Verve Records: The Sound of America (4LP)

As an independent record producer going back to the early 1940s, Norman Granz started building a personal network of record companies, disc by disc, artist by artist, innovation by innovation that grew into a tsunami by the time he sold Verve Records at the end of 1960. It remains a feat unmatched to this day. This 4-LP box set celebrates the fascinating spectrum of recordings made during the Norman Granz era of Verve Records. It includes vocal tracks by Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday; Charlie Parker with strings; a raucous live jam session; Beatnik poetry by Jack Kerouac and stand-up comedy.