will the Circle Be UnbrokenThe Staple Singers
LP-5009God Will Take Care of YouThe Harmonizing Four
LP-5010The Lord Will Make a WayMaceo Woods
LP-5011WonderfulBack Home Choir of the Greater Harvest Baptist Church
LP-5012Near the CrossThe Argo Singers
LP-5013Saviour Pass Me NotSwan Silvertones
LP-5014Swing LowThe Staple Singers
LP-5016Sunday MorningVarious Artists
LP-5017My PrayerThe Patterson Singers
LP-5018That's GodPrincess Stewart
LP-5019The Best of the Staple SingersThe Staple SingersCompilation
LP-5020Oh Lord I PrayThe Highway QC's
LP-5021Precious LordThe Sally Martin Singers
LP/SR-5022 Black Nativity Original CastFeaturing Marion Williams and the Stars of Faith, Princess Stewart and Professor Alex Bradford and the Bradford Singers
LP-5023One Step Alex Bradford
LP-5024God and Me Marion Williams and The Stars of Faith
LP-5025Golden BellsThe Harmonizing Four
LP-5026Seek Ye the Lord The Caravans
LP-5027Glory TrainThe Watson Sisters
LP-5028Message of HopeThe Reverend Maceo Woods' Christian Tabernacle Ensemble
LP-5029You'll Never Walk Alone The Original Blind Boys of Alabama
LP-5030Swing Low Sweet ChariotThe Staple Singers
LP-5031Let the Words of My Mouth...Marion Williams and The Stars of Faith
LP-5032The Lord's PrayerThe Patterson Singers
LP-5033As You Sow, So Shall You ReapCharles Taylor and The Taylor Singers
LP-5034Blessed AssuranceThe Swan Silvertones
VJLP-5035I'll Serve the LordThe Argo Singers
VJLP-5036Reach the HeartNortheastern Michigan Church of God in Christ State Choir
VJLP-5037Angel on VacationBradford Singers
VJLP-5038The Soul of the CaravansThe Caravans
VJLP-5039Nearer My God to TheeThe Harmonizing Four
VJLP-5040All Men are Made By GodThe Highway QC's
VJLP-5041God Is Here Sallie Martin Singers
VJLP-5042Camp MeetingGospel Harmonettes Specials
VJLP-5043Greatest Gospel Songs of Our TimesVarious Artists
VJLP-5044Let's Sing About FreedomVarious Artists
VJLP-5045A Treasury of Golden Christmas SongsVarious Artists
VJLP/SR-5046Songs of FaithThe Patterson Singers
VJLP/SR-5047Yes Jesus Loves MeThe Thompson Community Singers
VJLP/SR-5048True ConvictionsThe Original Blind Boys of Alabama
VJLP/SR-5049Altar Stairs of SongThe Wooten Ensemble
VJLP/SR-5050The Best of the Harmonizing FourThe Harmonizing FourCompilation
VJLP/SR-5051The Best of the Highway QC'sThe Highway QC'sCompilation
VJLP/SR-5052The Best of the Swan SilvertonesSwan SilvertonesCompilation
VJLP/SR-5053Garden of PrayerMaceo Woods
VJLP/SR-5054That Old Time ReligionThe Harmonizing Four
VJLP/SR-5055Songs Our Mother Taught UsThe Highway QC's
VJLP/SR-5056The Soul of Alex BradfordAlex Bradford
VJLP/SR-5057He'll Bless Your SoulThe Richbourg Singers
VJLP/SR-5058Walk Around Heaven All DayThe Caravans
VJLP/SR-5059Let's Go to Church TogetherThe Swan Silvertones
VJLP-5060The Soul of the Patterson SingersThe Patterson Singers
VJLP-5061Come Closer to GodThe Raymond Raspberry Singers / The Swan Silvertones / Reverend Maceo WoodCompilation
VJLP-5062The Soul of Charles TaylorCharles Taylor Singers
VJLP-5063The Soul of the Argo SingersThe Argo Singers
VJLP-5064The Soul of the Gospel HarmonettesGospel Harmonettes
VJLP-5065The Soul of the Thompson Community SingersThe Thompson Community Singers
VJLP-5066Wonderful Memories from the Family Prayer BookVarious Artists
VJLP-5067Sometimes I'm Happy, Sometimes I'm Sad: The Many Moods of Reverend Maceo WoodsRev. Maceo Woods
VJLP-5069Spirituals That Will Live Forever!The Harmonizing Four
VJLP-5070Let's Break Bread TogetherThe Caravans
VJLP-5071Sing from the Top of the HillThe Highway QC's
VJLP-5072Can I Get a Witness The Blind Boys of Alabama
VJLP-5073In Memoriam: Waiting at the RiverArchie Brownlee with the Original Five Blind BoysReissue of VJLP-5004
VJLP-5074The Heart of GospelHelen Robinson Youth Choir
VJLP-5075My Movin' SoulJames Lowe
VJLP-5076Religion with RhythmThe Lunenberg Travellers
VJLP-5077The Caravans in ConcertThe Caravans
VJLP-5078Singing Is Our LifeThe Harmonizing Four
VJLP-5083Hymns Speak from the Organ William Everett Preston

