Produce Montreux Fest Disc and to Be Launched Tuesday (20) Also Distribute Artist Royalties

label Japanese Co. Breathes Life Into CTI Quincy Jones' Firm Set To New Joint Venture Planning Jazz, Concert Releases BY KEN TERRY Released Oct. 1 in Japan on video- world rights on the product. It will Co- Produce Montreux Fest disc and to be launched Tuesday (20) also distribute artist royalties. NEW YORK-Creed Taylor, whose in the rest of the world, "Rhythm - CFI's part of the venture's start-up BY JANINE McADAMS cial lineup will be announced in CTI label released albums by some of stick" was filmed using high- defini- funding came largely from a $3.3 mil- Cannes in January. the most important crossover jazz tion technology. It will be available lion jury award to CTI in 1988. The NEW YORK-Quincy Jones Pro- Nobs and Velazquez confirmed artists of the '70s, has reactivated his on laserdisc, videocassette, CD, LP, damages were assessed against ductions will co-produce the 25th that Jones will perform a jazz pro- company with the help of a Japanese and cassette. Pioneer will issue video- Warner Bros. Records in a long -run- annual Montreux Jazz Festival, gram and a vocal program on dif- conglomerate that has major retail- discs, and IblyGram will handle the ning civil suit over contract agree- July 5-20, as well as a series of la- ferent nights. His shows will in- ing, hotel, and railroad holdings. digitally recorded audio releases. ments regarding George Benson. serdiscs featuring highlights from clude the first live performances of At the same time, New York-based Following "Rhythmstick" will be Besides Benson's early titles, CTI the festival's video archives. The material from his blockbuster CTI Records has signed a long -term, "Song Of The Sun" by Jim Beard, released albums by acts like Wes joint productions were announced "Back On The Block" album with worldwide distribution and licensing featuring contributions from Wayne Montgomery, Stan Getz & Charlie by Claude Nobs, founder /general its original performers, including deal with PolyGram. Shorter, Michael Brecker, and Toots Byrd, Ray Charles, Hubert Laws, director of the festival, and Louise Ray Charles and Chaka Khan, who Taylor has launched his comeback Thielemans. Also in the can are re- Stanley Turrentine, Freddie Hub- Velazquez, president of Quincy are also expected to do solo sets. effort through a joint venture with cently filmed Tokyo concerts by the bard, Bob James, Grover Washington Jones Productions. High- definition television will cri Wave, a Tokyo-based subsidiary CFI Super Band, which includes Ran- Jr., Deodato, Chick Corea, Herbie "It's magic, it's like a dream also play a part in documenting of the Saison Group. Among Saison's dy Brecker, Jim Beard, Bob Berg, Hancock, Stanley Clarke, Billy Cob- come true for me," says Nobs. next year's silver- anniversary more than 100 entities are Interconti- and Mark Redford. All of the planned ham, Jack DeJohnnette, John "Quincy's concept of music is not event, in keeping with the Mon- nental Hotels, Seibu department projects have been or will be shot in McLaughlin, and Chet Baker. like: jazz and that's it, soul and treux festival's tradition of using stores, the Seiyu supermarket chain, hi-def and released in all formats. CBS now has worldwide rights to that's it. It's a global concept. So state -of- the -art technology in its Discoport Records, and the Wave Re- The CTI Super Band concerts in the CTI catalog outside Japan, ac- now we have a melting pot of live production and recording. cords retail chain. Tokyo and Osaka were promoted by cording to Taylor. But he is begin- performances and the [quality of] "It's similar to how Claude began The first of the venture's six Toshinari Koinuma, a veteran jazz ning to build a new roster, he says, production that Quincy has been do- taping the concerts in stereo in planned audio /visual projects, called concert producer who now repre- starting with Jim Beard. ing through the years." 1974," says Velazquez. "There was "Rhythmstick," features 18 jazz acts, sents CTI in Japan. Koinuma will Says Velazquez, "Quincy and I no stereo equipment in wide distri- including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Farm- serve as Taylor's contact with CTI have been talking about looking for bution then, but later on when it er, Tito Puente, Bob Berg, Charlie Wave, Pioneer, and Polydor in Japan. Assistance in preparing this story a video catalog, something that had was released it was commonplace. Haden, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira, CFI Wave is producing the masters was provided by Shig Fujita in To- historical value and had a broad In HDTV, we don't know when it John Scofield, and Phil Woods. for the CTI projects