The Chronological Classics CD series is a collection of 965 compact discs that were compiled by Gilles Pétard in France from 1989. The original Classics music label never had a website, and it is hard to find reliable information about the history of the company and its series of recordings.

The original label set out to systematically assemble every esoteric jazz classic recording that existed only on 78 rpm records (i.e. before 1953, with the advent of the LP record) and issue it on compact disc. The series was published with informative liner notes on a series of colour-coordinated discs.

The original series was published by subscription with five issues being released each month. The series started with number 500 in December 1989. The initial release was entitled Ella Fitzgerald 1935-1937.

The series contains some of the greatest jazz musicians, including Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Benny Goodman, Django Reinhardt, and a large number of lesser known artists, such as Beryl Booker, Eddie Lockjaw Davis, Mezz Mezzrow, and Illinois Jacquet.

The Classics label regularly issued new collections until 2004, when its original distributor went bankrupt. The back catalog was then acquired by Abeille Musique which operated the label until July 2008. Five titles announced for an August 2008 release were never issued.

Many Classics titles are now prized collector's items and can only be found on the second-hand market, often at many times their original purchase price.

An interesting historical note is that for years these CDs were issued with a huge typographical error. Instead of "Chronological", the typo at the top said "Chronogical".

[edit] Discography

[edit] References

• "Chronological Classics label - Jazz Bulletin Board". All About Jazz. http://forums.allaboutjazz.com/showthread.php?t=21311. Retrieved 2009-06-20. 
• "Chronological Classics - organissimo jazz forums". organissimo. http://www.organissimo.org/forum/index.php?showtopic=489. Retrieved 2009-06-20. 
• "Wikipage: Abeille Musique - Rate Your Music (Distributor's Profile)". Rate Your Music. http://rateyourmusic.com/wiki/Abeille%20Musique. Retrieved 2009-06-20. 

[edit] External links

• Chronological Classics at Abeille Musique
• Chronological Classics' Project