Other US Labels

Other vintage jazz record labels – US

Some labels from the LJC collection and visitor contributions not included under the big companies for lack of space. Where I own a copy I try to include run-out etchings, where I don’t, the pictures are mostly Discogs uploads retouched/rescaled.

AD LIB

Jackie McLean’s holy grail, The New Tradition, on Ad Lib.

APPLAUSE

1980’s West Coast based re-issue label, a lot of jazz and not uncommon to find Blue Note reissues in its catalogue. The quality however is generally mediocre at best and not a recommended alternative. Included for completeness.

ARGO (PROMO)

 ARGO (STEREO)

ARTISTS HOUSE

A short-lived jazz record label active during 1977 with a catalogue of only 14 titles. Founded by John Snyder, Artists House gave their artists complete control and ownership of the master tapes, which meant (with the exception of Ornette Coleman)they did not go on to be reissued.

Photo Credit: Andy C

AUDIO FIDELITY

BALLY

BARNABY

Barnaby later label – Barnaby Candid Jazz reissues, late ’70s:

 BARONET

BATON

 

CARLTON

COBBLESTONE

With Bell Sound stamp

 

CTI Records (Creed Taylor)

 

DAWN (SEECO RECORDS NYC)

Source: grabbed from Internet

Relatively unknown US label notable for several Zoot Sims titles in the Fifties.

DEBUT

 

DIAL

DOOTONE

Famous for its red vinyl edition of Dexter Gordon “Dexter Blows Hot and Cool”, with the greatest ever “smoking” cover.

 

DOUGLAS

ESOTERIC

ESP-disk

New York avant garde label

Design can vary from one title to another. This example above from Discogs

EVEREST

IMPERIAL

INDIA NAVIGATION

1976 New York avant garde

INNER CITY

70’s  US jazz releases, including under license from other labels, notably Japanese label  Eastwind. Early enough to not yet fallen prey to digital processing, sound is reasonable, better than many of the majors of the same period, though not stellar.

INTRO

JAZZ GUILD  (Canada)

 

JAMAL

JAZZ LINE

 

 

JAZZ GUILD (Canadian label?)

 

JAZZTIME

Early ’60s NY jazz label, relatively rare

Fred Norsworthy’s Jazztime label, based in Malton, Ontario, Canada, launched in 1961. At some later point the name was cThe first three issues of Fred Norsworthy’s Jazztime label (based in Malton, Ontario, Canada) were announced in the September 28, 1961 issue of Down Beat (p. 34). At some later point the name was changed to Jazzline.The recordings (including unissued material) later appeared under many different names and titles on Polydor, Fontana, Onyx, Muse, and Black Lion Records.

 JAZZ UNLIMITED

JOSIE

Josie Jazz Series was a reissue label of Jubilee Records (1954-71)

LIBERTY (Lighthouse Series)

LIMELIGHT (MERCURY)

MODE RECORDS, Hollywood, late ’50s

 

MUSE

Mid ’70s to late ’80s Muse Records, a New York jazz label. Shown here a rather special Muse title, mastered by Rudy Van Gelder, who did occasional sessionsfor the label at Englewood Cliffs

 

NESSA

Small jazz label based in Michigan, founded by Chuck Nessa in 1967. A catalogue of “avant garde”/ Art Ensemble of Chicago genre.  Still functioning to day, largely CD format.

Photo Credit: Andy C.

PERIOD

Rare label, rare Rollins, sells up to $2,000. Etchings include 7D

REGENT

1950’s NY jazz label, subsidiary of Savoy Records (source: Ebay)

ROULETTE RECORDS, INC.

 

ROYAL ROOST

SATURN

Saturn appears to be headquartered not in Outer Space, but Philadelphia.

SAVOY

Savoy – red label – collectors sometimes refer to it as the “blood red label”. to distinguish it from the “maroon” or “oxblood” later label (one below) ’50s and ’60s and generally should be deep groove.

Savoy – oxblood label, some called the “maroon”. Generally these are ’70s issues without deep groove.

SCORE

SIGNAL (2nd label)

SIGNATURE

 

STORYVILLE

STRATA-EAST

New York 70’s avant garde label

(Source: internet)

TAMPA

TRANSITION

UNIT CORE (Cecil Taylor)

UPTOWN

80’s label of Dr Bob Sunenblick MD specialising in reissue of rare jazz recordings and commissioning  new recordings by artists from the golden age – recorded and mastered in  many cases by the Master of Sound himself, Rudy Van Gelder, at Englewood Cliffs. Still operating today, in CD format. Gorgeous sound quality where modern recording source.

 

WORKSHOP JAZZ

Motown Records excursion into jazz territory

XANADU (Don Schlitten)

Bell Sound pressing for this Chicago-based label. Sounds surprisingly good considering its time – mid 70’s provenance. 136 gm vinyl.

Work in progress. If you have others, send me.

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