and will hold kyo. range of music." The Montreux will become standard, but we can fest's video archives came to Jones' ultimately transfer to the American attention at MIDEM last January standard, film, or NTSC video. We want flexibility in the long -term de- SOUND WAREHOUSE DROPS 'NASTY' IN DALLAS COUNTY TO SKIRT OBSCENITY CHARGES (where Jones was named man of the year), when he spoke informally velopment of the catalog." (Continuedjrom page b') with Nobs, a longtime associate. The first two laserdiscs -one a charges were dropped," says Trish not part of his discussions. else in the U.S. seems to think so." Co- production of the festival festival retrospective and the other Heimers, spokeswoman for the In a Nov. 8 statement issued by In July, Pickett also announced seemed like a natural next step. an overview of the 1991 gather- RIAA. "In terms of them pulling it Sound Warehouse, Worrell called that he was filing a misdemeanor Jones' production company - ing-are expected in late 1991. Oth- off the shelves, it's their right not the decision "a victory for the com- obscenity charge against Hastings which is separate from Quincy er discs will be culled from archival to carry it in a particular market." pany, the people of Texas, and for Records and Tapes, but a month Jones Entertainment and Quincy material. "We hope to put together Heimers had no comment on the first amendment." later he said he had decided not to Jones Broadcasting, the newly a series like 'Quincy Jones Pre- what kind of message this decision "Certainly, [Pickett] was trying file charges against the Amarillo, formed co- ventures with Time sents,' by [musical] genre, that sends to the industry. to get us to agree to drop it chain - Texas -based company because cor- Warner Inc. -will be responsible sheds light on the music -say, "I would hope it would send the wide, and we didn't have to," Wor- porate officials had pulled copies for lining up performers, finalizing 'Blues At Montreux,' " says Velaz- message to us, retailers, record rell tells Billboard. "That's why we of the album from all its stores. contracts, and scheduling. The offi- quez. makers, and artists, that we need consider it a victory even if nobody Hastings had no comment. to discipline ourselves a little bit," says Spec's' Carmichael. "I don't think this issue is going to go MORE TOP ARTISTS MOVE TO QSOUND away. It's going to be an issue (t oulintied Jronl paye sl we'll have to deal with ourselves." Terry Worrell, president and cher Communications. Monica, Calif. -based Gamma Elec- VP of quality assurance Ed 40 albums using QSound released CEO of Sound Warehouse, says "It is really a terrific opportunity tronic Systems, which owns B.A.S.E., Outwater. during 1991. "Once you get most of that this case could be used as an for us," Archer president/CEO Law- says that system is quite different Bob Ludwig, VP and chief engi- the major artists using it, it will be- example by other DAs to pressure rence G. Ryckman says of the initial from QSound. neer of New York's Masterdisk, con- come a standard," he adds. retailers to remove product, but he pairing of QSound with Madonna. "We don't claim to bring sound be- curs. "QSound is more realistic than Other acts set to use QSound are views it as a victory. According to Ryckman, Archer hind you. That is kind of what glasses a surround effect ... I've played Interscope artist Gerardo and MCA's He contends that the charges Communications is working on "close do to 3D TV. What we do is more like QSound cassettes in my car, and I Imana. Although Interscope principal were motivated by assistant dis- to a dozen projects over the coming high - definition television." have four speakers, but when I turn Iovine is involved financially with trict attorney David Pickett's cam- months with several different record An item in the November issue of off the rear speakers it doesn't sound QSound, not all of the label's releases paign for district court judge. Mi- companies." Robert E. Baker's quarterly financial like you've turned them off." will necessarily utilize the technolo- chael Sullivan, chief of the obscen- In August, Archer signed a five - newsletter, The Baker Report, calls Ludwig says there are some draw- gy, a QSound representative says. ity division of the Dallas County year nonexclusive licensing agree- B.A.S.E. superior to QSound, but rec- backs to the technology, such as a QSound can be applied to all exist- District Attorney's organized ment with PolyGram N.V. calling for ord industry insiders have given the small loss in signal -to-noise ratio. ing recording formats including the crime division, calls this claim the label to release up to 20 record- nod to QSound.

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