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Proper Box

THE PROPER BOX SERIES
Proper Box Set

We've gone out of our way to highlight this series because we want to make sure that all of our customers are aware of it and so have the opportunity to take advantage of this tremendous value from the folks at Proper Music.

Produced on a semi-regular schedule in London, England, each of the Proper Records Box Sets contains four CDs and a booklet of 40 to 68 pages in length.  Each CD is packed to its limit, so every set holds close to five hours of music -- which in most cases translates to around 100 individual tracks.  And what music!  High quality mastering accompanies an extremely discerning selection of the finest recordings of popular music of the first half of the 20th Century.  While the focus is on Jazz -- and let’s face it:  that’s where the majority of the best music was being made (or at least recorded) during the period 1900 -1958 -- there is nevertheless quite a variety to choose from:  the great male and female vocalists, swing, blues, bluegrass, country & western, celtic, doo-wop, ska, funk, gospel and more; with new additions coming every few months or so.  And everything is good, especially the price. Through the combination of employing several different sources and increasing our volume, we are currently able to offer each set for the copacetic price of only $29.75 per box!




Title Artist Publisher Price
King of New Orleans Rock n Roll Fats Domino Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The King Of Rock N Roll, Fats Domino, is at his artistic peak in this 4CD box. The 1949-1957 period produced Domino classics such as "The Fat Man", "Ain't It A Shame", "Goin' Home", "I'm In Love Again", "Blueberry Hill" and "Blue Monday". They are all here plus many other goodies. For full discography and listings, see www.proper-records.co.uk
The Tupelo Mississippi Flash Elvis Presley Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The story of Elvis Presley is the ultimate example of the American Dream. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, the tale of this poor Southern boy, who rose to great wealth and worldwide fame, is one that virtually defies belief. Sadly it is also the story of the tragedy of a youngster who eventually lost touch with reality. Ill advised by his manager who was only interested in chasing the fast buck, Elvis hastened his own departure from this mortal coil through his life style, dying at the age of 42. But most importantly of all it is the story of a man who revolutionised popular music and brought rock’n’roll to the world. His fame spread right across the world, and at the height of the Cold War, his music was banned in the USSR. However Elvis bootlegs were cut on discarded x-ray plates and in 1957 were selling for the not inconsiderable sum of 50 roubles! The years between 1954 and 1957 were probably the happiest of his life as his career took off and he was able to enjoy the trappings of fame. In 1958 his world fell apart when his beloved mother Gladys died, a blow from which he never fully recovered. That same year he was called up by the military, and served Uncle Sam as a G.I. in Germany. He could easily have opted for an easier passage in the army, but his manager Colonel Tom Parker determined that his choice would best suit his client’s image, and so Elvis was bent to his will. Life thereafter would never be quite the same for Elvis. This boxset explores the first four years of Elvis’ career as he rose from a Memphis truck driver to the hottest rock’n’roll star worldwide.
Rock 'n' Skiffle: Brit Beat Beginnings Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Lonnie Donegan, Tommy Steele, Lita Roza, Winifred Atwell, Red Price, Tony Crombie, Alma Cogan, Bert Weedon, Beryl Bryden and Ray Ellington are part of the colourful line up of musical talent from a wide musical spectrum that stood at the cradle of British Beat. The 1950s was an extraordinary decade in the history of British popular music. On the one hand it was still basically a forum for 'light entertainment' as conceived by Tin Pan Alley moguls and broadcast by Aunty BBC. At the same time the post-war sounds of rhythm 'n' blues and rock 'n' roll were starting to wing their way across the Atlantic and a new generation of British teenagers (a hitherto unclassified market) was restlessly shuffling off the old order and demanding a change of pace. The result was a kaleidoscope of revolutionary good-time looseness in the form of skiffle, a lot of cover versions of contemporary US hits (ranging from the remarkably competent to laughably inept), some outright parodies, and the first stirrings of home grown rock 'n' roll. It's all here in his evocative, 100 track set with 40 page booklet. Pay no heed to romanticists, this is how it really was.
Electrfyin' Jimmy Smith Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Jimmy Smith was the first organ player to make the Hammond organ effectively serve as a group, providing walking basslines wih his feet, chordal accompaniment with his left hand and a solo line in his right.
Early Trane John Coltrane Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		On September 1955 John Coltrane joined the Miles Davis Quintet. By that time Coltrane was a seasoned professional musician, a dyed in-the-wool jazz player who had learned his craft in a considerable number of outfits during the preceding ten years or so. Coltrane was nearly thirty years old at the time, a jazz musician who was certainly not universally acclaimed. Thus far Coltrane had failed to impress the jazz audiences at large, although he played in a distinctive but not yet fully formed style. During the next five years after his debut with Miles Davis, Coltrane moved from virtual obscurity to acclaim as the greatest tenor saxophone innovator of the era. This is the era covered in this 4CD set.
Handful of Keys "Fats" Waller Proper Records $29.75

