Tad Richards is a prolific visual artist, poet, novelist, and nonfiction writer who has been active for over four decades. He is the author of many books, including Jazz with a Beat: Small Group Swing, 1940–1960, also published by SUNY Press. He lives in Kingston, New York.

"This isn't just a label history—it's a pressure map of postwar jazz, where heat, hustle, and happenstance collide. Artist, poet, and writer Tad Richards packs a lot of story into twenty-five chapters, covering highlights and not-so-highlights in his examination of Prestige Records … Hats off to Tad Richards for making this footnote in jazz history a relevant and entertaining story." — Slang of Ages"…a comprehensive history of the famed independent jazz label, which comes rich in detail and anecdote." — Shindig"Rather than simply presenting facts, Richards invites readers to explore the catalog along with him. In doing so, the book becomes something like a roadmap through the evolution of modern jazz, from bebop to hard bop, soul jazz, and eventually the avant-garde. For longtime jazz listeners, the book offers a chance to revisit a remarkable catalog. For newer listeners, it provides an inviting introduction to one of the most important labels in modern jazz history." — All About Jazz"A lot of work has clearly gone into listening to this particular label over the years, resulting in an interesting, densely packed read." — Jazz Journal"Listening to Prestige is filled with stories and anecdotes that illuminate a golden era of jazz." — Copper Magazine"…Listening to Prestige is an essential addition to any jazz library. Tad Richards has done more than just list sessions; he has mapped the soul of a label that was willing to be messy, immediate, and profoundly human." — Skope"In this long overdue musical history of the important independent jazz label Prestige Records, Tad Richards—a passionate consumer of its many recordings since his initial listening to the 1958 session showcasing an emerging John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio—draws readers into stories involving its visionary founder Bob Weinstock, the classic recording sessions he assembled, and the brilliant jazz musicians whose work on Prestige helped shape the direction of post-war music. Richards's talents as a writer, his ears for the music, and a touch of his personal history with Prestige make this an enjoyable and essential read for fans of jazz and its immense cultural impact." — Joe Maita, Editor/Publisher, Jerry Jazz Musician"Written with a contagious enthusiasm and a breezy style that newcomers to jazz will find particularly rewarding, Listening to Prestige is a valentine to one of the foundational labels of post-war jazz. Tad Richards highlights scores of now-classic recordings by Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Yusef Lateef, Jack McDuff, and countless others, while also opening a window on the modus operandi of Prestige's founder Bob Weinstock and the stylistic changes coursing through jazz from the late '40s through the early '70s." — Mark Stryker, author of Jazz from Detroit"When it comes to jazz, this is one of the rare books that we actually need, that does not cover the usual ground with the usual suspects. Prestige Records, for all the attention it has received from audiences, is not well known in the historical sense. Every jazz fan has these records, which is important, but few know the inside story, the complex process of the jazz independent label in the era before independent labels became as common as recording projects. And Tad Richards is the writer to do this, with a firm grasp of jazz's historical succession, the bebop era, and the musical needs of musician and audience. Read this book." — Allen Lowe, saxophonist and historian who has recorded with Julius Hemphill, David Murray, Doc Cheatham, and Marc Ribot

• Preamble. How This Book Came AboutIntroduction. Bob Weinstock and Prestige1. Postwar Independent Jazz Record Labels 2. Weinstock's Beginnings. New Jazz 3. Early Artists on New Jazz4. The Birth of the Prestige Label5. The First Jazz on LP6. Wardell Gray, James Moody and King Pleasure7. Miles Davis8. Thelonious Monk9. Enter Rudy Van Gelder and Recording More Monk10. The Modern Jazz Quartet11. Cover Art, and a Dual Role for Esmond Edwards12. Sonny Rollins13. Miles Davis Back and Ready to Work. the Contractual Marathon14. Changing Times and Technologies at Prestige15. Other '50s-era Prestige Recording Artists16. Miles's Sidemen and John Coltrane17. Mose Allison and Yusef Lateef18. A New Era. Soul Jazz19. Prestige's Satellite Labels20. Soul Jazz Organists 21. Moving On. Free Jazz and Eric Dolphy22. Dolphy's Peers at Prestige 23. Booker Ervin24. Stars of the Early '60s25. Final DaysEpilogueAcknowledgmentsWorks CitedIndex

Tad Richards is a prolific visual artist, poet, novelist, and nonfiction writer who has been active for over four decades. He is the author of many books, including Jazz with a Beat: Small Group Swing, 1940–1960, also published by SUNY Press. He lives in Kingston, New York.