Vee-Jay VJLP/VJS-1000 Main Series

From 1963 the Vee-Jay 1000 Series of 12 inch LPs were released with a catalog prefix of VJLP for mono releases and VJS for stereo. [23]

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
VJLP/VJS-1071The New Wine Singers at the Chicago Opera HouseThe New Wine Singers
VJLP/VJS-1072 Jimmy Reed Sings the Best of the Blues Jimmy Reed
VJLP/VJS-1073 Jimmy Reed Plays 12 String Guitar Blues Jimmy Reed
VJLP/VJS-1074Soul Meeting Saturday Night Hootennanny StyleVarious Artists
VJLP/VJS-1075 For Your Precious Love The Impressions with Jerry Butler
VJLP/VJS-1076Need to Belong and Other Great PerformancesJerry ButlerAlso released as Giving Up on Love and Other Great Performances
VJLP/VJS-1077You're No Good Betty Everett Also released as It's in His Kiss (Shoop Shoop)
VJLP/VJS-1078 Concert at Newport John Lee Hooker
VJLP/VJS-107912 String Guitar-NannyBradley Wayne
VJLP/VJS-1080 The Boss Man of the Blues with More of the Best Jimmy Reed
VJLP/VJS-1081The Theme from Exodus and Other Film Spectaculars Eddie Harris Compilation of tracks from VJLP 3016, VJLP 3025, VJLP 3027 and VJLP 3031
VJLP/VJS-1082Folk-Nanny The Four Seasons Also released as Stay & Other Great Hits
VJLP-1084The Original Nitty GrittyVarious Artists
VJLP/VJS-1085 Jolly What! The Beatles and Frank Ifield Also released as The Beatles and Frank Ifield on Stage
VJLP/VJS-1086The Best of Wynton Kelly Wynton Kelly Tracks from VJLP-1016, VJLP 3011 and, VJLP 3022 with string section directed by Bill Marx overdubbed
VJLP/VJS-1087 Hello Trouble Orville Couch
VJLP/VJS-1088More Golden Hits by the Four SeasonsThe Four Seasons
VJLP/VJS-1089The Great Movie Themes of the 30's, 40's and 50's Gordon Jenkins
VJLP/VJS-1090It's Monster Surfing TimeThe Deadly Ones
VJLP/VJS-1091The SkaMango Jones and His Orchestra with The Harry Ballu Singers
VJLP-1092Songs, Pictures and Stories of the Fabulous BeatlesThe Beatlesreissue of the second version of Vee Jay LP-1062
VJLP/VJS-1093Running For President Dick Gregory
VJLP/VJS-1094Sam Fletcher Sings I Believe in You Sam Fletcher
VJLP/VJS-1095 Jimmy Reed at Soul City Jimmy Reed
VJLP/VJS-1096Love Me with All Your Heart Victor Feldman
VJLP/VJS-1097Great Mariachi FavoritesVictorio Valdez, His Orchestra and Chorus
VJLP/VJS-1098Hoyt Axton Explodes! Hoyt Axton
VJLP/VJS-1099Delicious TogetherBetty Everett and Jerry Butler
VJ-1100Live at the Whiskey-a-Go-GoVarious Artists
VJ-1101The 15 Greatest Songs of the BeatlesThe Merseyboys
VJLP/VJS-1102 Steal Away Jimmy Hughes
VJLP/VJS-1103Them Poems and Things Mason Williams
VJLP/VJS-1104 Sweets for the Sweet Taste of Love Harry "Sweets" Edison , His Trumpet and Orchestra
VJLP/VJS-1105Rocks in My Bed Georgia Carr