OUT OF STOCK!
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Read more and comment... 		YES!!!  At last it has come to pass:  Fats Waller gets the Proper treatment.  Of all the great personalities of jazz, Fats is the greatest (laying aside Louis Armstrong, of course, who transcends mere personality). Fats would be a legend just for his mastery of the keyboard with which he launched his career,  but he has so much more to offer.  He crafted a true persona which he then donned for each and every performance.  And what performances!  Fats was the very embodiment of entertainment.  And finally, there's the songs themselves.  Fats Waller is one of the greatest song writers of all times.  He brought a jazz sensibility to show tunes and a show tune sensibility to jazz.  Some, like Ain't Misbehavin',  have become standards, interpreted over and over again by cats of all colors, able to be made fresh each time.  Others, like My Very Good Friend the Milkman, belong to Fats alone.  The people of Proper Records really had their work cut out for them with this one:  how do you bring the whole of Fats when you have a mere four CDs?  It's painful to leave out even one timeless classic! Handful of Keys proves once again why Proper Records is the reigning champion of classic jazz packages:  Fats is here in all his glory, from his early days as keyboard prodigy to his final blazing days of songmanship.  This is a set that will bring a lifetime of  enjoyment.  If Fats isn't part of your life, then, man, you ain't livin'!  Here's the complete track listing and discography.
Doo Wop Delights Various Proper Records $33.95
($33.95 list)
OUT OF STOCK!
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Read more and comment... 		100 classic tracks by The Five Keys, The Vocaleers, The Drifters, The Orioles, The Ravens, The Dominoes, The Swallows, The Flamingos, The Spaniels, and many more!  NOW OUT OF PRINT
The Gene Krupa Story Gene Krupa Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The Gene Krupa Story is a 4 CD box set complete with a 32 page annotated and illustrated booklet celebrating the life and times of the greatest drum idol of all time. This marvellous package of 99 tracks has nearly five hours of playing time.
The Engine Room: A History Of Jazz Drumming Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		These performances trace the evolution of jazz drumming from two-beat to bebop and are a tribute to the drummer - the man who swings the band. 95 tracks, approximately five hours of music, 48 page fully illustrated booklet.
Farewell to Ireland Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The body of music recorded by Irish emigrants in America during the 1920s and '30s is regarded by many as the lost treasure of the golden age of traditional Irish music. Here are 80 fine examples of these legendary sessions accompanied by a 32 pa
Deep Ska: 80 Original Ska Classics Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Truly authentic and original, all 80 of the recordings on this set were made in Jamaica between 1962 and 1969. DEEP SKA contains lots of recordings that aren't on other compilations and also includes a 24 page illustrated booklet with a fascinat
Strictly for Music Lovers Spike Jones and his City Slickers Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Nearly five hours worth of musical destruction from the comic genius, who marched his band of City Slickers down a merry path for a few wonderful years. 95 tracks and a 24 page fully illustrated booklet.
Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment...
Broke, Black and Blue: An Anthology Of Blues Classics And Rarities Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Tracing the origins of the blues is a problematic and somewhat theoretical venture, because the music is an oral, not a written, tradition. BROKE, BLACK & BLUE tries to follow the development of recorded blues during its first 20 odd years. In m
The Lester Young Story Lester Young Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Hear the real article in over four hours of tenor magic featuring Lester from his earliest recording through the Basie band with Billie Holiday, in his own group and right up to the Jazz At The Philharmonic period.
Hittin' On All Six Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Bebop Spoken Here Various Artists Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The language of Bebop is one of the most enduring and eloquent in the history of jazz music. The 96 Bebop statements included in this box set sound as fresh and invigorating now as when they were first recorded some 50 years ago.
