About IPO Recordings

IPO Recordings is a small, independent label focused mainly on musicians with roots in the first generation of classic modern jazz, including iconic players like James Moody, Hank Jones, Frank Wess, Benny Golson, Roland Hanna, Richard Davis, Kenny Barron and others who came up during the golden age that followed World War II. While great musicians from that period were sometimes marginalized by the recording industry in later years, IPO continued to provide a forum for them to perform on their own terms, collaborating with their contemporaries and players of later generations.

The IPO catalog includes highlights like the first - and only - recordings together by James Moody and Hank Jones; Moody and Kenny Barron revisiting their historic quartet collaborations, including the Grammy winning “Moody 4B” album; the final sessions by Frank Wess, featuring some extraordinarily beautiful duets with Barron; stunning solo piano recitals by Sir Roland Hanna; masterclasses in the art of improvisation by Roger Kellaway and Eddie Daniels; and group sessions featuring those musicians along with luminaries like Benny Golson, Richard Davis, Bob Brookmeyer, Jimmy Owens and Mickey Roker in tributes to composers Tom McIntosh and Thad Jones (described by Nat Hentoff as “the perfect jazz recording”).

Nine IPO artists have been elected Jazz Masters of the National Endowment for the Arts, the nation’s highest form of recognition in the field of jazz. In many cases, IPO releases are the only recordings in which these artists played together.

IPO also had the good fortune of recording the great classical pianist, Dubravka Tomsic, during her final US recital tours.

IPO releases are available through major on-line shopping sources and streaming services.