On June 7, 1979, President Jimmy Carter recognized June as Black Music Month.  Thirty years later, President Barack Obama, the first African-American to hold the nation’s highest office, commemorated the designation.  He noted that the rich legacy of black music had encouraged citizens “to dance, to express our faith through song, to march against injustice, and to defend our country’s enduring promise of freedom and opportunity for all.”  This June and into July, Rhino and sister imprint Run Out Groove will celebrate Black Music Month (or African-American Music Appreciation Month) with a slate of releases on vinyl, CD, and digital formats.

Last week, Rhino made its first announcement of the campaign, the previously unreleased concert Merci Miles! Live in Vienne from the late Miles Davis.  The collection expands with more never-before-heard music from Roberta Flack (expanded editions of Chapter Two and Quiet Fire for streaming/download) and Charles Mingus (an expanded Mingus at Carnegie Hall on CD and LP).  Classic titles from Curtis Mayfield (his 1970 solo debut masterwork Curtis), Milt Jackson and Ray Charles (their 1958 collaboration Soul Brothers), Zapp & Roger (1993’s All the Greatest Hits), The Drifters (the 1968 collection Golden Hits), and The Time (a first-time expanded edition of 1981’s The Time) will return to vinyl as part of the celebration.

You’ll find the entire Black Music Month slate from Rhino and Run Out Groove below with pre-order links where available.

Friday, June 4:

Various Artists, Intro Documentary Soundtrack Playlist (Digital) (Links TBD)

Friday, June 11:

Charles Mingus, Mingus At Carnegie Hall (Deluxe Edition) (2CD) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

The late Charles Mingus’ January 19, 1974 concert at Carnegie Hall featuring sidemen George Adams, Hamiet Bluiett, Don Pullen, and Dannie Richmond as well as guest artists Jon Faddis, Jon Handy, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, and Charles McPherson was originally released by Atlantic Records with just two lengthy encore songs – “C Jam Blues” and “Perdido” – each occupying one side of vinyl.  Now, after 47 years, the entire show is being released by Run Out Groove on CD and LP, with 74 minutes of previously unreleased music from the late composer-leader-saxophonist.  It’s all been mastered from the original tapes, and the package features new liner notes by historian Michael Cuscuna to place it all into context.

Milt Jackson & Ray Charles, Soul Brothers (180-gram vinyl LP) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Zapp & Roger, All The Greatest Hits (140-gram 2-LP set pressed on violet and magenta/orange and pink colored vinyl) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Friday, June 25:

Miles Davis, Merci, Miles! Live at Vienne (2CD or 180-gram 2-LP set)

2CD: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada
2LP: Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada

The Drifters, Golden Hits (LP) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

Roberta Flack, Chapter Two (50th Anniversary Digital Expanded Edition) (Links TBD)

Roberta Flack, Quiet Fire (50th Anniversary Digital Expanded Edition) (Links TBD)

Roberta Flack finally opened the vaults last year for Run Out Groove’s deluxe reissue of her 1969 debut First Take.  Now, she’s revisiting her next two LPs, Chapter Two (1970) and Quiet Fire (1971), in digital-only expanded editions.  Contents are still TBA but hopefully these two classic albums of soul-jazz (featuring Flack’s singular renditions of such pop and soul standards as “Do What You Gotta Do,” “Let It Be Me,” “The Impossible Dream,” “Until It’s Time for You to Go,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Will You Love Me Tomorrow,” “To Love Somebody,” and “Sweet Bitter Love”) will see physical release before too long.

Friday, July 16:

Charles Mingus, Live at Carnegie Hall (3LP) (Run Out Groove)

Curtis Mayfield, CURTIS! 50th Anniversary Edition (2LP) (Run Out Groove)

The Time, The Time (Expanded Edition) (2LP pressed on red and white color vinyl) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)​