Pacific Jazz Records was an American record company and label based in Los Angeles, best known for cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded in 1952 by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy Harte (1924–2003). Harte, in 1954, also co-founded Nocturne Records with jazz bassist Harry Babasin (1921–1988).
Some of the musicians who recorded for Pacific Jazz included Chet Baker, Paul Desmond, Gerry Mulligan, Joe Pass, Gerald Wilson, the Jazz Crusaders, Don Ellis, Clare Fischer, Jim Hall, Groove Holmes, Les McCann, Wes Montgomery, and Art Pepper.
In 1957, Pacific Jazz Records changed its name to World Pacific Records to expand into a full-line label, with the Pacific Jazz imprint retained for jazz releases.
In 1958 Richard Bock and World Pacific were instrumental in introducing Indian traditional music to the West via Ravi Shankar, who also recorded for World Pacific.
Bock sold the label to Liberty Records in 1965, although he remained as an adviser until 1970. Liberty was merged into and discontinued by United Artists Records in 1971; UA in turn was bought by EMI in 1979. Mosaic reissued some Pacific Jazz material in the late 1980s, as did Blue Note when it gained control of the catalog in the 1990s.
Releases from Pacific Jazz Records are distributed digitally on streaming platforms through Universal Music Group.
Partial discography
Pacific Jazz Ten Inch LP series Pacific Jazz released 20 10-inch LPs between 1953 and 1954 before the label moved to 12-inch albums in 1955Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, M. Pacific Jazz/Pacifica Album Discography , Bsnpubs.com, accessed January 9, 2016
Catalog No. Artist Album NotesPJLP 1 Gerry Mulligan QuartetPJLP 2 and the Gerry Mulligan QuartetLee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan QuartetPJLP 3Chet Baker QuartetPJLP 4Sweets at the HaigPJLP 5Gerry Mulligan QuartetPJLP 6 Chet Baker Quartet featuring Russ FreemanPJLP 7Laurindo Almeida Quartet Featuring Bud ShankPJLP 8Russ Freeman TrioPJLP 9Chet Baker EnsemblePJLP 10 and the Gerry Mulligan Quartet Lee Konitz and the Gerry Mulligan QuartetPJLP 11 Chet Baker SingsPJLP 12 Meet Mr. GordonPJLP 13Laurindo Almeida Quartet Featuring Bud Shank Volume 2PJLP 14 Bud Shank and Three TrombonesPJLP 15Chet Baker SextetPJLP 16 Quartet featuring John Williams and Red Mitchell Bob Brookmeyer QuartetPJLP 17 Chico Hamilton TrioPJLP 18Al Haig Trio (not released)PJLP 19The Clifford Brown Ensemble Featuring Zoot SimsPJLP 20 and Bud Shank and Bob Brookmeyer
Pacific Jazz/World Pacific 1200 Twelve Inch LP Series Commencing in 1955 a total of thirty-one 12 inch albums were released on the Pacific Jazz label before the name was changed to World Pacific. Catalog No. Artist Album NotesPJ 1201 California ConcertsPJ 1202Chet Baker Sings and Playswith Bud Shank, Russ Freeman and StringsPJ 1203Jazz at Ann ArborPJ 1204Laurindo Almeida Quartet Featuring Bud Shank Reissue of PJLP 7 and PJLP 13PJ 1205 with Shorty Rogers / with Bill PerkinsBud Shank - Shorty