VJLP/VJLPS-1106Most Requested Dances at Your Home TonightMango Jones and His Internationally Famed Orchestra
VJLP/VJS-1107 Little Richard Is Back (And There's a Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!) Little Richard
VJLP/VJS-1108Night Time Is the Right Time Bill Marx
VJLP/VJS-1109Bubbles, John W. That Is John W. Bubbles
VJLP/VJS-1110My Favorite Songs from Mary Poppins Ray Walston
VJLP-1112The Great Hits of 1964 and Some Golden Oldies!Various Artists
VJLP/VJS-1113The Castaway Strings Play the Elvis Presley Song BookThe Castaway Strings
VJLP/VJS-1114The Castaway Strings Play the Andy Williams Song BookThe Castaway Strings
VJLP/VJS-1115The Castaway Strings Play the Peter, Paul & Mary Song BookThe Castaway Strings
VJLP/VJS-1116The Castaway Strings Play the Bobby Vinton Song BookThe Castaway Strings
VJLP/VJS-1118The Best of Hoyt AxtonHoyt AxtonCompilation from his Horizon material
VJLP/VJS-1119More of the Best of Jerry ButlerJerry Butler
VJLP/VJS-1121Girls Girls Girls - We Love GirlsThe Four Seasons
VJLP/VJS-1122The Very Best of Betty EverettBetty Everett
VJLP/VJS-1123 The Most Exciting Organ Ever Billy Preston
VJLP/VJS-1124 Little Richard's Greatest Hits Little RichardRe-recordings of his hits for Specialty - AKA His Greatest Hits
VJLP/VJS-1125His Greatest Hits Russ Morgan
VJLP/VJS-1126Greenback DollarHoyt AxtonReissue of Horizon WP-1601
VJLP/VJS-1127Saturday's ChildHoyt AxtonReissue of Horizon SWP-1621
VJLP/VJS-1128Thunder 'n' Lightnin' Hoyt AxtonReissue of Horizon SWP-1613
VJLP/VJS-1129The Gary LeMel AlbumGary LeMel
VJLP-1130The Legend, The Man Winston Churchill Spoken word album with commentary by the Honorable James Roosevelt
VJLP/VJS-113136 Hours (Soundtrack) Dimitri Tiomkin
VJLP/VJS-1132We Remember Mildred Bailey Mavis Rivers and Red Norvo
VJLP/VJS-1133Here's Pete Barbutti! Pete Barbutti
VJLP/VJS-1134I Wish You LoveJacques Foti with the Loe Leahy Orchestra
VJLP/VJS-1135The Vi Velasco AlbumVi Velasco
VJLP-1136More Great Hits of 1964 and Other Golden GoodiesVarious Artists
VJLP/VJS-1137Damita Jo Sings Damita Jo
VJLP/VJS-1138 Coffee House Blues Lightnin' Hopkins , Brownie McGhee and Sonny Terry Reissue of Horizon 1617
VJLP/VJS-1139Russ Morgan Plays and Sings Red Roses for a Blue LadyRuss Morgan
VJ-1140Favorite Family PoemsLouis Freeman
VJLP/VJS-1141It's Not Unusual The Dells
VJLP/VJS-1142 Early Hits of 1965 Billy Preston
VJLP/VJS-1143Command PerformanceLuis Varona
VJLP/VJS-1154Recorded Live: On Stage with The Four SeasonsThe Four SeasonsStudio recordings with overdubbed audience

Vee-Jay LP/SR-2500 Jazz Series

From 1964 to 1965 the Vee-Jay 2500 Series of 12 inch Jazz LPs were released with a catalog prefix of LP for mono releases and SR for stereo. [21]