The Fats Navarro Story Fats Navarro Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		An 87 track, 4CD set showcasing Navarro's immense talent. As with all Proper boxes, this comes with a lavish booklet, here a 40-pager that tells the story of a genius still to be properly recognised. Rare photos & full track information are inclu
The Lionel Hampton Story Lionel Hampton Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The 92 recordings on this 4CD set tell the story of bandleader, vibraphonist, pianist, drummer and all-round showman Lionel Hampton. The story of a career that is one of the monumental achievements in jazz. is related within the 44 page booklet.
The Stan Kenton Story Stan Kenton Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Here are the extensive highlights of the first ten years of the Kenton era, presented through 93 tracks on 4 CDs and accompanied by a 48 page booklet that tells the story of this extraordinary figure, including rare photos and full track information.
The BeBop Years Coleman Hawkins Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Coleman Hawkins reached a new level of creativity during the 1940s. This box set focuses on those years, presenting the original master of the tenor sax in a wide variety of settings, including his encounters with young modernists like Dizzy & Monk.
The Woody Herman Story Woody Herman Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		This box set presents 92 slices of prime Woody focusing on the decade 1939-49 with recordings by The First and Second Herds, two of his most successful bands. Included is a 52 page booklet with extensive biographical notes, discography & rare photos.
Settin' The Pace Dexter Gordon Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Long Tall Dexter's musical adventures during the Bebop era are extensively featured in this box set.The 55 tracks span the period 1943-50 & feature the immense talents of Dexter himself as well as such luminaries as Dizzy, Fats Navarro & Ben
Young Miles Miles Davis Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The first years of Miles' recording career are traced on these 82 sides. From classic encounters with Charlie Parker, the immortal "Birth Of The Cool" sessions to spirited live dates & the lovely sessions with Sarah Vaughan.
The Sidney Bechet Story Sidney Bechet Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Here are 93 tracks spanning over 27 years of Bechet's career, the first being recorded in 1923. The monumental booklet tells the story of this remarkable musician and includes rare photos and discographies.
The Count Basie Story Count Basie Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The 99 tracks in this box set are testimony to the greatest swing band ever. The 48 page booklet traces Basie's story and his 40 years as leader of bands that were the epitome of swing.
Rockin' The Blues Wynonie Harris Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		The 81 enclosed tracks form Wynonie Harris' complete previously released works between 1944 and 1950 and many appear for the first time ever on CD, let alone ever being available on vinyl.
Young Anita Anita O'Day Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Here you have it:  89 tracks on four discs totalling nearly five hours of the music with which the incomparable Ms. O'Day launched her one-of-a-kind career.  Also included is a fully illustrated 40 page booklet written by jazzpert Joop Visser that provides a detailed look at these early years of Anita's career. It's all here, from the classic uptempo "Let  Me Off Uptown" that put her on the map and buoyed the careers of both Roy Eldridge and Gene Krupa to the ultimate hardboiled gal tune, "And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine" that gave the Stan Kenton Orchestra their first big hit to her classic laid back set with the Nat King Cole Trio to her high energy reunion with the Krupa Orchestra and much more, all for one amazing low price.
Tempus Fugue-It Bud Powell Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		Bud Powell's early years are documented on the 86 tracks in this 4 CD box set, the years during which he amazed fellow musicians as well as jazz fans, with dazzling bebop piano playing that laid the foundation of modern jazz piano.
The Golden Years (1938-1942) Glenn Miller Proper Records $29.75
($33.95 list)
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Read more and comment... 		This set contains 98 tracks including all of Miller's most popular tunes from the period, and a 44 page booklet with the Glenn Miller story, discography and many rare photos.