Rogers - Bill PerkinsPJ 1206The Trumpet Artistry of Chet BakerPJ 1207The Original Gerry Mulligan QuartetSelections from PJLP 1 and PJLP 5PJ 1208Jack Montrose SextetPJ 1209Chico Hamilton Quintet featuring Buddy CollettePJ 1210Paris ConcertPJ 1211His Octet and QuintetPJ 1212 and Richard TwardzikTrioPJ 1213Strings & TrombonesReissue of PJLP 14 and PJLP 20PJ 1214 Quartet / Clifford Brown EnsemblesArranged by MontroseReissue of PJLP 12 and PJLP 19PJ 1215The Bud Shank QuartetPJ 1216Chico Hamilton Quintet in Hi FiPJ 1217Grand EncounterPJ 1218Chet Baker in EuropePJ 1219Jazz at Cal-TechPJ 1220Chico Hamilton TrioReissue of PJLP 17 with additional tracksPJ 1221The Bill Perkins Octet on StagePJ 1222Chet Baker SingsReissue of PJLP 11 with additional tracksPJ 1223Hoagy Sings CarmichaelPJ 1224Chet Baker & CrewPJ 1225Chico Hamilton QuintetPJ 1226 and Bob CooperFlute 'n OboePJ 1227Jazz GuitarPJ 1228 QuartetRecorded in Boston at StoryvillePJ 1229Chet Baker Big BandPJ 1230 Bud Shank Quartet Featuring Claude WilliamsonPJ 1231Zen: The Music of Fred Katz with Paul Horn and the Chico Hamilton QuartetPJ 1232 Quartet: Russ Freeman/Chet Baker Label name changes to "World Pacific" Edwards, D., Eyries, P. and Callahan, M.World Pacific Album Discography , Bsnpubs.com, accessed January 9, 2016PJ 1233 Traditionalism RevisitedPJ 1234 & Art PepperPlayboys PJ 1235Look, Dad! They're Comin' Down Our Street (in Hi-Fi) PJ 1236 & Martial SolalSidney Bechet Has Young IdeasPJ 1237 and the Sax SectionThe Gerry Mulligan Songbook Volume 1 PJ 1238South Pacific in Hi-FiPJ 1239, Jim Hall & Jimmy RaneyThe Street Swingers PJ 1240The Montgomery Brothers and Five Others PJ 1241 Quartet and Chet BakerReunion with Chet Baker PJ 1242Chico Hamilton Trio Introducing Freddie Gambrell PJ 1243KismetPJ 1244Various ArtistsJazz Canto: An Anthology of Poetry and Jazz Vol 1WP 1245 & Jerry DodgionBeauties Of 1918WP 1246New Bottle Old Wine WP 1247Various ArtistsDrums On Fire!WP 1248India's Master Musician WP 1249Pretty/GroovyWP 1250Let's Face the Music and DanceWP 1251 with the Len Mercer StringsI'll Take RomanceWP 1252Flower Drum SongWP 1253 and Gerry MulliganAnnie Ross Sings a Song with Mulligan!WP 1254Bud & Travis / Barbara Dane / Rolf Cahn / Lynn GoldA Night at The Ash Grove subtitled Saturday Night at the CoffeehouseWP 1255ReflectionsWP 1256Freddie GambrellWP 1257Various ArtistsThe Sound of Big Band Jazz in Hi-FiWP 1258Ellington Suite WP 1259 with Laurindo Almeida Holiday in BrazilWP 1260Ballads & BluesWP 1261Various ArtistsMore Drums on Fire!WP 1262 & Paul HornMikadoWP 1263Swingin' StandardsWP 1264Lambert, Hendricks & RossThe Swingers!WP 1265 Slippery When Wet Original soundtrackWP 1266Impressions!WP 1267Singin' the BluesWP 1268Indications: What Is Love?WP 1269The Mastersounds in ConcertWP 1270Great Jazz StandardsWP 1271 Jazz ShowcaseWP 1272 The King and IWP 1273 & Gerry MulliganLee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan QuartetSelections from PJLP 2 and PJLP 10 with additional tracksWP 1274The Wide