Norman Granz may not be a household name today, but the influential producer changed the way jazz music was presented and perceived. Through his Jazz at the Philharmonic (JATP) concerts and album series from 1944-1957, Granz raised the profile of jazz and featured racially integrated bands on his commercially successful tours and recordings. I wrote a few weeks ago about the Miles Davis and John Coltrane Final Tour CD set, just issued by Sony. Those historic concerts from Paris, Copenhagen, and Stockholm were all recorded in concert venues, not smoky jazz clubs, just like classical music. They were part of Granz’s brilliant JATP presentations, which brought new-found respect and recognition for jazz musicians, both in the U.S. and in Europe.
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