Workshop Jazz Album Discography
by David Edwards and Mike Callahan
Last update: August 2, 2012





The Workshop Jazz label was active between late 1962 and late 1964 as the jazz outlet for Motown. As a Motown label, it was not a particularly successful project. Many of the albums were unreleased, although photos appeared on a Motown sleeve, so some artwork was done for most of the albums. The albums that were released seemed to have been remaindered for the most part, as Workshop Jazz albums found today are commonly found with clipped corners.


The Workshop Jazz album label was red with black printing. Above the center hole is "WORKSHOP JAZZ" in white on two lines. Below the logo is a horizontal yellow saxophone. Up to catalog number 212, the albums were mono and the prefix was "WSJ" (far left). Starting with 212, the albums were issued in mono and stereo, with the mono prefix being just W- and the stereo prefix (near left) being WS-.
The label used for singles (far left) is similar. Promotional copies (near left) used a white label with black print with the same graphics.



We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Workshop Jazz or Motown Records, which is currently owned by United Music Group. Should you want to contact United, or should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 1998, 1999, 2012 by Mike Callahan.


WORKSHOP JAZZ ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Cover


Number - Title - Artist - [Release Date] Contents

Workshop Jazz WSJ (later, W/WS) 200 Main Series:

WSJ 201 - [Unissued]

WSJ 202 - All Star Jazz - Earl Washington All Stars [11/62] Not known to have been released in stereo. Opus No. 3/Taste Time/The Swinging Jesters Blues//March Lightly/Tony's Tune/The Ghost

WSJ 203 - Introducing Miss Paula Greer - Paula Greer [1/63] Not known to have been released in stereo. I Had The Craziest Dream/My Romance/Somewhere/Falling In Love With Love/On Green Dolphin Street//Till There Was You/Make Someone Happy/Far Away Places/I Did/I Didn't Know About You

WSJ 204 - Detroit Jazz - Paula Greer & Johnny Griffith Trio [2/63] May be unreleased.

WSJ 205 - Jazz - Johnny Griffith: Trio [1/63] Not known to have been released in stereo. Ill Wind/Unknown Minor/I' Mi See You Later/Old Folks/I Did//Moment's Notice/They Didn't Believe Me/Willow Weep For Me/Summertime

WSJ 206 - Blue Vibrations - Dave Hamilton [1/63] Not known to have been released in stereo. Vanski/Coming Through The Rye/Motown Express/Just Loving You//Some Other Time/Late Freight/Stairway To The Stars/Mellow In Coli

WSJ 207 - Boss: Bossa Nova - George Bohannon Quartet [2/63] Not known to have been released in stereo. Bobbie/Speak Low/El Rio/Conmigo//Simpatica/El Rig/Mioki

WSJ 208 - [Unissued]

WSJ 209 - [Unissued]

WSJ 210 - [Unissued]

WSJ 211 - [Unissued]



Note: At this point, prefixes change from WSJ to W for mono, WS for stereo. Jackets often just used an S after the catalog number. Stereo banners on the jacket front said "WORKSHOP STEREO" with an infinity sign between the two words.

W/WS 212 - The Right Side of Lefty Edwards - Lefty Edwards [8/64] Goodnight My Love/I Lay Me Down/Feeling/Just Friends//Fly Me To The Moon/Up 'n' Adam/These Foolish Things/Gliding Home

W/WS 213 - Reflections - Earl Washington [4/64] Reflections/Trees/Lover//Cuban Carnival/After Hours/It Ain't Necessarily So

W/WS 214 - Bold Bohannon - George Bohannon Quartet [6/64] May be unreleased. What Kind Of Fool Am I/Some Other Time/Baubles Bangles And Beads/Joey Joey/It Never Entered My Mind

W/WS 215 - [Unissued]

WSJ 216 - The Soul and Sound of Herbie Williams - Herbie Williams [Unissued?] We believe this album to have been unreleased, although the cover is pictured on an early Motown inner sleeve.

W/WS 217 - Breaking Through - Four Tops [Unissued?] We believe this album to have been unissued, although a picture of the cover is shown on some of the early Motown inner sleeves. We have talked to people that claim to have seen a deejay copy of it, but this has not been confirmed. In an interview, Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops said it was never released. In 1999, it was issued with bonus tracks on CD (see below). Stranger On The Shore/I Left My Heart In San Francisco/Until I Met You/I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind/Young And Foolish

W/WS 218 - Untitled - Charles Harris Trio [Unissued]

W/WS 219 - Compositions of Charlie Mingus - Pepper Adams [8/64] Fables Of Faubus/Black Light/Song With Orange/Carolyn/Better Git It In Your Soul//Incarnation/Portrait/Haitian Fight Song/Strollin' Honeys

W/WS 220 - Beat - Roy Brooks [8/64] Homestretch/If You Could See Me Now/Passin' The Buck//Soulin'/Soulsphere/My Secret Passion



RELATED COMPACT DISC:

MOTOWN (US)
012 153 365-2 - Motown's Lost and Found: Breaking Through (1963-1964) - Four Tops [1999] This Can't Be Love (S, with countoff)/On The Street Where You Live (S)/Gee Baby Ain't I Good To You (S)/Nice 'N' Easy (S)/Maybe Today (M)/Stranger On The Shore (S)/Young And Foolish (M)/Discovered (S)/I Left My Heart In San Francisco (S)/Fascinating Rhythm (S)/End Of A Beautiful Friendship (S)/If My Heart Could Sing (S)/Can't Get Out Of This Mood (S)/When I'm Alone I Cry (S)/Until I Met You (S)/I'm Falling For You (S)/Every Day I Have The Blues-Goin' To Chicago Blues (S)/I Could Have Danced All Night (S)/I'm Falling For You [with Billy Eckstine] (S, live)




Thanks to Keith Hughes and Bill Morgan.



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