Weird World of Shorty Petterstein: More Interviews of Our TimeComedyWP 1275 and the Jazz MessengersRitualWP 1276GypsyWP 1277 and Bob CooperBlowin' CountryWP 1278Koto MusicWP 1279The Way Out Humor of Lord BuckleyWP 1280 Happy Holidays from Many LandsWP 1281 Latin ContrastsWP 1282Sarita & Co.WP 1283A Good Git-TogetherWP 1284 The Mastersounds Play Horace SilverWP 1285A Gasser!WP 1286 Flute 'n AltoSelections from PJ 1215 and PJ 1230WP 1287 The Original Chico Hamilton QuintetWP 1288Counting Five in SwedenWP 1289Various ArtistsSwingin' Like 60! Vol 1: The Singers / The SwingersWP 1290Various ArtistsSwingin' Like 60! Vol 2: Around the WorldWP 1291Various ArtistsSwingin' Like 60! Vol 3: Ballads and BluesWP 1292Tiger Rag and All That JazzWP 1293Like Soul!WP 1294 & Brownie McGheeBlues is a StoryWP 1295David Allen Sings the Music of Jerome KernWP 1296, Lightnin' Hopkins, Big Joe Williams & Sonny TerryDown South Summit Meetin'WP 1297Feelin' Like BluesWP 1298 & the Gil Evans OrchestraNew Bottle Old WineReissue of PJ 1246WP 1299 & Bud ShankKoto & Flute
Mark Four Series From 1956 to 1958 the Mark Four Series released twelve albums with the PJM prefix. Catalog No.Harrod, J. & Ziegler, F Pacific Jazz / World Pacific Records Checklist accessed February 21, 2017Pacific Jazz Records Catalog: Mark IV seriest accessed February 21, 2017 Artist Album NotesPJM 401, Richie Kamuca and Art Pepper Just FriendsPJM 402 featuring Art Blakey RitualPJM 403Jazz Showcase: Introducing The Mastersounds PJM 404 Quartet / Bud Shank-Bob Cooper Quintet / Stu Williamson Quartet / Russ Freeman TrioJazz Swings Broadway PJM 405The King and IPJM 406 and Gerry MulliganLee Konitz Plays with the Gerry Mulligan QuartetPJM 407Critics' ChoicePJM 408A Sure Thing: David Allen Sings Jerome KernPJM 409Just Before DawnPJM 410Havin' a Ball Reissue of PJ 1211PJM 411 and Bob CooperThe Swing's to TV PJM 412The Wide Weird World of Shorty PettersteinComedy
Pacific Jazz 10000/20000 Series In 1960 a new series of Pacific Jazz was launched with the PJ prefix with initial catalogue numbers increasing numerically for the first 91 releases before the 10000 numbering system was put into effect. Catalog No. Artist Album NotesPJ 1Lenny McBrowne and the 4 SoulsPJ 2 Ltd.Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Truth PJ 3 featuring Zoot SimsJazz ImmortalPJ 4Bud Shank Plays TenorPJ 5, Wes Montgomery & Buddy MontgomeryMontgomeryland PJ 6 with Les McCann Ltd.It's About Time PJ 7Les McCann Ltd. Plays the ShoutPJ 8The Genius of Gerry MulliganRecordings from sessions in the 1952–1954 periodPJ 9 & Paul BryantThe Blues MessagePJ 10Good Friday BluesPJ 11The Inventive Mr. EdisonExpanded version of Sweets at the Haig (PJLP 4)PJ 12Burnin' PJ 13Various ArtistsThis Is the Blues Vol. 1PJ 14Sunset EyesPJ 14 and The Jazz MessengersRitualPJ 16Les McCann Ltd. in San FranciscoPJ 17, Buddy Montgomery & Monk MontgomeryWes, Buddy & Monk MontgomeryPJ 18, Art Pepper and Phil UrsoPicture of HeathPJ 19 & Frank ButlerGroovin' BluePJ 20ChoicePJ 21New GroovePJ 