The crowning jewel in Rhino Handmade's series of box sets celebrating
Atlantic's 60th anniversary,
Hommage a Nesuhi is a salute to Nesuhi Ertegun, the producer who founded
Atlantic's jazz division. Like his brother Ahmet, Nesuhi was a heavyweight, so it's fitting that this set is a monument: a five-CD set, all discs arranged thematically, housed...
The crowning jewel in Rhino Handmade's series of box sets celebrating
Atlantic's 60th anniversary,
Hommage a Nesuhi is a salute to Nesuhi Ertegun, the producer who founded
Atlantic's jazz division. Like his brother Ahmet, Nesuhi was a heavyweight, so it's fitting that this set is a monument: a five-CD set, all discs arranged thematically, housed in an elegant LP-sized box that also includes an 84-page hardcover book and a photo portfolio. There's nothing small about this set, it's not something to be taken casually, so it's perhaps a little odd that it's aimed at aficionados with a fat wallet instead of collectors. There are no real rarities here: instead, it aims to offer an overview of everything Nesuhi Ertegun touched, sampling legendary sessions by
John Coltrane,
Rahsaan Roland Kirk,
Ray Charles,
Herbie Mann,
Mose Allison,
Eddie Harris,
Oscar Brown, Jr.,
Les McCann,
Big Joe Turner, and
Charles Mingus, among many others, recorded between 1955 and 1976. It's a portrait of a fertile, creative time and a man who knew how to get both innovation and soul onto tape, and for those unfamiliar with Ertegun's legacy as a producer, it's a hell of an introduction to the man and his label. Of course,
Hommage a Nesuhi isn't
priced as an introduction, it's a handsome, lavish gift set aimed at those who already know this music intimately and want to revel in the excellent book and photos while listening to music they already love. If you've got the cash, it's a pretty terrific way to spend a weekend. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi