Black Jazz Records was founded in Oakland, California in 1969 by jazz pianist Gene Russell. Russell founded the label as an alternative to traditional forms of jazz, invoking a new and fresh alternative that embodied the spirit of the black/urban awakening of the civil rights period. Black Jazz released various types of music including funk, free jazz and soul jazz.

The label existed for a short period (until Russell's passing in 1981) yet managed to change the face of popular jazz music. Black Jazz Records boasted a heavyweight roster of superior instrumentalists and vocalists like Jean Carn (vocalist), Kellee Paterson (vocalist) Rudolph Johnson (saxophone), Calvin Keys (guitar), Walter Bishop, Jr. (piano), Chester Thompson (organ), Henry Franklin (bass), Doug Carn (piano, organ, keyboards) and The Awakening. These artists were supported by a cast of some of America’s most respected jazz musicians. It's most successful act, Doug and Jean Carn recorded three albums embodying several of the most spectacular vocal performances of the era. Their Black Jazz releases remain fan favourites in the rare groove scene, amongst Dj’s, producers and record collectors worldwide and are widely considered spiritual jazz classics. Doug and Jean's demo album ‘Infant Eyes’ was never picked up by a major label, meaning their talent and capabilities went largely unnoticed in their early years. In 1974 Billboard Magazine noted that the duo outsold both Dave Brubeck and Ramsey Lewis, both critically acclaimed artists. In later years Jean Carn would go on to become a successful R&B artist on the Philadelphia Interntional Record label.

In its short life, Black Jazz Records managed to capture not just the sound of a political movement but the heartbeat of the times and people as well. Longevity is fuelled by such things and the label lives on today due to James Hardge hitting the reactivate button in 1986, and more recently Japan's Snow Dog Records saving the master tapes from an uncertain future and inviting sympathetic contemporary artists (such as Gilles Peterson, DJ Muro or Theo Parrish) to contribute to Black Jazz's rich heritage.

For the 50th Birthday of the label in 2019, J.A.W Family, in collaboration with Detroit based electronic music producer-dj Theo Parrish, invited some of the label's major artists. Among them legendary soul singer Jean Carn, keyboard wizard Doug Carn or AACM affiliate & The Awakening founders Ari Brown and Steve Galloway to reunite for the first time ever live and for two unique performances in Paris and Berlin. This stellar band will be touring in 2020 and bringing their legendary sound on stage.