"This isn't just a label history—it's a pressure map of postwar jazz, where heat, hustle, and happenstance collide. Artist, poet, and writer Tad Richards packs a lot of story into twenty-five chapters, covering highlights and not-so-highlights in his examination of Prestige Records … Hats off to Tad Richards for making this footnote in jazz history a relevant and entertaining story." — Slang of Ages"…a comprehensive history of the famed independent jazz label, which comes rich in detail and anecdote." — Shindig"Rather than simply presenting facts, Richards invites readers to explore the catalog along with him. In doing so, the book becomes something like a roadmap through the evolution of modern jazz, from bebop to hard bop, soul jazz, and eventually the avant-garde. For longtime jazz listeners, the book offers a chance to revisit a remarkable catalog. For newer listeners, it provides an inviting introduction to one of the most important labels in modern jazz history." — All About Jazz"A lot of work has clearly gone into listening to this particular label over the years, resulting in an interesting, densely packed read." — Jazz Journal"Listening to Prestige is filled with stories and anecdotes that illuminate a golden era of jazz." — Copper Magazine"…Listening to Prestige is an essential addition to any jazz library. Tad Richards has done more than just list sessions; he has mapped the soul of a label that was willing to be messy, immediate, and profoundly human." — Skope"In this long overdue musical history of the important independent jazz label Prestige Records, Tad Richards—a passionate consumer of its many recordings since his initial listening to the 1958 session showcasing an emerging John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio—draws readers into stories involving its visionary founder Bob Weinstock, the classic recording sessions he assembled, and the brilliant jazz musicians whose work on Prestige helped shape the direction of post-war music. Richards's talents as a writer, his ears for the music, and a touch of his personal history with Prestige make this an enjoyable and essential read for fans of jazz and its immense cultural impact." — Joe Maita, Editor/Publisher, Jerry Jazz Musician"Written with a contagious enthusiasm and a breezy style that newcomers to jazz will find particularly rewarding, Listening to Prestige is a valentine to one of the foundational labels of post-war jazz. Tad Richards highlights scores of now-classic recordings by Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Yusef Lateef, Jack McDuff, and countless others, while also opening a window on the modus operandi of Prestige's founder Bob Weinstock and the stylistic changes coursing through jazz from the late '40s through the early '70s." — Mark Stryker, author of Jazz from Detroit"When it comes to jazz, this is one of the rare books that we actually need, that does not cover the usual ground with the usual suspects. Prestige Records, for all the attention it has received from audiences, is not well known in the historical sense. Every jazz fan has these records, which is important, but few know the inside story, the complex process of the jazz independent label in the era before independent labels became as common as recording projects. And Tad Richards is the writer to do this, with a firm grasp of jazz's historical succession, the bebop era, and the musical needs of musician and audience. Read this book." — Allen Lowe, saxophonist and historian who has recorded with Julius Hemphill, David Murray, Doc Cheatham, and Marc Ribot

• Preamble. How This Book Came AboutIntroduction. Bob Weinstock and Prestige1. Postwar Independent Jazz Record Labels 2. Weinstock's Beginnings. New Jazz 3. Early Artists on New Jazz4. The Birth of the Prestige Label5. The First Jazz on LP6. Wardell Gray, James Moody and King Pleasure7. Miles Davis8. Thelonious Monk9. Enter Rudy Van Gelder and Recording More Monk10. The Modern Jazz Quartet11. Cover Art, and a Dual Role for Esmond Edwards12. Sonny Rollins13. Miles Davis Back and Ready to Work. the Contractual Marathon14. Changing Times and Technologies at Prestige15. Other '50s-era Prestige Recording Artists16. Miles's Sidemen and John Coltrane17. Mose Allison and Yusef Lateef18. A New Era. Soul Jazz19. Prestige's Satellite Labels20. Soul Jazz Organists 21. Moving On. Free Jazz and Eric Dolphy22. Dolphy's Peers at Prestige 23. Booker Ervin24. Stars of the Early '60s25. Final DaysEpilogueAcknowledgmentsWorks CitedIndex

Tad Richards is a prolific visual artist, poet, novelist, and nonfiction writer who has been active for over four decades. He is the author of many books, including Jazz with a Beat: Small Group Swing, 1940–1960, also published by SUNY Press. He lives in Kingston, New York.