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
VJLP/VJS-2501Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz: Jazz of the 60sVarious Artists"Giants of the Saxophone" compilation
VJLP/VJS-2502Jazz's Great "Walker" Leroy Vinnegar
VJLP/VJS-2503 The Eric Dolphy Memorial Album Eric Dolphy Reissue of FM release Conversations
VJLP-2504Leningrad Jazz FestivalGolstain-Nosov Quintet / Yusef Wainstain OrchestraLive LP recorded in Russia
VJ/VJS-2505 Toshiko Mariano and her Big Band Toshiko Mariano Live LP recorded in Tokyo featuring Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, Sleepy Matsumoto and Shigeo Suzuki
VJLP/VJS-2506 Blues Bag Buddy DeFranco Surtitled Leonard Feather's Encyclopedia of Jazz: Jazz of the ‘60s Vol. 2
VJLP/VJS-2507It's a Wonderful World Victor Feldman
VJLP/VJS-2508The Lee Morgan Quintet Lee Morgan Compilation of tracks from LP 3007 and LP 3015
VJLP-2509 My Babe Bunky Green Recorded in 1960

Vee-Jay International World of Jazz VJS-3000 Jazz Series

Between 1974 and 1978 the Vee-Jay International World of Jazz 3000 Series released twenty-three 12 inch stereo LPs. [21] Many of these were previously unreleased sessions or live recordings, compilations of previously released material or re-releases of albums from other labels.

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
VJS-3038 Someday My Prince Will Come Wynton Kelly Recorded in 1959-61 - released 1977
VJS-3051 Organ Talk Reuben Wilson Reissue of 1970 Blue Note LP Blue Mode
VJS-3052 Contemplation Yusef Lateef Reissue of Vee-Jay SR-3010, Louis Hayes
VJLP-3053And They Called It Jazz Claude Hopkins Compilation of 1935 transcription recordings
VJS-3054I Got Rhythm Count Basie Live recording from France in 1968
VJS-3055Please Send Me Someone to Love Bill Henderson
VJ-3056In Concert...Carnegie Hall Dizzy Gillespie / Stan Getz / Charlie Parker Recorded at Duke Ellington's 25th Anniversary Concert in 1952
VJS-3057 Second Genesis Wayne Shorter Previously unreleased recordings from 1960
VJS-3058 For Bird and Bags Eddie Harris Reissue of album originally released on Exodus Records in 1966
VJS-3059 Big Band Blues Bobby Bryant Previously unreleased recordings from 1961
VJS-3060Opus de Funk John Young TrioPreviously unreleased recordings from 1957
VJS-3061Love You Madly Duke Ellington Recorded at Duke Ellington's 25th Anniversary Concert in 1952
VJS-3062Gettin' Together Mel Lewis and FriendsPreviously unreleased recordings from 1957
VJS-3063Caution John Gross Quartet
VJS-3064Jazz from San FranciscoThe Pat Britt QuintetReissue of 1968 Crestview Records LP
VJS-3065 Home with Sweets Harry "Sweets" Edison Reissue of LPS-1104 Sweets for the Sweet Taste of Love
VJS-3066 Bag of Blues Art Blakey featuring Buddy DeFranco Reissue of VJS-2506
VJS-3067Good for the GardenKent Glenn
VJS-3068 Love Song Gary Bartz
VJS-3069Lost and Found Putter Smith
VJS-3070JazzmanPat Britt
VJS-3071Wynton Kelly in ConcertWynton KellyLive recording from 1968
VJS-3072-2Final NotesWynton Kelly2LP live recording from 1968

Vee-Jay International VJS-18000 Gospel Series

In 1975 Vee-Jay International VJS-18000 Gospel Series released eleven 12 inch LPs. [22]

Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
VJS-18000God Bless the ChildPrincess Stewart
VJS-18001Gospel in My Soul The Harmonizing Four
VJS-18002Seeking Salvation Maceo Woods
VJS-18003Mighty GodVoices of Jordan
VJS-18004Come to the SaviorThe Triumphs
VJS-18005Peace in the ValleyGospel Harmonettes
VJS-18006I Woke Up This MorningThe Patterson Singers
VJS-18007Think of GodThe Harmonizing Four
VJS-18008Pray for Me The Swan Silvertones
VJS-18009Wade in the WaterThe Disciples
VJS-18010Every Time I Feel the SpiritPilgrim Travelers
VJS-18011It's a BlessingThe CogicsReissue of material recorded in the 1960s featuring Andraé Crouch and keyboardist Billy Preston
VJS-18013Gospel in My Soul Sam Cooke and The Soul Stirrers Reissue of material recorded in the 1950s - not all of tracks feature Sam Cooke
VJS-2-19000Forty Gospel GreatsVarious Artists2-LP compilation
VJS-2-19001The Legendary Staple Singers The Staple Singers 2-LP compilation

See also

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