Muse Records 1972 – 1999, sub-label of Blanchris, Inc. NY founded by producer and record executive Joe Fields , former executive with Prestige and Verve Records in the 1960s. Fields passed away in 2017, age 88
The turquoise Muse double-headed lyre Muse label remained effectively the same over fifteen years, adding the Blanchris Inc name
Radio station promo white label copies were a regular feature of Muse distribution, and commonly found. I have not found any sonic advantage in promos, which sound much the same as the general commercial release.
1972-91 5000-Series turquoise/ and lyre
Blanchris Inc. New York added reference
Mastering/cutting and pressing of Muse attributed on numerous titles to Bell Sound, and PRC Richmond Indiana.
Towards the end of the 70s a number of sessions were recorded at Englewood Cliffs NJ and mastered by Rudy Van Gelder, with pressing at PRC, Indiana
With the rise of the Compact Disc, Muse continued to produce vinyl editions in parallel. Some Muse titles in the 80s began to credit digital recording on the vinyl edition.
Muse distribution in Europe was mainly through France (SACEM royalty collection agency) though some Dutch pressings are to be found (STEMRA agency) and copies turn up from most parts of the globe. French discs were manufactured from copy tape by the French ARA company, it has to be said of lesser quality – US editions are to be preferred
By the end of the 80s vinyl editions effectively ceased, and the bulk of the catalogue was remastered for CD.
True retro collectors may like to seek out Muse on cassette, even with digital recording
The Muse Catalogue runs to around 400 recordings on vinyl, some predictable middle of the road fare but among them some terrific titles from Woody Shaw and Clifford Jordan, well worth seeking out.
LondonJazzCollector 