"This isn't just a label history—it's a pressure map of postwar jazz, where heat, hustle, and happenstance collide. Artist, poet, and writer Tad Richards packs a lot of story into twenty-five chapters, covering highlights and not-so-highlights in his examination of Prestige Records … Hats off to Tad Richards for making this footnote in jazz history a relevant and entertaining story." — Slang of Ages"…a comprehensive history of the famed independent jazz label, which comes rich in detail and anecdote." — Shindig"Rather than simply presenting facts, Richards invites readers to explore the catalog along with him. In doing so, the book becomes something like a roadmap through the evolution of modern jazz, from bebop to hard bop, soul jazz, and eventually the avant-garde. For longtime jazz listeners, the book offers a chance to revisit a remarkable catalog. For newer listeners, it provides an inviting introduction to one of the most important labels in modern jazz history." — All About Jazz"A lot of work has clearly gone into listening to this particular label over the years, resulting in an interesting, densely packed read." — Jazz Journal"Listening to Prestige is filled with stories and anecdotes that illuminate a golden era of jazz." — Copper Magazine"…Listening to Prestige is an essential addition to any jazz library. Tad Richards has done more than just list sessions; he has mapped the soul of a label that was willing to be messy, immediate, and profoundly human." — Skope"In this long overdue musical history of the important independent jazz label Prestige Records, Tad Richards—a passionate consumer of its many recordings since his initial listening to the 1958 session showcasing an emerging John Coltrane with the Red Garland Trio—draws readers into stories involving its visionary founder Bob Weinstock, the classic recording sessions he assembled, and the brilliant jazz musicians whose work on Prestige helped shape the direction of post-war music. Richards's talents as a writer, his ears for the music, and a touch of his personal history with Prestige make this an enjoyable and essential read for fans of jazz and its immense cultural impact." — Joe Maita, Editor/Publisher, Jerry Jazz Musician"Written with a contagious enthusiasm and a breezy style that newcomers to jazz will find particularly rewarding, Listening to Prestige is a valentine to one of the foundational labels of post-war jazz. Tad Richards highlights scores of now-classic recordings by Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Yusef Lateef, Jack McDuff, and countless others, while also opening a window on the modus operandi of Prestige's founder Bob Weinstock and the stylistic changes coursing through jazz from the late '40s through the early '70s." — Mark Stryker, author of Jazz from Detroit"When it comes to jazz, this is one of the rare books that we actually need, that does not cover the usual ground with the usual suspects. Prestige Records, for all the attention it has received from audiences, is not well known in the historical sense. Every jazz fan has these records, which is important, but few know the inside story, the complex process of the jazz independent label in the era before independent labels became as common as recording projects. And Tad Richards is the writer to do this, with a firm grasp of jazz's historical succession, the bebop era, and the musical needs of musician and audience. Read this book." — Allen Lowe, saxophonist and historian who has recorded with Julius Hemphill, David Murray, Doc Cheatham, and Marc Ribot

• Preamble. How This Book Came AboutIntroduction. Bob Weinstock and Prestige1. Postwar Independent Jazz Record Labels 2. Weinstock's Beginnings. New Jazz 3. Early Artists on New Jazz4. The Birth of the Prestige Label5. The First Jazz on LP6. Wardell Gray, James Moody and King Pleasure7. Miles Davis8. Thelonious Monk9. Enter Rudy Van Gelder and Recording More Monk10. The Modern Jazz Quartet11. Cover Art, and a Dual Role for Esmond Edwards12. Sonny Rollins13. Miles Davis Back and Ready to Work. the Contractual Marathon14. Changing Times and Technologies at Prestige15. Other '50s-era Prestige Recording Artists16. Miles's Sidemen and John Coltrane17. Mose Allison and Yusef Lateef18. A New Era. Soul Jazz19. Prestige's Satellite Labels20. Soul Jazz Organists 21. Moving On. Free Jazz and Eric Dolphy22. Dolphy's Peers at Prestige 23. Booker Ervin24. Stars of the Early '60s25. Final DaysEpilogueAcknowledgmentsWorks CitedIndex