22Rejoice!: Cello Debut at the RenaissancePJ 23"Groove"PJ 24Wild!: The Big Big Sound of Larry "Wild" WricePJ 25Pretty LadyPJ 26 & Paul BryantMeetin' HerePJ 27Freedom SoundPJ 28 and His OrchestraAmerica's #1 ArrangerOriginally released as Great Jazz Standards on World Pacific in 1959PJ 29The Remarkable Carmell JonesPJ 30Various ArtistsThis Is the Blues Vol. 2PJ 31Les McCann SingsPJ 32 & Richard HolmesGroovin' with JugPJ 33 and the Jazz Messengers / The Elmo Hope QuintetArt Blakey & The Jazz Messengers / The Elmo Hope Quintet Featuring Harold Landsplit albumPJ 34 OrchestraYou Better Believe It!PJ 35 featuring Carmell Jones and Bob CooperBarefoot AdventureOriginal soundtrackPJ 36Love Lifted MePJ 37The Last SetPJ 38 and Gerry MulliganKonitz Meets MulliganSelections from PJLP 2 and PJLP 10 with alternate takes added onPJ 39 QuintetSpectacular!Originally released as Chico Hamilton Quintet in 1955PJ 40 Orchestra featuring Cannonball AdderleyGil Evans Orchestra Featuring Cannonball AdderleyOriginally released as New Bottle Old Wine in 1958PJ 41 & Jackie McLeanInta Somethin'PJ 42 & Richie KamucaKeester ParadeOriginally released as Cy Touff, His Octet & Quintet in 1956PJ 43Lookin' AheadPJ 44, Bill Perkins, Jim Hall, Percy Heath and Chico Hamilton2° East, 3° WestOriginally released as Grand Encounter in 1957PJ 45Les McCann Ltd. in New YorkPJ 46 featuring Victor FeldmanWay DownPJ 47 QuartetReunionOriginally released in 1958PJ 48, Joe Pass, Dave Allan, Greg Dykes, Ronald Clark, Bill Crawford and Candy LatsonSounds of SynanonPJ 49 & Carmell JonesBrass BagPJ 50California ConcertsOriginally released in 1955PJ 51 & Les McCannSomethin' SpecialPJ 52First Time OutPJ 53Business Meetin'''
|PJ 54 | |Back in Town!| |- |PJ 55 | |Essence| |- |PJ 56 | Ltd. |On Time| |- |PJ 57 | |The Jazz Crusaders at the Lighthouse| |- |PJ 58 | & Clare Fischer |Bossa Nova Jazz Samba| |- |PJ 59 | |After Hours| |- |PJ 60 | |The Artistry of Pepper| |- |PJ 61 | Orchestra |Moment of Truth| |- |PJ 62 | |Tippin' on Through| |- |PJ 63 | |Les McCann Ltd. Plays the Shampoo| |- |PJ 64 |, Clare Fischer and Joe Pass |Brasamba!| |- |PJ 65 | |Outa Sight| |- |PJ 66 | |Out Front| |- |PJ 67 | |Surging Ahead| |- |PJ 68 | |Tough Talk| |- |PJ 69 | |The Gospel Truth| |- |PJ 70 | & Dupree Bolton |Katanga!| |- |PJ 71 | |My Mother's Eyes| |- |PJ 72 | |Where It's At!| |- |PJ 73 | |Catch Me!| |- |PJ 74 | Orchestra |Little Bird Suite| |- |PJ 75 | & Chet Baker |Timeless|Sessions from the mid-1950s |- |PJ 76 | |Heat Wave| |- |PJ 77 | |Extension| |- |PJ 78 | |Soul Hits| |- |PJ 79 | |Jim Hall|Reissue of 1957 album Jazz Guitar|- |PJ 80 | Orchestra |Portraits| |- |PJ 81 | & The Jazz Crusaders |Jazz Waltz| |- |PJ 82 | |People| |- |PJ 83 | |Stretchin' Out| |- |PJ 84 | |McCanna| |- |PJ 85 | |For Django| |- |PJ 86 | |Alexander the Great| |- |PJ 87 | |The Thing| |- |PJ 88 | Orchestra |On Stage| |- |PJ 89 | & João Donato |Bud Shank & His Brazilian Friends| |- |PJ 90 | |Sambou Sambou| |- |PJ 91 | & The Gerald Wilson Orchestra |McCann/Wilson| |-