INTERVIEW/PROFILE: Interview: George Avakian (Part 5)

Columbia's first 12-inch jazz LP was George Avakian's idea. In 1950, when company president Ted Wallerstein played George a test pressing of Benny Goodman's band live in 1938, George knew instantly what he was listening to: Goodman's famed Carnegie Hall concert, which had been languishing in a closet and had never been released in its entirety. George decided to have the entire concert issued that year on two 12-inch LPs--jazz's first double-album. It appeared on the company's more expensive Mas...

Read full article Share article