Indies:The Ultimate Guide  to
Independent Record Labels & Artists

A GENTLE WIND Jill and Donald Person had definite ideas about the recordings they wanted for their children. Their mostly frustrating search led them to found A Gentle Wind in 1981. They brought their ideas to life with this children's music only label. Songs and stories had to endear, endure, and be the kind of material families would enjoy sharing. Children had to be respected, valued, and encouraged to appreciate the world and its inhabitants. It's more than 10 years and 45 albums later, and A Gentle Wind has received a goodly number of awards from parents groups and library associations. You might want to check out one of the company's five samplers. TYPE: Children's ARTISTS: Rachel Buchman; Heather Forest; Sarah Pierle; Laura Simms; Paul Strausman CATALOG: Free FORMATS: Cassette ADDRESS: Box 3103 Albany NY 12203 PHONE: 518.436.0391 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Jill Person VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Jill Person ABSOLUTE RECORDINGS AND VIDEO Bill Laster who plays the timbales, a Latin percussion instrument formed Absolute to record and distribute albums by his group, Shades of Jade. Laster was drawn to the musician's life when he was a teenager. The then 15-year- old Bill Laster strolled into Harlem's Audubon Ballroom dance hall, and was rocked by the music. Onstage that evening was a mini Latin Hall of Fame including Joe Cuba, Eddie Palmieri, Johnny Pacheco, and Ray Barretto. "I heard the music and I loved the music," Laster told Cha Cha Lopez of Latin Beat Magazine. He immediately began to study the conga drums. Two years later he was playing around New York City in the Ross Carnegie Orchestra. Life took him on a twist and turn journey. A long side trip kept him in his own advertising business; but he couldn't resist the music. In 1985, he formed Shades of Jade. He then took the inevitable step of launching Absolute Records. TYPES: Latin Jazz, Afro-Blues, Afro-Cuban Jazz. ARTISTS: Shades of Jade CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Video ADDRESS: 3378 W. Harvard Santa Ana CA 92704 PHONE: 714.957.3703 CONTACT: Bill Laster   ACCENT RECORDS/GLOBAL RECORDING ARTISTS 1296 Lombardi Ave Petaluma CA, 94954 TYPES: Middle of the Road Instrumentals, Pop, Adult Contemporary, Country. ARTISTS: Louis Cope, Buddy Merrill, Jay Thomas, Encore Duo. PHONE: 415-804-1081 EMAIL: chikarl@msn.com Website www.accentrecords.com Facebook Accent Records Music sample press info www.reverbnation.com/accentrecords Myspace www.myspace.com/accentrecords ADELPHI/Group Box 7688 Silver Spring MD 20907 TYPES: Bluegrass, Country, Rock and Roll, Jazz, Folk, Ethnic ARTISTS: Nighthawks, Phil Woods, Chris Smithers. ALBUM: "The Fugs Greatest Hits"/The Fugs. $8.98. ADOBE RECORDS Shallowater (TX) is ranching country that is deep in the heart of Bob Wills country, near Buddy Holly's birthplace, and a stone's throw from where Waylon Jennings grew up. It's also the home of Adobe Records. The label is aimed at folk and bluegrass with western tint. In the bluegrass area, "Wonderin'," a selection from fourth generation fiddler Joe Stephenson's album, Midnight on the Colorado, has received strong response both on country radio in the States and in Europe. Adobe is a good source for recordings of cowboy poets and storytellers. TYPES: Bluegrass; Comedy; Country, Western; Cowboy; Folk ARTISTS: R.W. Hampton; Joe Stephenson; Andy Wilkinson CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box W Shallowater TX 78363 PHONE: 806.873.3537 A&R CONTACT: Sue Swinson LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Tom Woodruff VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Joyce Fusco AFKA BKM Associates Box 32 Wilmington MA 01887 TYPES: Every type of classical material from solo to orchestral. ARTISTS: Donald Angle, Earl Miller, Mark Kroll, The Radcliffe Choral Society, Thomas Murray. ALBUM:"Church Music of William Byrd"/ Church of the Advent Choir -- Edith Ho, Director. $11. AGUA AZUL RECORDS Businessman David Newberger frequents the Kerrville (TX) Folk Festival, and particularly enjoys the songwriter sitting around sessions that take place at the campground. "When you have 10 guitars in tune and harmonies," he said, "and people standing around in tune with the music, it can be very beautiful." In 1989, he took a digital audio tape (DAT) recorder to the campground and captured 60 hours worth of memorable moments. As he shared the playback with the songwriters and friends, he realized that he wanted to share it with others. Agua Azul Records was born, and its first release was the edited down version of the Kerrville songwriter sessions. (It includes Jon Ims singing his song "In Love With the Boy" which later became a country hit as sung by Tricia Yearwood) The label named for Mexico's Agua Azul River ("the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen," says Newberger) concentrates on songwriters -- especially the storyteller variety. TYPES: Folk ARTISTS: Michael Elwood; Various Artist CATALOG: Free FORMAT: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box 161566 Austin TX 78716 PHONE: 512.328.4813 CONTACT: David Newberger ALACAZAM! Parenting magazine described Dave Van Ronk's jugband version of "Peter and the Wolf" as "Green Acres on the Volga-- and very cute..." TYPE: Folk ARTISTS: CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Box 429 Waterbury VT 05676 PHONE: 802.244.7845 A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: ALCAZAR TYPE: Folk ARTISTS: CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Box 429 Waterbury VT 05676 PHONE: 802.244.7845 A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: ALLEGIANCE RECORDS 7525 Fountain Ave. Hollywood CA 90046 TYPES: Country, Black Music of All Sorts. ARTISTS: Johnny Paycheck, Mary Wells, Della Reese, Duke Ellington, Betty Everett, Willy Nelson. ALBUM: "Dreams and Themes"/Patrick Williams. $8.98.   ALLIGATOR RECORDS Blame it on the blues. Twenty years ago, Bruce Iglauer who calls himself a "naive white kid from the suburbs of Cincinnati" walked into Florence's, a blues club on Chicago's South Side. Hound Dog Taylor & the House Rockers were onstage, and they succeeded in rocking Iglauer's socks off.  Iglauer remembers that it was "one of the rawest, raunchiest sounds imaginable," and that this band had to be recorded. Iglauer created Alligator Records to make that one album. The session took two nights. The recording technology was, shall we say, not quite state of the art. "It was my first attempt to capture the sound and feel of the blues clubs on a record," says Iglauer. Now, it's more than 100 albums later and Iglauer's Alligator records is one of America's leading blues labels. Special note to Dr. John fans: As you roam through the catalog, smile when you get to the Alligator reissue of Dr. John's "Gris-Gris" album. TYPES: Blues ARTISTS: Lonnie Brooks; Tinsley Ellis and the Heartfixers; Lil' Ed & the Blues Imperials; Kenny Neal; Son Seals; Koko Taylor; Katie Webster. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Box 60234 Chicago IL 60660 PHONE: 312.973.7736 A&R CONTACT: Bruce Iglauer LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Bob DePugh VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Kerry Peace ALTERNATIVE TENTACLES RECORDS Jello Biafra launched Alternative Tentacles 10 years ago as a way to issue records by his group, The Dead Kennedys. Other labels did want the band -- If -- if the group would change its name; if the label could control the songs; if ad infinitum. What started as a one-band label has evolved. "When Biafra finds friends of his who need a label," explained Grig Werckman, label manager, "or when we find a cool band that defies categorization, we kind of add them to the roster." The narrow cult company has gone quite international, complete with an office in London. Of special notice is the compilation album, Virus 100, which will have been released by early spring 1992. It is the 100th Alternative Tentacles release and it celebrates the label's 10th anniversary. TYPES: Experimental; New Music; Punk; Rock; Spoken ARTISTS: Jello Biafra; Alice Donut; Klaus Fluoride; LARD; Les Thugs; Nomeansno; Victim's Family CATALOG: .50 FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: PO Box 424756 San Francisco CA 94142 PHONE: 415.541.5303 CONTACT: Grig Wickman LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: AMAZING RECORDS TYPE: Blues; Cajun; Country, Western; Jazz; New Music ARTISTS: Cornell Dupree; Denny Freeman"; Paul Glass*; Keri Leigh & The Blue Devils; Gary Primich; B.W. Stevenson; CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box 2164 Austin TX 78768 PHONE: 512.477.7055* A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: AMERICAN CLAVE 213 E. 11th St. New York NY 10003 TYPES: The music mixes (in various artful proportions) Jazz, Latin, Rock and Experimental sounds.  ARTISTS: Kip Hanrahan, Teo Macero, Airto Lindsay, Jack Bruce, Milton Cardona, Steve Swallow, Taj Mahal, Allen Toussaint, Jerry Gonzales. ALBUM: "Vertical Currency"/Jack Bruce, Kip Hanrahan, Milton Cardona, Steve Swallow, David Murray, Airto Lindsay, Ignacio Berroa. $10. AMERICAN COWBOY SONGS Route 7, Box 251 Mt. Juliet TN 37122 TYPES: Songs Of Our American West ARTISTS: Chris LeDoux, Tony Glenn, Kyle Evans. ALBUM: "Old Cowboy Heroes"/ Chris LeDoux $9. LeDoux is a World Champion bareback bronco rider   AMERICAN GRAMAPHONE RECORDS Take one mythical streamroller and fold in a full speed ahead tractor trailer and you've got the foundation of American Gramaphone Records. Omaha-based musician/composer Chip Davis, the label's driving force, created Mannheim Steamroller to record Davis's fusion of classical music melodies and forms with soft rock rhythms and harmonies. Initially, he pressed a few hundred copies; but quickly received orders for 20,000 units. And then the truck came barreling through. As a busy advertising jingle writer, Davis (along with adman Bill Fries) devised a truck-driving character for Old Home Bread. The fictional trucker, C. W. McCall, caught the public fancy. Davis decided to put "McCall" on American Gramaphone vinyl. The result was a series of successes climaxing in the monster hit, "Convoy." No doubt C.W. McCall still is driving his big rig along mythical highways; but his contributions are greatly appreciated. American Gramaphone has continued to grow in that cross-pollinated musical patch planted by Mannheim Steamroller. Part of its current strength comes from the distribution of two other significant artist-owned labels. Paul Winter's Living Music and John Denver's Windstar. Paul Winter and John Denver, distinctive American music originals, created their own labels so that they could best insure the quality and honesty of their recordings. TYPE: Classical; Pop; Jazz; Folk; New Age ARTISTS: Jackson Berkey; Checkfield; John Denver; Jeff Henkins; Mannheim Steamroller; Doug Smith; Paul Winter CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 9130 Mormon Bridge Rd. Omaha NE 68152 PHONE: 402.457.4341 A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Erin Hughes VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Michael Delich   AMERICAN MELODY RECORDS Bluegrass fans may remember Phil Rosenthal as the Seldom Scene's lead singer and guitarist. He also shines as a songwriter. (Bill Monroe and Johnny Cash are among those who have recorded his songs.) He and his wife Beth started American Melody in 1986. It excels in the classy presentation of stories and songs for children and has earned high marks from publications for parents and folk music journals. Phil Rosenthal's Chickens in the Garden, a collection of traditional and original songs was named a 1991 American Library Association Notable Children's Recording. TYPE: Bluegrass; Children's; Folk ARTISTS: Tom Callinan and Ann Shapiro; Jonathan Edwards; Rosalind Hinman; Phil Rosenthal; Max Showalter; the Smith Sisters CATALOG: Free FORMATS: Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 270 Guilford CT 06437 PHONE: 203.457.0881 A&R CONTACT: Phil Rosenthal LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Phil Rosenthal VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Beth Sommers Rosenthal   AMHERST RECORDS This shrewd company, part of an entertainment conglomerate, brings an artful approach to indieville. It consists of a healthy dose of reissues (most notably The Stylistics); plus the licensing of selected Amherst artists (e.g. Spiro Gyra) to majors; the careful signing and marketing of musicians with name recognition (Doc Severinsen, Melanie, Paul Butterfield and once again ladies and gentlemen, the Stylistics); plus nurturing of lesser-known performers. One of the Doc Severinson albums earned a Grammy, and another was honored with a Grammy nomination, TYPES: Big Band; Blues; Jazz; Middle of the Road Rhythm and Blues; Rock; Soul ARTISTS: Gamalon; Glenn Mederios; Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Band; Stylistics; Jeremy Wall CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 1800 Main St. Buffalo NY 14208 PHONE: 716.883.9520 A&R CONTACT: Larry Silver LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: David E. Parker VOLUME SALES CONTACT: David E. Parker ANSONIA RECORDS In 1949, as America was poised to enter what some call the golden era of Latin music, Ralph Perez opened the doors of Ansonia Records. Over the years, Ansonia built a culturally rich catalog. Not only are various musics of Puerto Rico represented on the label; but one also can find the sounds of other Spanish-speaking societies such as Cuba, Spain, Columbia, Peru. The emphasis stayed on danceable music with plenty of merengues, pachangas, and cumbias laced through the catalog. Currently Ansonia, still a family-operated business, focuses on CD reissues rather than new releases. This is a blessing as the company's vault contains so many classic examples of Latin music. TYPE: Caribbean; Ethnic; Hispanic, Latin; ARTISTS: Los Guaracheros de Oriente; Las Tres Guitarras; Joseito Mateo; Luis Miranda; Orquestra de Cuatros; Julito Rodriguez y Su Trio CATALOG: Yes FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 750 Patterson Ave. E. Patterson NJ 07073 PHONE: 201.470.0301 A&R CONTACT: Henry Gerard Glass LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Mercedes Perez Glass VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Mercedes Perez Glass 750 Patterson Ave. East Rutherford NJ 07073 1.201.470.0301 TYPES: Spain, Cuba, Santo Domingo, Haiti, Mexico, etc. ARTISTS: Juanito Sanabria, Ramon Garcia, Joe Valle, Mario Hernandez, Julito Rodriguez, Las Tres Guitarras, Les Docteurs du Rythme. "Haiti Goes Latin"/ Les Docteurs du Rythme. $6.50 ANTONE'S RECORDS AND TAPES In 1974 Clifford Antone felt the Austin (TX) blues scene was ailing. He jumped in by opening the night club that bears his name. "I've never been very good at being just a spectator," he explains. (Historians please note: Clifton Chenier opened the club.) Antone's has nurtured the blues and blues players. The greats like to play there, and the hoping to be greats find their own strength on the Antone stage. Antone started the label in 1987 to share with the public some of the great music heard at the club. And it does. Jazziz writer Frank-John Hadley said Eddie Taylor's Still Not Ready For Eddie, "documents Taylor's last performance...What a last blaze of glory it is." TYPE: Blues ARTISTS: Marcia Ball/Lou Ann Barton/Angela Strehli; James Cotton; Ronnie Earl; Sue Foley; Matt Murphy; Jimmy Rogers; Doug Sahm CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 2978 Guadelupe St. Austin TX 78705 PHONE: 512.322.0617 A&R CONTACT: Derek O'Brien LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Susan Piver VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Connie Johns APON RECORD COMPANY 721.5599 PO Box 3082 Steinway Station Long Island City NY 11103 TYPES: Czechoslovakian, Hungarian Gypsy, Polkas, Ukrainian Folk, Russian Folk. ARTISTS: Various Artists from Europe. ALBUM: "Old Russian Wedding"/ Piatnicky Song and Dance Ensemble. $8.98. ARABESQUE RECORDINGS 1995 Broadway New York NY 10023 TYPES: Classical, Historical, Original Instruments, Popular Classics, Opera, Vocal. ARTISTS: Ronald Smith, Portland String Quartet, Robert De Cormier Singers and Ensemble, Gena Raps. ALBUM: "Dvorak: Waltzes & Themes and Variations"/ Gena Raps $8.98.   ARHOOLIE PRODUCTIONS TYPES: Bluegrass; Blues, Cajun; Caribbean; Country, Western; Eastern European; Ethnic; Hispanic, Latin; Zydeco. ARTISTS: Beausoleil; Clifton Chenier; Lightning Hopkins; Flaco Jimenez; Maddox Brothers & Rose; Kid Ory; Sonny Boy Williamson. CATALOG: $2 FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: 10341 San Pablo Ave. El Cerrito CA 94530 PHONE:   ASTROMUSIC Label owner Gerald Jay Markoe has written a number of scores for film and theater. He is best known these days for the way he combines his knowledges of music and astrology. He offers what he refers to as "prerecorded" albums. For example, his "Music from the Pleiades," enjoyed a long stay on the New Age bestseller charts. Commenting on the album, Brit Elders, coauthor of UFO Contact from the Pleiades, said, "the most powerful music I have come across in years." In addition Markoe offers custom-recorded cassettes. By using mathematical formulas, he translates planetary positions into musical sounds. The result, according to his aesthetic, is "music of the spheres" for a particular date and time. TYPES: New Age ARTISTS: Gerald Jay Markoe CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box 118 New York NY 10033 PHONE: 212.942.0004 CONTACT: Gerald Jay Markoe   ATLANTA INTERNATIONAL RECORDS TYPES: Gospel, Spoken ARTISTS: CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: 881 Memorial Dr., S.E. Atlanta GA 30316 PHONE: 404.223.0144 A&R CONTACT: Alan Freeman LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Penny Ray   ATTIC RECORDS TYPE: Middle of the Road; New Age; New Music; Pop; Rock; ARTISTS: Lee Aaron; Colormen; Rita Coolidge; Joey Ferrara; Haywire; Idyl Tea; Brett Ryan CATALOG: No FORMATS: **CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 102 Atlantic Ave Toronto Ontario Canada M6K 1X9 .PHONE: 416.532.HITS A&R CONTACT: Brian Allen LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Alexander Mair VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Lindsay Gillespie   AUDIOPHILE RECORDS 3008 Wadsworth Mill Place Decatur GA 30032 TYPES: Distinctive Vocalists Interpreting American Popular Songs and Lyrics. ARTISTS: Dick Haymes, Margaret Whiting, Barbara Leigh, Maxine Sullivan, Marlene Ver PLanck. ALBUM: "Margaret Whiting -- Too Marvelous for Words: A Tribute to Johnny Mercer and Richard Whiting"/ $8.98. The label has a "Collector's Record Club" which offers records at reduced rates.   AUGUSTA HERITAGE RECORDINGS The late George Gobel would say, "You can't hardly find that kind no more." He might have been talking about the music on this label. Augusta Heritage is affiliated with the Folk Arts program (directed by Gerry Milnes) of Davis & Elkins College. Many of the artists are old masters who picked up the instruments when they were children. For decades some have performed at their own community dances and celebrations. They play the music that has been in their families for generations, as well as those tunes they have learned from other pickers. The Augusta Heritage catalog includes studio-made albums as well as those recorded in the field. "We recorded in living rooms, kitchens," Gerry Milnes told Lisa Kelly of the Sunday Gazette-Mail, "Occasionally you hear a baby crying or a rooster crowing in the background. I feel a lot of people play their best at home, especially people not accustomed to playing in public." CATALOG: Free FORMATS: Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Davis & Elkins College 100 Sycamore St. Elkins WV 26241 PHONE: 304.636.1903   AVC ENTERTAINMENT Jim Warsinske likes to anticipate musical trends and help talent develop. Warsinske entered the biz when he was 10. (His guitar teacher got him gigs.) Concert promotion, starting at the age of 16, and a post-college series of record company jobs led him to his own label -- AVC -- in 1989. He has signed what he calls "uncompromising bands that are passionate about their music." AVC's first release was School of Cool by Le Klass, an Augusta (GA) group. I am told that fellow Augustan James Brown stopped lead singer Nelson Curry at a hometown gas station. Brown proceeded to tell Curry just how much he liked the band. Duncan Faure's AVC album released in 1992 was produced by the legendary Shel Talmy of Who and Kinks and David Bowie fame. TYPES: Pop; Rock; Soul ARTISTS: 7th Stranger; Duncan Faure; Le Klass; Madrok; N-Demand; Rocca CATALOG: Send self addressed stamped envelope. FORMAT: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 6201 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90028 PHONE: 213.461.9001 CONTACT: Jim Warsinke   AVOCET RECORDS PO Box 6769 Portland OR 97228-6769 TYPES: Original Music in the Jazz Tradition. ARTISTS: Rich Halley, Dave Storrs, Obo Addy. ALBUM: "Multnomah Rhythms"/Rich Halley.   AXBAR RECORDS 3800 San Pedro Ave. San Antonio TX 98212 TYPES: Country, Middle Of the Road, Jazz, Comedy, ARTISTS: Mark Chesnutt, Lofton Kline, Carroll Gilley, Carla Neet & Jerry Blanton, Juni Moon. ALBUM: "Our Way"/ Carla Neet and Jerry Blanton. $6.50 B   BABY SUE RECORDS Don W. Seven sits atop a media conglomerate of sorts. In 1983, he explored ways to promote his new band, LMNOP. He decided to make little booklets. After all, he did comic strips at Georgia State University the year before. The Baby Sue comics were born and began to entice. Pretty soon people were expecting comics. And yes, the music also took hold and even spread to France. (New Rise distributes Baby Sue cassettes in France.) "People," explained Seven, "generally seem to describe the music as innocent and sincere; and describe the comics as nihilistic, sarcastic and hateful." The Baby Sue catalog says the LMNOP album Numbles, "...features 16 songs of drug-influenced paranoia and happy folk music. Topics range from hatred of the human race to idolization of Ted Bundy and Lewis Carroll." TYPES: Cajun; Pop; Rock ARTISTS: LMNOP; The Mommy; Don W. Seven CATALOG: Send first-class stamp FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 1111 Decatur GA 30031-1111 PHONE: 404.875.8951 CONTACT: Don W. Seven BAINBRIDGE RECORDS 2507 Roscomare Rd. Los Angeles CA 90077 TYPES: Adult Contemporary, Easy Listening, Jazz, Sound Effects/Background Music. ARTISTS: Al Caiola, Ferrante & Teicher, Kenny Dorham, Anita Kerr, Montenegro, The Mystic Moods Orchestra, Mantovani Orchestra, Stanley Turrer to bebooklets. entine. ALBUM: "One Stormy Night"/ The Mystic Moods Orchestra. $10.23. Bainbridge quite proudly beckons to the "profitable though neglected adult market." BALKAN ARTS 325 Spring St. Rm. 314 New York NY 10013 TYPES: Ethnic music of European origin ARTISTS: Various ALBUM: "Music for a Jewish Wedding"/ Dave Tarras ($9) BA is the recording arm of the Ethnic Folk Arts Center. Its catalog includes material from other companies. BARTOK RECORDS "This label was started in 1949 primarily to publish records of Bela  Bartok's compositions," explained Peter Bartok the late composer's son. Perhaps the most fascinating release was Bartok's Viola Concerto. The composer had finished the draft but died before he could do the score. A friend, Tibor Serly, completed the work by deciphering notes and second-guessing the composer. The album was released in 1952 with Serly conducting and soloist William Primrose, the man who originally had commissioned the work. Howard Taubman of the New York Times wrote that "though Bartok's strength was ebbing, his skill as a composer was at its height...The composition is intense and closely knit and the slow movement, Adagio Religioso has a touching directness and poignancy." TYPE: Classical ARTISTS: Leslie Chabay; Leonid Hambro; Robert Mann; New Music String Quartet; New Symphony Orchestra of London; Tibor Serly; Walter Susskind CATALOG: Free FORMATS: Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 399 Homosassa FL 32646 PHONE: 904.382.2015   BATISH RECORDS Here we find raga with a backbeat. Ashwin Batish's fusion of classical Indian sitar music with exceedingly Western dance rhythms dismays some American purists. It also has charmed many reviewers with its originality, skill and quality. An acknowledged sitar master, Batish continues the musical traditions of his family. Ashwin's father, Shiv Dayal Batish, has had many hit songs in Indian films, radio and TV. While a guest lecturer in a London University, the elder Batish taught George Harrison to play the Diruba. (But I'm sure he meant well.) Batish Records is very much a family enterprise. In addition to music new and old by people named Batish, the label features tapes that provide instruction in tabla and tanpura. TYPE: Ethnic; Music Instruction; New Age; New Music; World ARTISTS: Ashwin Batish; Meena Batish; Shiv Dayal Batish CATALOG: Free FORMATS: Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 1310 Mission St. Santa Cruz CA 95060 PHONE: 408.423.1699 CONTACT: Ashwin Batish   BENSON MUSIC GROUP TYPES: Children's; Black/Urban Gospel; Christian Rock; Pop Gospel; Southern Gospel ARTISTS: Carman; DC Talk; DeGarmo & Key; Dino; Gold City; Larnelle Harris; Lulu Roman CATALOG: available in bookstores? Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Video ADDRESS: 365 Great Circle Rd. Nashville TN 37228 PHONE: 615.742.6800 A&R CONTACT: Ken Pennell VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Allen Hardin   BESERKELEY AUDIO & VIDEO TYPES: Pop; Rock ARTISTS: Linda Brady; Earthquake; Ed Haynes; Greg Kihn; Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers; Rubindos CATALOG: No FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl. Video ADDRESS: 1442 A Walnut St. Berkeley CA 94709 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Mathew Kaufman   BESCOL. LTD. In the most enduring of indie traditions, Bescol licenses previously released works (mostly from the old Everest label). Both Bescol, a classical music label, and its sibling, Legacy which specializes in folk and world music, issue budget-priced recordings. The Bescol et. al. output can be found in major chains. You also can buy it by mail order. TYPES: African; Bluegrass; Ethnic; Folk; Jazz; Native American; Ragtime ARTISTS: CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: Box 249 Pismo Beach CA 93448 PHONE: 213.557.0309 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: C. Solomon     BIOGRAPH RECORDS All Arnold Caplin wanted to do was preserve some music. "As it worked out," he said, "this became a company." Biograph, now housed in a three-story building that once was the village blacksmith's workplace, has forged an impressive reputation for itself. In the beginning it specialized in old jazz and blues such as reissues of old recordings by gentlemen who shared the first name, "Blind." It also offered excellent music snipped from movies by the likes of Bing Crosby and others. Jazz reviewers quickly applauded Biograph's mission of making classical jazz and blues recordings available once more. In 1970, Caplin bought QRS Music Roll Company's piano roll catalog. Release of recordings made from this cache brought new smiles to music listeners because of the "hand played" rolls. When a piano roll was "recorded" the pianist pounded the keys of special instruments. As the paper roll moved along, holes that represented the particular notes were punched out. The hands referred to in hand-played rolls are those of the composer. (In the QRS case, these included Jellyroll Morton, James P. Johnson, Fats Waller and Scott Joplin.) Biograph received a Grammy for its Scott Joplin handplayed album. The perforated paper roll very much resembles early computer cards. In fact, MIT Professor Dr. Charles Winer wrote that the piano rolls were early direct-to-digital recordings, and the sound quality tends to support that thesis. Of course, Biograph has continued to issue fine blues and jazz albums. TYPES: Blues; Jazz; Ragtime ARTISTS: Reverend Gary Davis; Benny Goodman; Kathy Hart; Milt Hinton; Son House; Skip James; Scott Joplin CATALOG: $2 FORMAT: CD, Vinyl ADDRESS: 16 River St. Chatham NY 12037 PHONE: 518.392.3400 CONTACT: Arnold S. Caplin   BLACK TOP There are two ways to look at Black Top, and both are right. It's definitely a New Orleans hometown label, as cofounders Hammond and Naumann Scott take full advantage of their Crescent City location. This particularly shows in the choice of savvy studio musicians. Also, Black Top is a mighty blues label. Hammond Scott thought of Black Top because he felt he could make better blues records than the ones he heard when he was a roadie for Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown. The Scott brothers' fannish gusto has yielded some excellent musical moments. Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters album, Surrounded By Love, features a scintillating guest appearance by Robert Jr. Lockwood. Guitarist Robert Ward's first recording in 20 years (Fear No Evil) is a Black Top coup. Ward had worked with Wilson Pickett for many years, was a Motown session player, and was a great influence on Lonnie Mack and Stevie Ray Vaughan. TYPES: Blues, Jazz, Rhythm and Blues. ARTISTS: Snooks Eaglin; Ronnie Earl; Anson Funderburgh and Sam Meyers; James Harman; Earl King; Rod Piazza; Robert Ward. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD ADDRESS: PO Box 56691 New Orleans LA 70156 PHONE: 504.895.7239 A&R CONTACT: Hammond Scott LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Naumann Scott VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Mindy Giles   BLAST FIRST RECORDS This label blasted off in 1984 in England when Paul Smith wanted an outlet for American bands he liked. He started with Sonic Youth and Butthole Surfers. Risk taker Smith did not fancy these groups because of their pop accessibiilty (they had little) but, explains a spokeswoman, they were "more like art than entertainment." Now the label has a U.S. headquarters and a fair mix of American and English groups. The art imperative still reigns here. Witness the expanded range of musics and the picture disc series. For the latter, visual artists do recording projects. Each includes a beautiful picture right on the vinyl. TYPE: Experimental; Jazz; New Music; Rock ARTISTS: Joe Coleman; Common Knowledge; Head of David; The Mekons; Stretchheads; Sun Ra; Robert Williams CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 262 Mott St., #324 New York NY 10012 PHONE: 212.941.9560 A&R CONTACT: Reyne Cuccuro LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Reyne Cuccuro VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Mark Knight   BLIND PIG RECORDS An Ann Arbor blues club, the Blind Pig Cafe, spawned this label in 1977. The releases, an attractive mix of established and developing artists, seem to strike sparks in reviewers' hearts. Of Magic Slim and the Teardrops' "Gravel Road," Billboard reported "Slim is near the top of his form on this delightful album." In commenting on Otis Rush's album, "Tops." Guitar Player magazine simply stated, "Otis Rush is back with a vengeance, he smokes, singes and burns." When you get the catalog, be sure to check out the Blind Pig sample, "Prime Chops." TYPES: Blues; Gospel; Zydeco. ARTISTS: Carey Bell; Chris Cain; Pinetop Perkins; Roy Rogers; Otis Rush; Magic Slim; Mitch Woods. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 2344 San Francisco CA 94126 PHONE: 510.526.0373 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Edward Chimelewski VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Jerry Del Giudice (312.772.0043) BLUE GOOSE 245 Waverly Place New York NY 10014 TYPES: Blues, Jazz, Ragtime, String Bands. ARTISTS: R. Crumb, Son House, Rory Block, Roy Bookbinder. ALBUM: "R. Crumb and the Cheap Shirt Serenaders (no. 3)"/ $8.98.   BLUE ROCK'IT RECORDS Two inspirations moved drummer Patrick Ford to launch Blue Rock'it in 1982. "I'd been playing all these years with all these blues guys that nobody ever wanted to record," he said, "and I thought they should be recorded." Also he wanted "an outlet for modern blues projects." Today Patrick Ford's Blue Rock'It stands for bringing new life to the blues. ("Why do Muddy's tunes the way Muddy did them? I don't see the point.") The label enjoys several solid achievements. Recordings by Charlie Musselwhite and Brownie McGhee brought renewed attention to these blues masters. The first recording by an unknown Chris Cain Band earned nominations for four W.C. Handy Awards. TYPES: Blues ARTISTS: Chris Cain Band; Charles Ford Band; Mark Ford; Brownie McGhee; Charlie Musselwhite; CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 383 Redwood Valley CA 95470 PHONE: 707.485.8308 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Patrick Ford   BLUE WAVE RECORDS Two traits characterize the Blue Wave sound. It's mostly unabashed blues-based rock and roll; and it's recorded "live" in the studio (the band plays all at once and there's no overdubbbing). A BillBoard reviewer said of the Kingsnakes album, Hard Life Boogie, "Upstate new York band sounds like it came off the Southern blues circuit...Plenty of punch." Also, don't overlook the Arthur Brown & Jimmy Carl Black album -- Brown, Black and Blue. This is the same Arthur Brown as in Crazy World of...and Black was drummer with Mothers of Invention. Together they do some excellent rhythm & blues. Label president (and shipping clerk) Greg Spencer started the company, he told Syracuse Herald Journal reporter, "after I had a few beers in me, and was feeling pretty good." Spencer's years as a record store manager plus his enthusiasm for music helps him to combine smarts and smiles. He works closely with producer Mark Doyle who in the '70s played in an RCA group, Jukin' Bone. TYPES: Blues; Rhythm & Blues; Rock; Soul ARTISTS: Backbone Slip; Arthur Brown with Jimmy Carl Black; Hammel on Trial; Jumpin' Joe Whiting; The Kingsnakes; Stroke; Unholy Wives CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 3221 Perryville Rd. Baldwinsville NY 13027 PHONE: 315.638.4286 CONTACT: Greg Spencer   BLUES UNLIMITED 413 N. Parkerson PO Box 1345 Crowley la 70526 TYPES: Zydeco, Rhythm and Blues. ARTISTS: Rockin' Dupsee, Fernest and the Thunders, Bobby Price, Buckwheat Zydeco, Slim Harpo, Kat and the Kittens, Tabby Thomas. ALBUM: "Take It Easy"/ Buckwheat Zydeco. $10.   BRIDGE RECORDS A Washington Post critic called Bridge founder David Starobin "a pioneer of modern guitar literature." The 40-ish musician is a classical music force. He delights in discovering ignored or unpublished guitar pieces. He tirelessly encourages composers to write for guitar. (In the past 10 years composers have written more than 130 guitar pieces for Starobin.) He brings the same energy to Bridge. ("I look," explained Starobin, "for scores not represented adequately on recordings, artists I believe in, and try to meld them with the business world.") Bridge is not exclusively a six- string domain. The label earned applause for its release of Tod Machover's science fiction opera, Valis, hailed by the Boston Globe as "full of wonderful music, ranging in tone from the sound-world of Wagner's Parsifal to rock music." TYPES: Classical, Experimental, New Music; World Music ARTISTS: Todd Crow, Jan DeGaetani, Gilbert Kalish; Tod Machover; William Purvis; Speculum Musicae, David Starobin CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Box 1864 GPO New York NY 10116 PHONE: 516.487.1662 A&R CONTACT: Becky Starobin   BROADWAY INTERMISSION Box 100 Brighton MI 48116 TYPES: Early Jazz mostly of the '20s and '30s; ARTISTS: Bing Crosby, Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Red Nichols. ALBUM: "The Unheard Bix"/ Bix Beiderbecke $7.   BSW RECORDS Country singer Candee Land, a professional performer since she was eight (she was only 10 when she sang with Roy Clark at a rodeo) has a solid base of support in the San Antonio area. Frank Willson started BSW Records to carry the sound of Land (now in her 20s) all over the land. It's working. Writing about her single, "Cowboy," Cashbox said, "It recalls the Cline era -- but with an '80s twist. We bet there isn't a cowboy around who wouldn't like to hear this song." Since its 1987 birth, BSW has extended its roster to include some other considerable talents. Accomplished musician Bobby Lloyd has played in bands with Eddy Raven, Garth Brooks, Ernest Tubb, Faron Young, and Johnny Paycheck among others. Jess DeMaine, a prolific singer-songwriter, probably is best known for his song, "Love Comes from the Other Side of Town," recorded by George Strait. TYPE: Country, Western; Country Rock ARTISTS: Stan Crawford; Jess Demaine; Candess Howard; Candee Land; Bobby Lloyd; Mike Lord; Dale McBride CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl; Video ADDRESS: PO Box 2297 Universal City TX 78148 PHONE: 512.653.3989 CONTACT: Frank Willson   BULLSEYE BLUES This is one of the Rounder family of labels. This label hits the target, indeed. TYPES: Blues ARTISTS: Charle Brown, Champion Jack Dupree; Luther Guitar Jr. Johnson; Jimmy McCracklin; John Mooney FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 1 Camp St. Cambridge MA 02140 PHONE: 617.354.0700 A&R CONTACT: A & R Dept. LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Bill Nowlin VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Duncan Browne c/o Roundup Records PO Box 154 N. Cambridge MA 02140  CADENCE JAZZ RECORDS This is the house that dedication built. In 1975 freelance jazz writer Bob Rusch started his own publication, Cadence Jazz Magazine. He and a core group of seven other people formed what Rusch calls "an informal commune." As the magazine grew in stature, one friend of Cadence effectively pestered the cadre into starting a the label. Each album was one that trampled the Cadence resistance. The group felt it had to be made. So far Cadence has released about 50 recordings. Underwhelmed by existing distributors, Cadence started its own distributorship, North Country. The manner in which it conducted business attracted other labels. Today North Country distributes the product of 800 record companies. Cadence Magazine is filled with reviews, commentary and extensive interviews. A monthly ($25/yr), it also contains a North Country catalog (including a section devoted to high end audio hardware.) TYPES: Blues, Jazz ARTISTS: Chet Baker, Marilyn Crispell, Bill Dixon, Ellery Eskelin, Ernie Krivda, J.R. Monterose, Paula Owen CATALOG: $2.50 FORMATS: CD, Vinyl, ADDRESS: Cadence Building Redwood NY 13679 PHONE: 315.287.2852 LICENSING & PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Bob Rusch CAEDMON 1995 Broadway New York NY 10023 TYPES: Spoken Word (including novels, poems, dramas and children's titles). ARTISTS: Ed Begley, Hans Conreid, Cyril Ritchard, James Mason, Siobhan McKenna, T.S. Eliot, John Gielgaud. ALBUM: "War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells"/ Leonard Nimoy $8.98 CAJUN RECORDS 413 N. Parkerson Ave. PO Box 1345 Crowley LA TYPES: Cajun French. ARTISTS: Camey Doucet, Wayne Toots, Ricky Bearbe, Jo-el Sonnier, Hadley J. Castille, Jay Cormier, Leroy Broussant. ALBUM: "Cajun Gentlemen"/ Camey Doucet.$10.   CAMBRIDGE RECORDS 125 Irving St. Framingham MA 01701 TYPES: Chamber Music, Instrumental Concerti, Vocal Solos, Baroque to Recent, Contemporary Music. ARTISTS: Carole Bogard, Anthony Newman, Armando Ghitalla, Gustav Leonhardt, Richard Cummings, Lawrence Moe. ALBUM: "Cantatas of Bach and Scarlatti"/Carole Bogard, Armando Ghitalla, Chamber Orchestra of Copenhagen. $8.   CANYON RECORDS 4143 North 16th Street Phoenix AZ 85016 TYPES: Native American Music, Pow-Wow Music to Peyote Music; plus "chicken-scratch," rock, gospel, Country and Western all performed by Native American Artists. ARTISTS: XIT (a rock band), Ed Lee Natay, A. Paul Ortega, Sharon Burch, R. Carlos Natai. ALBUM: "Changes - Native American Flute Music"/ R. Carlos Nakai. $10.23. Blends traditional melodies with contemporary elements.   CARMEL RECORDS No relation to Carmel Quinn, Carmel Records offers high quality, tasteful music for grown-ups. Witness the following. Marjorie-Jean, a stand-up singer, takes her audience on a tour of moods. Her version of Stephen Sondheim's "Losing My Mind" is most expressive. Highly praised songwriter Marguerite Conti is joined on her album by such musicians as Todd Phillips and Robert Perry. Keyboardist Paul Rebhan's jazzy new age album Colors is tinted by some excellent New York-based musicians, including Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista. TYPES: Classical; Folk; Folk Rock; Jazz; Pop ARTISTS: Marguerie Conti; Carmen Dragon; Kent-Schulman Duo; Marjorie Jean; Paul Rebhan; Dennis Soares CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: 2331 Carmel Dr. Palo Alto CA 94303 PHONE: 415.856.3650 A&R CONTACT: Prescott Thompson LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Donald Groshart VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Donald Groshart   CAROLE KOENIG MUSIC While touring the country with a puppet troupe in the mid-'70s, Carole Koenig became interested in the hammer dulcimer. This attraction made sense. The instrument frequently was used to accompany puppet shows in the middle ages and renaissance (pre-cable eras). First she found a dulcimer maker; then she taught herself to play. Koenig learned well and started to perform and record. She expanded her repertory from folk music to classical. Her eponymous record company, formed in 1986, has steadily released some distinctive albums with music ranging from American folk to Gershwin to the renaissance dances of Michael Praetorius. TYPE: Classical; Folk ARTISTS: Carole Koenig CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 2477 Cheremoya Ave. Hollywood CA 90068 PHONE: 213.871.9034 CONTACT: Carole Koenig CATERO RECORDS 74 Rincon Alley San Francisco CA 94107 TYPES: Jazz, New Age, Vocal, World Beat. ARTISTS: Paul Speer, Mel Martin, Terry Garthwaite, Cyrille Verdeaux, Chris James and the Rhyth-O-Matics ALBUM: "Collection 983, Spectral Voyages"/ Paul Speer. $9. Fred Catero has played a major role in pop, rock and jazz as an influential recording engineer and producer.  CATSKILL MOUNTAIN RECORDS Box 18 Mt. Tremper NY 12457 TYPES: Contemporary Acoustic Music, Minimalist Hammered Dulcimer. ARTISTS: Mark Rust. ALBUM: "Our Families Came To Sing"/Mark Rust. $9. OP Magazine called Rust "One of the Northeast's great undiscovered singer/songwriters."   CAYE RECORDS Caye Records specializes in the rich mix of musics that come from the tiny nation of Belize (formerly British Honduras). Reggae, soca and calypso are strong and exciting here. So is punta rock, a homegrown sound. The Beat Magazine's Amy Miller described punta rock as, "clearly Caribbean, somewhat African, totally frenetic with tropical dance fever." Punta rock deserves to take its place with the better known world musics. If it does, Caye Records will have played a big role in the music's ascension. TYPE: Caribbean; Reggae ARTISTS: Babylon Warriors;; D.J. Morgan; Brother David Kimba; Andy Palacio; Pupa Curly; Anthony Richards; Michael Wagner CATALOG: Free ** FORMATS: Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: PO Box 431248 Los Angeles CA 90043 PHONE: 213.291.2720 A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Patrick Barrow CELLULOID RECORDS 155 W.29 New York NY 10019 TYPES: New Africa, Rock and Funk ARTISTS: The Last Poets, Bill Lasswell, Shango, Material, Toure Kunda, Manu DiBango, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. ALBUM: "It's Suitable Grounds for the Blues"/ Golden Palominos. $9.98. Led by Anton Fier, the Palominos for this record include Jack Bruce, John Lydon (AKA Johnny Rotten), Michael Stipe (of REM), Bernie Worrell and Mike Hampton (of P-Funk), Bill Lasswell,and Richard Thompson.   CENTAUR RECORDS Victor Sachss started Centaur in 1976 while he was a college freshman because he always had been fascinated by classical music and high quality recordings. Neither the education nor the music has stopped. He now has a Ph.D in political science and a company that records artists from all over the world. Although Centaur gallops through a wide range of projects, Sachss** keeps returning to two areas -- the least frequently recorded works by the better known composers and works by those lesser known composers who are well-known to aficionados. Centaur also has a rather extensive computer music series. TYPES: Classical ARTISTS: Martina Arroyo; Michael Lewin; London Symphony Orchestra; Lydian String Quartet; Christopher O'Riley CATALOG: Free FORMAT: CD ADDRESS: 8867 Highland Rd., Ste. 206 Baton Rouge LA 70808 PHONE: 504.336.4877 &Nebula A Clyde Rolston.   CHOICE RECORDS 2507 Roscomare Rd. Los Angeles CA 90077 TYPES: Jazz. ARTISTS: Jimmy Giuffre Three, Joanne Brackeen, Zoot Simms, Buddy DeFranco, Irene Kral. ALBUM: "Toots Thielemans: Captured Live"/ with Joanne Brackeen, Cecil McBee and Freddie Waits. $10.23   CIRCLE RECORDS 3008 Wadsworth Mill Place Decatur GA 30032 TYPES: Primarily Big Band and Associated Popular Music. ARTISTS: Bob Crosby, Harry James, Russ Morgan, Charlie Spivak, Duke Ellington, Jimmy Dorsey, Glen Gray, John Kirby. ALBUM: "James and Haymes"/ Dick Haymes with Harry James and his Orchestra. $8.98. The label has a "Collector's Record Club" which offers records at reduced rates. CLASSIC MASTERS Christopher Greenleaf 426 Henry Street Brooklyn NY 11231 TYPES: Classical, predominantly Chamber and Organ (including historic organ material). ARTISTS: John Stansell, Richard Shirk, Paul Mahr, the West Texas State University Symphonic Band. ALBUM: "Recital"/ John Stansell organ works by Guillou, J.S. Bach, Mendelssohn, Reger, and Albright. $9. Christopher Greenleaf, the label's founder, prefers to record (away from studios) in settings blessed with good acoustics.   CLEAN CUTS, INC. Some people think of this label as the home of one of the finest modern examples of New Orleans piano records there is -- Dr. John plays Mac Rebanack. Nat Hentoff wrote that Clean Cuts released the best album that jazz saxaphonist Phil Woods ever did. These and other raves give label owner Jack Heyrman a bit of a glow. A longtime music business veteran, he wanted his own company so he could issue what he wanted to issue. "Clean Cuts," explained Heyrman, "is a collection of little gems spanning mainly music rooted in either folk or jazz." TYPES: Jazz, New Music ARTISTS: Tom Alonso, Dr. John, Wall Matthews, Phil Woods Quartet. CATALOG: No (See Rounder) FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: c/o Roundup Records One Camp St. Cambridge MA 02140 VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Jayne Brownell   CLEAR HORIZONS Singer/Songwriter Fred Gee is one of that special cadre of people who perform in schools. Exposure to live entertainers in the classroom is a precious experience for many children. Furthermore it stimulates creativity, thought and involvement. All of this shows on Gee's album -- Whales, Whales, Whales. The songs were co-written with children at whose schools he performed. TYPE: Children's ARTISTS: Fred Gee CATALOG: Free FORMATS: Cassette ADDRESS: 111 Pleasant St. Norwich NY 13815-1226 PHONE: 607.336.1486 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Fred Gee VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Fred Gee CMP RECORDS This label owns a good reputation for the recording of fascinating percussion music. It's totally accidental and completely deserved. Founder Kurt Renker isn't necessarily into drums. It's just that the sounds he likes -- jazz, world music and new music -- make sweet use of rhythm. Kurt Renker was 19 when he started the company in Kreuzau Germany back in 1977. (He already had been in the music business several years.) A legend has it, two American jazz musicians got stranded while touring Europe. Renker arranged to record them and pay them quickly so they could get home. That was the first album. CMP opened its American division in 1989. "The company," explained Joe Pignato of the New York office, "is fulfilling a mission to record music within the traditions of jazz, world music and new music that otherwise might not get recorded." One album that epitomizes CMP is Trilok Gurtu's debut album that combines contemporary jazz with world music. Playing with Gurtu are Don Cherry, Ralph Towner, L. Shankar, Jonas Hellborg, and Daniel Goyone. the leader's mother, Shobha Gurtu sings. TYPES: African; Asian; Eastern European; Ethnic; Experimental; Indonesian; Jazz; New Age; New Music ARTISTS: Foday Musay Suso; Mick Goodrick; Ed Mann; Sonny Sharrock; Glen Velez; Chad Wackerman CATALOG: Free FORMAT: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: 155 W. 72nd St. New York NY 10023 PHONE: A&R CONTACT: Joe Pignato LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Paul Schulman VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Paul Schulman   COLD BLUE 1831 Orchid Los Angeles CA 90068 TYPES: New Music. ARTISTS: Rick Cox, Peter Garland, Jim Fox, Barney Childs, Read Miller, Chas S mith ALBUM: "Cold Blue"/ an anthology. $9.50.   COLLEGIUM 35-41 72nd St. Jackson Heights NY 11372 TYPES: Music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. ARTISTS: Columbia University Collegium Musicum, directed by Richard Taruskin or Alexander Blachly. ALBUM: "Motets of the Fifteenth Century"/$8.   COMPOSERS RECORDINGS INCORPORATED (CRI) Born in 1954, CRI describes itself as a "nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation devoted to the discovery, distribution and preservation of the finest in contemporary music from a diversity of traditions and cultures." CRI documents, demonstrates and nurtures the vitality and variety of today's serious music. Milton Babbitt, John Cage, Lou Harrison, Guy Klucevsek, David Lang, and Ellen Zwilich are among the 300 composers whose work appears in the CRI catalog. The label keeps all of its recordings in print. TYPE: 20th Century Classical ARTISTS: CRI prefers to focus on composers. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 73 Spring St.,Ste. 506 New York NY 10012 PHONE: 212.941.9673 CONCORD JAZZ/PICANTE/CONCERTO PO Box 845 Concord CA 94522 TYPES: Be-Bop, Straight Ahead Acoustic Jazz, Latin Jazz (particularly Tropical Latin and Brazilian), Classical. ARTISTS: Dave Brubeck, Rosemary Clooney, Stan Getz, Scott Hamilton, Woody Herman, Marian McPartland, Carmen McRae, George Shearing, Cal Tjader, Tania Maria, Charlie Byrd, Laurindo Almeida, Tito Puente. ALBUM: "The Concord Sound"/A sampler $10.98 Concord Jazz, Concord Picante and Concord Concerto actually are three separate labels. Concord also offers the George Wein Collection, a series bearing the impresario's imprimateur.   CONNEXIONS 123 W. 44th St. New York NY 10036 TYPES: Contemporary Songs. ARTISTS: Richie Havens ALBUM: "Common Ground"/Richie Havens in collaboration with T. Danielle - a guitarist, singer and writer. $8.99   CONNOISSEUR SOCIETY, Inc. The catalog is exceptionally forte in the piano department. Look for the Franz Liszt two-piano transcription of Beethoven's 9th Symphony. Richard and John Conti-Guglia provide the four hands. This, the first recorded performance of the work in this form, was named "Best Record of the Year" (1975) by Stereo Review. Connoisseur Society also offers lovingly restored albums remastered from historic recordings. For example, there's the reissue of Fritz Kreisler and the Berlin State Orchestra doing the violin concertos by Brahms and Beethoven. Fanfare Magazine was particularly enamored of the Beethoven and said this version "remains one of the great recordings of the score." What a score! TYPES: Classical ARTISTS: Maria Bachmann; Samuel Bartos; David Buechner; Vinson Cole; Karen Kushner; Marina Piccinini; Mordecai Shehori. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 2211 Broadway New York NY 10024 PHONE: 212.873.6769 CONTACT: E. Allan Silver   CONTEMPORARY RECORD SOCIETY (CRS) Clarinetist John Russo had "no real desire to be in an orchestra." Instead, he started CRS, a nonprofit organization which raises money to promote performers and composers. It achieves its goals through the presentation of concerts, lectures and recordings. Since its formation in 1981, CRS has recorded over 200 composers and performers. Originally, the recordings focused primarily on contemporary music. Now, CRS is interested in previously unrecorded music of any period. An annual competition for composers and performers is an important part of the CRS program. Unlike many other musical contests, this one places no age limit on entrants. TYPES: Classical; Gospel; Jazz; New Music ARTISTS: Samuel Baron; Katherine Ciesinski; Lydia Walton Ignacio; John Mack; Lorne Munroe; John Russo; Peter Segal CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 724 Winchester Rd. Broomall PA 19008 PHONE:215.544.5920 A&R CONTACT: Jack M. Shusterman LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Caroline Hunt VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Caroline Hunt     COPERNICUS INC. Box 150 Brooklyn NY 11217 TYPES: "Copernicus employs all types of music and musicians to express themselves." ARTISTS: Copernicus. ALBUM: "Nothing Exists" $8 About 70% of Copernicus' work is spontaneous. Copernicus (the group) feels that it has a message that is as important as that of Copernicus (the scientist). To wit: "Nothing and noone exist."   COUNTRY LIFE RECORDS CPO Box 1322 Berea KY 40404 TYPES: Bluegrass -- Traditional and contemporary and bluegrass combined with orchestra. ARTISTS: The McLain Family Band. ALBUM: "Troublesome Creek" $7.50.   COUNTY RECORDS David Freeman has described his label's specialty as "homemade music from the South." County's allegiance to country music roots has made the company a vital resource for fans and musicians. Freeman started the company when practitioners of old-time country music were getting harder to find. Devotedly he located and reissued old recordings and added new ones, thus seeing to it that the circle remained unbroken. TYPE: Bluegrass; Country, Western ARTISTS: Kenny Baker; Carter Family; Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs; Tommy Jarrell; Charlie Monroe; Stanley Brothers CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 191 Floyd VA 24091 PHONE: 703.745.2001 CONTACT: David Freeman   CP2 RECORDINGS Apt. 3K 45 W. 60th St. New York NY 10023 TYPES: Mostly first recordings of works by such composers as Sessions, Cage, Seelsi, Glass, Kondo, Feldman, Rudhyar and Schnabel. ARTISTS: Paul Zukovsky, Aki Takahashi, Ursula Oppens. ALBUM: "Sonata for Violin" by Sessions/ Paul Zukovsky. $13.48. For catalog, send stamped self-addressed business envelope.   CREATIVE WORLD RECORDS 8400 Sunset Boulevard Hollywood CA 90069 TYPES: Jazz ARTISTS: Stan Kenton, Charlie Barnet, Billy May. ALBUM: "Cuban Fire/ Stan Kenton. $8.98. Stan Kenton's music and spirit clearly dominate this label. CRYPT RECORDS PO Box 9151 Morristown NJ 07960 TYPES: Primitive, Raw, Raunchy, Rare Rockin' Teenage Garage Punk from '65, '66, '67. (No Psychedelia!) ARTISTS: Trojans of Evol, Sloths, Shames, Keggs, Rats, Jujus, Aztex, Warlords, Huns, Botumless Pit, Intruders Five. ALBUM: "Back From The Grave" (Vols. 1-6)/ Compilation. $8/vol. For catalog, send one first class stamp.   CRUZ RECORDS TYPES: Rock ARTISTS: All, Big Drill Car, Chemical Bridge, Skin Yard CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Box 7756 Long Beach CA 90807 PHONE: 213.430.2077 A&R CONTACT: Greg Ginn   CRYSTAL RECORDS Oboeist Peter Christ started Crystal Records in 1966 "because there was no outlet for brass and woodwind solo and ensemble." Crystal's scope has expanded; but don't expect a Crystal version of the "1812 Overture" in the immediate future. Peter Christ persists in recording the "good, otherwise unavailable music." Crystal also has earned recognition (not to mention a place of honor) due to its special ardor for music by 20th Century composer Alan Hovhaness. Back in 1975, Christ wanted to record Thomas Stevens, first trumpet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Stevens suggested a Hovhaness work. The works were both accessible and very much imbued with a 20th Century accessibility. These qualities appealed very much to Christ. Reviewers apparently agree with the label's owner as they keep using words like "beautiful," "mystical," and "profound" in their reviews of Crystal's Hovhaness recordings. Crystal artists are leading players from major orchestras. As a result, Crystal has a core market of connoisseurs and students of the instruments. TYPES: Classical ARTISTS: David Amos; Richard Giangulio; Sidney Harth; Alan Hovhaness; John Mack; Nova Saxophone Quartet; Thomas Stevens CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 2235 Willida Lane Sedro Woolley WA 98284 PHONE: 206.856.4779 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Peter Christ VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Peter Christ   CUNEIFORM RECORDS Steve Feigenbaum's Wayside Music is a record distribution company that specializes in avant garde music. Even so Feigenbaum felt there wasn't enough avant garde improvisational new music being released in the U.S. To remedy this, he created Cuneiform Records in 1984. There's no such thing as a Cuneiform sound. The groups run the gamut from free electronic jazz to classically influenced rock and beyond. The two best two selling Cuneiform artists are Birdsongs of the Mesozoic, described by the New York Times as "the world's hardest rocking chamber ensemble" and a Belgian band, Univers Zero. The latter delivers rigorous musicianship, complex compositions, and an overall somber ambience. It's recommended that you first get the Cuneiform catalog. When that works out, get the larger Wayside catalog. TYPES: Avant garde rock; Experimental; Jazz; New music ARTISTS: Birdsongs of the Mesozoic; Curlew; Doctor Nerve; Phil Miller; Miriodor; Richard Pinhas; Univers Zero CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Video ADDRESS: PO Box 8427 Silver Spring MD 20907 CONTACT: Steve Feigenbaum   DAFFODIL RECORDS Blossom Dearie, Daffodil's founder, sings jazz-tinged pop with a voice that is delightful, delicious and delovely. In 1985 she was the first recipient of the "Mabel," an award named for Mabel Mercer. Some of the label's earlier recordings are out of print; but, at the time of this writing, still in stock. They contain solid versions of such songs as "Baby, It's Cold Outside," "Sophisticated Lady," and "My Attorney Bernie." Do inquire about them because they are so good to come home to. TYPE: Pop; Jazz ARTISTS: Blossom Dearie CATALOG: Yes FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Stone Bridge Rd. Ext. East Durham NY 12423 ALBUM: "Simply Volume Six"/Blossom Dearie. $14.98   DANCING CAT RECORDS Box 9388 Stanford CA 94305 TYPES: Guitar, New Orleans, Acoustic, Children's. ARTISTS: George Winston, Meryl Streep, George Cromarty, Michael Loriner, Professor Longhair, Bola Sete, Shad Weathersby. ALBUM: "The Velveteen Rabbit"/George Winston and Meryl Streep. $10.   DB RECS In 1978 Atlanta record-store owner Danny Beard helped friends in an Athens rock band. He recorded that group, the B-52s and released its single, "Rock Lobster." Nearly 20,000 copies were sold. "It was a great record and a great group," Beard told reporter Jim McConnell, "and it fooled me into thinking that having a record label was easy." Beard also felt other local musicians had to be recorded. Bands such as Pylon, Love Tractor and Zeitgeist joined the label. Through the '80s DB became known as a source and force in southern regional music. The originality continues with such bands as The Coolies (they call their album Doug "a rock opera and comic book") and the Windbreakers. Of the latter Thomas Anderson of Musician Magazine wrote, "Together they generate enough guitar power to light up Toledo with vocal harmonies that recall Younger Than Yesterday...one consistently terrific album." In 1987, DB formed an alliance with Capitol Records. The deal gives Capitol right of first refusal on DB projects. TYPE: Experimental; New Music; Pop; Rock ARTISTS: The Coolies; The Jody Grind; Love Tractor; Pylon; The Reivers; Chris Stamey;.The Windbreakers CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 432 Moreland Ave. N.E. Atlanta GA 30307 PHONE: 404.521.3008 A&R CONTACT: Danny Beard LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Trip Aldredge VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Randy Crittenton DCC COMPACT CLASSICS Record business veteran Marshall Blonstein (his credits include the founding of Dunhill Records) strayed to the computer industry. But in 1985, compact discs excited him and led him back to the music biz. He formed DCC, basing it on a simple idea. He would get the rights to previously released recordings and reissue the works on CD. He went one mile of a step further. These would not be a quickie throw anything on the disc and get it to the public operation. DCC'S Engineer/Director of A&R meticulously worked with the master recordings to create faithful, full-bodied versions. Perhaps Hoffman's most difficult challenge was the task of finding the genuine masters. DCC's catalog overflows with surprises and delights from previously unreleased Beach Boys material to recordings of the King Biscuit Flower Hour to a stunning duet featuring the guitar of Laurindo Almeida and the voice of Sammy Davis, Jr. TYPES: Bluegrass; Broadway; Country, Western; Jazz; Middle of the Road; Pop; Reggae; Rock ARTISTS: Josephine Baker; Beach Boys; Ray Charles; Sammy Davis, Jr.; Harry Chapin; Leon Russell; Phoebe Snow CATALOG: Free FORMAT: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 8300 Tampa Ave., Ste. G Northridge CA 91324 PHONE: 818.993.8822   DELICIOUS VINYL TYPES: Metal; Rap; Rhythm & Blues ARTISTS: Bogey Men; Brand New Heavies; Def Jef; Jersse Jaymes; SPIN OUT; Tone-Loc CATALOG: No FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: 6607 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles CA 90028 PHONE:   DELMARK RECORDS Bob Koester, who started the company when he was in college, is a prototypical indie-owner. To make his landmark jazz and blues company work, he combines musical good-guyism and free-wheeling smarts. For example, two of his releases (one by T-Bone Walker and one by Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson) came about because he swapped records with a French company. TYPES: Blues, Jazz. ARTISTS: George Lewis, Magic Sam, Bud Powell, Sun Ra, Otis Rush, Junior Wells, Big Joe Williams, J.B. Hutto. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 4121 N. Rockwell Chicago IL 60618 PHONE: ? CONTACT: Steve Wagner or Robert Koester DEPOT RECORDINGS "Lee Murdock tells of shipwrecks on Lake Ontario and Lake Michigan," wrote Steve Lord of the **Beacon-News, "of watching the large ore boats on Lake Superior...He chronicles the hard life of the Midwest pioneers." Murdock, who owns Depot, is very much in the folk tradition. He entertains quite well with his music; but he also uses his songs to pass on information about the life and history of the Midwest and the Great Lakes in particular. TYPE: Children's; Educational; Folk; Ragtime ARTISTS: Phil Cooper; Mark Dvorak; Lee Murdock; CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 11 Kanevile Il 60144 PHONE: 708.557.2742 CONTACT: Joann Murdock DIONYSUS RECORDS Musician Lee Joseph was in junior college in Los Angeles when he decided to start Dionysus in 1983. He picked the name during a humanities lesson on mythology. He liked the values for which the Greek deity stood. Dionysus started as a neo garage band label. Basically, its artists (including Joseph's own bands) bear a punk rock influence (the particular vintage of punk may vary). The label issues both albums and colorful vinyl EPs. Joseph has two other labels. HELL YEAH is a little more over the edge than Dionysus. The first release by Fearless Leader was described as Kiss on a bad acid trip. BACCHUS ARCHIVES offers reissues of older music. Dionysus also has a thriving mail order business that sells both new and collectable records. TYPE: Rock ARTISTS: The Electric Ferrets; Fearless Leader; Dana Lynn; The Overcoat; Tree House; Yard Trauma CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 1975 Burbank CA 91507 PHONE: 818.953.4036 A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: DIRTY LINEN A magazine devoted to "folk, electric folk, traditional and world music," Dirty Linen has an intense readership. Each issue is stuffed with informative interviews, reports and loads of reviews. The editors and readers seem to have a particular passion for the throughly virtuosic British electric folk group, Fairport Convention, Can it be any wonder that Fairport Convention is one of the featured artists on Dirty Linen's very own record label. TYPES: Bluegrass, Folk, Folk Rock, Roots ARTISTS: Ian Matthews, Fairport Convention, Strawbs, Various Artists CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box 66600 Baltimore MD 21239 PHONE: 410.583.7973 CONTACT: Paul Hartman   DMP RECORDS The D in the company's name stands for Digital, and, fittingly, Tom Jung, DMP'S owner, pioneered in the digital recording of music. As a sound engineer in Minneapolis in 1977, he got to play with the prototype of 3M's first digital tape recorder. Since then the producer/engineer has worked with Billy Joel, Earl Klugh, Grover Washington, Jr., the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and soundtracks for such films as Cotton Club, Dressed To Kill and Jagged Edge. Jung feels that jazz, with its tradition of improvisation, works exceptionally with digital recording which does so much to capture and convey the original sound. The trick is to have meaningful jazz, and Jung seems to be an old hand at that. For example, Billboard observed that the Bill Mays/Ray Drummond recording One to One 2, "...demonstrates why the piano/bass duet remains as one of jazz's most seductive and important formats." TYPE: Jazz ARTISTS: Warren Bernhardt; The Dolphins with Dan Brubeck; Flim & The BB's; Chuck Loeb; Bob Mintzer; Thom Rotella CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD ADDRESS: PO Box 16835 Park Square Sta. Stamford CT 06901 PHONE: 203.327.3800 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Jean Jung   DOCTOR DREAM RECORDS David Hayes started this company to help struggling bands. One friend affectionately describes Hayes as "a failed musician, turned producer, turned local catalyst." Now the Orange County label's small roster includes bands that come from the exotic climes of Vancouver and Hoboken. There's no Doctor Dream sound. The groups vary stylistically; but they all seem to be earnest, honest and direct. For example, NY Press writer Wif Stenger said that Tiny Lights has "concocted an original stew of jazzy, downtown improv, extended song structures from early-70s, world music..., all carried off with instrumental virtuosity, appealing vocals and mostly strong songwriting." TYPES: Alternative Rock ARTISTS: The Black Watch; Cadillac Tramps; Don't Mean Maybe; Joyride; Swamp Zombies; Tiny Lights; Walking Wounded CATALOG: $2 FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 841 W. Collins Ave. Orange CA 92667 PHONE: 714.997.9387 DRAGON STREET RECORDS A background in music, advertising, record production and friendship prepared lifelong friends Patrick Keel and David Dennard for Dragon Street Records? The label champions "guitar-based live music groups." Their artists. college radio favorites, keep winning applause for searing rhythms, fine instrumentals, and captivating lyrics. TYPES: New Music; Pop; Rock ARTISTS: The Bat Mastersons; The Moon Festival; The Shagnastys; The Spin; Stranglmartin; Twist of Fate CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 1420 Dragon St., Suite 3 Dallas TX 75207-3907 PHONE: 214.748.2018 A&R CONTACT: David Dennard or Patrick Keel LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: David Dennard or Patrick Keel VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Important Record Distributors DRG RECORDS "I started DRG in 1976," said Hugh Fordin, "because I like music." Fordin's credentials as a "music liker" already were well established by two books he had written. One was about Oscar Hammerstein and the other was about Arthur Freed. DRG enjoys special recognition as a haven for movie sound tracks; but it is strong in several areas (see "Types" entry below), Two companion labels are more specialized. Cabaret/DRG salutes cabaret performers (Margaret Whiting's Then and Now with special guest Gerry Mulligan is a prime example.) Disques Swing offers jazz with such artists as Louis Armstrong, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington and John Lewis. TYPES: Blues; Broadway; Classical; Gospel; Jazz; Middle of the Road; Movies Soundtracks; Rhythm & Blues; Spoken; ARTISTS: LaVerne Baker; Black and Blue; Dorothy Loudon; Andrea Marcovicci; Marilyn Monroe; Gerry Mulligan CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Video ADDRESS: 130 W. 57th St. New York NY 10019 PHONE: 212.582.3040 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Hugh Fordin DUBLAB 1537A 4th St. Suite 107 San Rafael CA 94901 TYPES: Reggae, Rock and Roll, Comedy ARTISTS: Tasmanian Devil, Bobby Ellis, 2-Ton Machine, Dr. Gonzo (the Doc of Comedy Rock), The Impostors, Robin and the Rocks ALBUM: "The Doc of Comedy Rock"/ Dr. Gonzo. $8.98 Dublab's catalog costs $1. DYER-BENNET RECORDS 742 Columbus Avenue New York NY 10025 TYPES: Folk, Lieder, Spoken Word. ARTISTS: Richard Dyer-Bennett, Aksel Schiotz ALBUM: "Requests"/ Richard Dyer-Bennett. $10.58. EARTHBEAT TYPE: World ARTISTS: CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PHONE: A&R CONTACT: LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT:E   EARTHWORKS Earthworks has been distributing some of the most exciting African music white boys are lucky enough to hear. Village Voice critic Robert Christgau gave the label's compilation, Guitar Paradise of East Africa, an A+. Not only do the company's collections get raves; but so do its recordings by individual artists. TYPE: African; Ethnic; Hispanic, Latin; ARTISTS: Henry Fiol; Thomas Mapfumo; Mzwake Mbuli; CATALOG: No FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 1790 Broadway New York NY 10019 PHONE: 212.977.8020 VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Jim Parham EASTLAWN COMPACT DISCS & CASSETTES Pharmacist Frank Traum is a man of enthusiasms. He felt that friends of his, members of the Sun Sounds Orchestra, must be heard by others. Now, he is a record company owner, and the SSO (a popular Motor City dance band) is the first artist he's signed. The group consists of current and past members of the Sun Messengers, a Detroit band. The musicians are united in their affection for Sun Ra (hence the group names) and for African music which they have been playing for years. The collective credits of the players in this 13-piece ensemble easily impress. They include gigs and/recordings with groups that range from The Drifters to Sonny Stitt to George Clinton. TYPE: Jazz; Rock ARTISTS: Sun Sounds Orchestra CATALOG: No FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box 36487 Grosse Point Farms MI 48236-0487 PHONE: 313.884.6560 CONTACT: Frank Traum EMERALD GREEN SOUND Rusty Crutcher didn't like his successful career as a studio sideman. He did not like such events as getting stuck in traffic jams and absorbing nightclub tobacco smoke with every gig. He moved to Santa Fe where he set up Emerald Green Sound to record music that has personal meaning for him. For his "Sacred Site" series, he's journeyed to areas regarded as spiritual (e.g. He was at Machu Picchu during the Harmonic Convergence) and recorded the sound. He returned to Santa Fe and composed music to go with the field recording. (Machu Picchu is in the key of G.) Crutcher's new personal achievement shows in at least two different ways. Resonance Magazine called Machu Picchu Impressions a "truly mical meditation album." Also the label has been nominated for a Small Business Administration award as New Mexico's Exporter of the Year (1991) TYPE: New Age; ARTISTS: Rusty Crutcher; Bill Martin; Jim Oliver CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Video ADDRESS: PO Box 16144 Santa Fe NM 87506 PHONE: 505.473.7383 A&R CONTACT: David Dee LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Margo Covington VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Margo Covington EMERGO RECORDS alternative rock TYPE: Rock ARTISTS: Venus Beads CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 225 Lafayette St. Ste. 407 PHONE: *** A&R CONTACT: Doug Keogh LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Doug Keogh VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Relativity (718.740.5700) ENEMY RECORDS Mike Knuth held solid exec slots with two majors in their German offices. But, oh well. "I saw that I wasn't a corporate climber," he explains, "and I don't fit into the corporate life." Hence, He started Enemy Records five years ago in Germany; and then moved it (and himself) to the States a year later. There is a link between all the Enemy groups. Knuth says he likes to "work with people who have a very positive aggression in their music --somewhat cutting edge, shall we say." A good example is Jean Paul Bourelly. Blessed with a jazz background, he blasts through with exciting elements of funk and rock. TYPE: Jazz; Rock ARTISTS: Jean Paul Bourelly; DeFunkt; Kelvynator; Gary Lucas; Myra Melford; Elliott Sharp; Sonny Sharrock; CATALOG: No FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 11-36 31st Ave. Long Island City NY 11106 PHONE: 718.956-4530 CONTACT: Mike Knuth ETIQUETTE RECORDS Here is the embodiment of one of Western Civilization's great ideas -- "Louie, Louie" on CD. And who better than Etiquette to be the avatar? Etiquette is slowly rereleasing its catalog on CD. This label was established in 1960 to record the Wailers (not the reggae group) version of the song. Now pay close attention Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was the Wailers recording of the frat party anthem that The Kingsmen heard and covered. The Kingsmen, along with Etiquette groups The Wailers and The Sonics, epitomize the Northwest rock sound of the mid-'50s. It was raw and raucous and, according to many, the true progenitor of punk. The Sonics in particular are credited with influencing such folks as Ke0th Richards, Pete Townshend, George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, Joey Ramone and the Smithereens. Today Etiquette releases its classic recordings on CD. TYPE: Rock; ARTISTS: Sonics; Wailers CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD ADDRESS: 2442 NW Market St., Ste. 273 Seattle WA 98107 PHONE: 206.524.1020 CONTACT: Buck Ormsby FANG RECORDS The founder of Fang Records, musician Chris Rael was unavailable for comment during the writing of this book. He was in India studying sitar. However he set the label up, according to Gideon Lendall, as "a community of musicians and performers who don't necessarily fit into the main trends of the New York music scene." The community was working well. I learned that although the bands could be very loud, the emphasis was very much on musicianship. The label is expanding. "Chris Rael," explained Lendall, "is very careful about who he asks to join the project. He expected to only work with three or four bands. He kept meeting people he wanted to work with and Fang went from a family to a community." One album that gives a clear impression of Fang is the label's "Live at the Knitting Factory" CD. It works as a sampler. At the record release party all the Fang bands did 20 minute sets. Mel Melon of Life in a Blender doubled as master of ceremonies. Lendall happily refers to the party as "one of the more bizarre evenings on the planet." TYPES: Experimental; Folk; New Music; Pop; R rock or jazz rock ARTISTS: 101 Crustaceans; Brian Woodbury's Popular Music Group; Church of Betty; Life in a Blender; Marlon Cherry; The Mommyheads; The Very Pleasant Neighbor CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video ADDRESS: PO Box 652 New York NY 10009-0652 PHONE: A&R CONTACT: Brian McLane LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Fang Records FANTASY, Inc. Visions of red vinyl ARTISTS: Mose Allison, Booker T and the MGs, Hank Crawford, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Bill Evans, Lenny Bruce. ALBUM: "Down on the Deuce" Hank Crawford. $8.98. Thanks to some fancy buying, Fantasy owns the rights to some very important jazz and soul music works. The company prefers that we check the stores for its product before trying the mail order number. CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 10th and Parker Berkeley CA 94710 PHONE: 510.549.2500 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Legal Dept. VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Kirk Roberts   FAST FOLK MUSICAL MAGAZINE Be the very first on your block to find some of the most talented and sharpest singer/songwriters around. Fast Folk, organized by Jack Hardy and now under the guiding hand of Richard Meyer, is a not for profit entity that issues albums of new songs on a subscription basis. Each album comes with a magazine that tells you who's who and what's what. Popular New York City radio personality Vin Scelsa, writing in Penthouse, said, "...This is where you get to hear the Suzanne Vegas, Christine Lavins and Tracy Chapmans before the rest of the world discovers them." Fast Folk inspires a genuine thrill of discovery. And the songs are pretty good too. You can get five or ten-issue subscriptions. Single trial issues are available as are back copies. Each album is a compilation of new songs. Fast Folk releases 10 albums a year on a subscription basis, and each is named for the month in which it is released. A yearly subscription costs $50. TYPE: Bluegrass; Country, Western; Folk; Pop ARTISTS: Julie Gold; John Gorka; Jack Hardy; Christine Lavin; Tom Russell Band; Richard Shindell; Suzanne Vega; CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 938 Village Station New York NY 10014 PHONE: 212.274.1636 A&R CONTACT: Richard Meyer LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Judith Zweim FIESTA RECORD CO. In 1952 Latin American band leader Jose Morand launched Fiesta Records. Gradually, Fiesta branched out from Latin music until it presented music from many nationalities. The company licenses all its material from European record companies. Few Fiesta artists have name recognition in mainstream America, although Charles Aznavour has a bit of a following. Some unknowns are superstars in their homelands. Fiesta records usually are found in ethnic stores and in the ethnic sections of record shops. TYPE: Ethnic ARTISTS: Charles Aznavour; Black Watch Pipe Band; John McCormack; Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt; Boris Rubashkin; Claudio Villa CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette ADDRESS: 251 Broadway Lynbrook NY 11563 PHONE: 516.599.5522 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Jose Morand FIRST EDITION RECORDS In 1948, The Louisville Orchestra embarked on a delightfully presumptuous course. It commissioned orchestral works, presented them in concert, and then issued recordings. With First Edition Records, The LO galloped into prominence and esteem. Significant grants helped. After 1960, a decline in funding led the orchestra to modify its approach without diminishing the vigor. First Edition began to issue existing, previously unrecorded works by contemporary and earlier composers. At last count, more than 150 recordings have presented over 350 pieces by nearly 250 composers. Quantity alone of commissioned and rescued pieces could speak to the LO's importance in music history, but so many of the compositions have been embraced by other orchestras and music lovers. TYPE: Classical; New Music ARTISTS: Louisville Symphony Orchestra CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Vinyl ADDRESS: 609 W. Main St. Louisville KY 40202 PHONE: 502.587.8681 A&R CONTACT: Nan Harman LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Nan Harman VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Albany FIRST GENERATION RECORDS The label was started by Pete Drake, who was Nashville's premiere pedal steel guitarist. Drake started the label because he did not like the way major labels treated older country artists. TYPE: Country, Western; ARTISTS: Ernest Tubb, Jean Shepherd, Ferlin Husky, Charlie Louvin CATALOG: .50 FORMATS: Cassette ADDRESS: PO Box 186 Brentwood TN 37204 PHONE: 615.371.9556 LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Rose Drake FLYIN' CLOUD Doug Rorrer takes pride in Flyin' Cloud's integrity as "a true old time bluegrass and folk blues acoustic label." He likes to think that a good part of his market is made up of musicians. Rorrer operates the label as a part-time activity (officially, he's a media specialist within the local educational system.), but his commitment to Flyin' Cloud is all encompassing. "Part of my heritage is old time music.," said Doug Rorrer. "My dad's uncles recorded back in the '20s and '30s; and I've always been involved in music." The uncles appear on a highly regarded Flyin' Cloud compilation album, Cotton Mills and Fiddles. Another attention-getting album is Root Hog or Die by Bill Mansfield TYPE: Bluegrass; Folk; Old-Time ARTISTS: Wayne Henderson/Robin Kessinger; Keith Hiatt; Roy Norton; Old Hollow String Band; Seymour/Reynolds; CATALOG: Free FORMAT: Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: Rte. 2, Box 436 Madison NC 27025 PHONE: 919.427.3336 CONTACT: Doug Rorrer FLYING BULGAR RECORDINGS Klezmer, a joyous Jewish dance music from Eastern Europe, has been enjoying a renaissance lately. The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band is one reason for this rebirth. David Buchbinder formed the band in 1987 to play at a friend's wedding. It was a blast and the group quickly decided they were on to something exciting. The bandmembers bring a taste of their training to the bandstand, and so a touch of Tito Puente may suddenly float in. The group plays at festivals, trendy night clubs and weddings. To help finance its album, The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band group solicited donations from people on its mailing list. The band gets a lot of Canadian radio station airplay, and in fact, came in second on CKLN. (Queen Latifah edged the band out.) TYPE: Klezmer; World ARTISTS: The Flying Bulgar Klezmer Band CATALOG: No FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Video ADDRESS: 90 Ilford Rd. Toronto Ont. M6G ZH5 Canada PHONE: 416.653.1363   FLYING FISH Bruce Kaplan started Flying Fish in 1974 to keep traditional and contemporary folk music alive and available. He's done swimmingly. Today, the label's catalog is an international honor roll of music that come from the heart and soul. Kaplan knows whereof his artists sing. He's a folklorist, complete with master's degree in anthropology. He served as president of the University of Chicago Folklore Society and chaired its annual folk festival. (Two other Flying Fishites -- Mike Fleischer and J. Seymour Guenther -- held the same posts.) The label has received its share of NAIRD Indies and Grammy nominations. John Hartford brought a Grammy home to Flying Fish with his album Mark Twang. TYPE: African; Bluegrass; Blues; Cajun; Country, Western; Folk; New Age; Reggae; Hispanic, Latin; New Music; Zydeco. ARTISTS: Cephas & Wiggins; The Dillards; Stephane Grapelli; John Hartford; Paula Lockheart; Klezmorim; Robin Williamson CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 1304 W. Schubert Chicago IL 60614 PHONE: 1.312.528.5455 A&R CONTACT: J. Seymour Guenther LICENSING & PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Mike Fleischer VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Jean Lyons   FOLK-LEGACY RECORDS "It is purely a coincidence," Caroline Paton, will tell you, "that Folk Legacy was incorporated on Halloween, one of the most folkloristically interesting dates in the calendar." Caroline and her husband, Sandy, are folk performers; but they did not start the label with friend Lee Haggerty in 1961 just to spread their own music. Instead they wanted to share music that they had discovered. Sandy had visited the Beech Mountain region of North Carolina and made wonderful field recordings of tobacco farmer Frank Profitt and others. The concept of sharing underlies so much of Folk Legacy. "People who sing together," says Caroline, "share in the community." Sandy Paton is making DAT (Digital Audio Tape) masters of the vinyl recordings that go out of print. When a mail order request for an out of stock album comes in, Sandy makes a cassette from the DAT master. Folk Legacy's album of Christmas music received a "Notable" rating from the American Library Association. "It's seasonal music," explained Sandy," with no 'Silent Night,' no 'Rudolf,' no 'Jingle Bells.' It's just a collection of songs we enjoy singing from England, Appalachia, and here and there. We do 'Silver Star' which may refer to a sheriff in the Southwest; but it had a good name and a nice tune." TYPE: Children's, Folk ARTISTS: The Boarding Party, Gordon Bok, Cathy Barton/Dave Para, Archie Fisher, Ann Mayo Muir, Sandy & Caroline Paton, Ed Trickett CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: 85 Sharon Mountain Road Sharon CT 06069 PHONE: 203.364.5661 A&R CONTACT: Sandy Paton LICENSING AND PERMISSIONS CONTACT: Caroline Paton VOLUME SALES CONTACT: Lee B. Haggerty   FOUR DOTS RECORDS Four major facts about Four Dots must be instantly known. 1. Carl Finch formed it for his band Brave Combo. (Writing about Brave Combo, a High Fidelity magazine reviewer noted, "I've seen them do Who songs as polkas and then turn around and perform some credible James Brown straight up.") 2. When David Byrne wanted the perfect dance band to play at his wedding, he chose Brave Combo. 3. Brave Combo signed with Rounder in 1987 and therefore no longer records for Four Dots; although the first albums are in the Four Dots catalog. 4. Four Dots lends its name and knowhow to a select number of artists who opt to release their own albums independently. TYPE: Ethnic; Folk; Hispanic, Latin; Pop ARTISTS: Josh Alan; Randy Erwin; Sara Hickman; Little Jack Melody CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 233 Denton TX 76202 PHONE: 817.387-0860 CONTACT: Jackie Clay or Carl Finch   FRECKLE RECORDS In 1990, shock rattled folk music fans in the Pacific Northwest. They learned that the team of Ginny Reilly and David Maloney was breaking up after twenty years of what Seattle Times writer Paul Andrews termed "laid-back satin harmony." The pair started Freckle Records in 1976 with the release of their album, Reilly & Maloney At Last. Jack Burg, Ginny Reilly's husband-to-be, came on board shortly thereafter and handled administrative chores, including the label. The label's roster grew to include other artist friends. Perhaps the best known of these is Uncle Bonsai's Boys want Sex in the Morning. The Freckle catalog reveals more than fifteen years of growth, change and even continuity in two of the Northwest's favorite singers, Ginny Reilly and David Maloney. TYPE: Folk; Pop ARTISTS: Danny Deardorff; Lane James; David Maloney; Jim Post; Ginny Reilly; Reilly & Maloney; Uncle Bonsai CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 4005 Seattle WA 98404-0005 PHONE: 206.682.3200   FRONT HALL RECORDS Front Hall is a great old folkie label. Those who prefer saccharine-free Christmas music will be glad to know about this label's Nowell Sing We Clear series with John Roberts, Tony Barrand, Fred Breunig and Steve Woodruff. The tutorial cassettes include Jim Cowdery's Exploring The Bouzouki and Bertram Levy's The Anglo Concertina demystified." TYPE: Folk; Music Instruction ARTISTS: Bill Spence, Michael Cooney, Walt Michael, John Roberts & Tony Barrand; Bill Smith CATALOG: Free FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl ADDRESS: PO Box 307 Voorheesville NY 12186 PHONE: 518.765.4193   FRONTIER RECORDS Lisa Fancher was barely out of her teens when she started Frontier Records. She already was a rock and roll presence, having written for fanzines, the Los Angeles Times, and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner. She even worked for BOMP Records. Frontier built its name and business on the blossoming Los Angeles punk and hardcore scenes. Some observers feel that Suicidal Tendencies' album of the same name released by Frontier in 1983 is a hardcore benchmark. Lisa Fancher's finger on the thrashing, alienated adolescents' collective pulse did not go unnoticed. BMG (RCA's parent company) now distributes Frontier; but Lisa Fancher assures all that she will remain true to her school. TYPE: Rock ARTISTS: Dharma Bums; Spot 1019; Thin White Rope; Weirdos; Young Fresh Fellows CATALOG: Send a first-class stamp FORMATS: CD, Cassette, Vinyl, Video, T-shirt ADDRESS: PO Box 22 Sun Valley CA 91353 PHONE: 818.506.6886

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