Cadet Records was an American record label that began as Argo Records in 1955 as the jazz subsidiary of Chess Records. Argo changed its name in 1965 to Cadet to avoid confusion with the similarly named label in the UK.[1] Cadet stopped releasing records around 1974, when its artists were moved to Chess.
There was also Cadet Concept Records, for rock and more adventurous music, such as the Rotary Connection, and the experimental psychedelic Electric Mud album by Muddy Waters. The label had a Top 20 hit in 1968 with the single "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by the British band Status Quo through a licensing arrangent with Pye Records in London. A St. Louis band known as The Truth a.k.a. The Acid Sette were signed and recorded for this label under the guidance of Abner Spector.
The masters are now owned by Universal Music.
Cadet was established in 1965 following a name change of the Argo label. When the name was changed, a new logo of a chessman's horse was introduced to replace the previous chess piece logo.[2] Cadet continued the Argo 600 Jazz series and the 4000 Blues series.[3]
| Catalog number | Title | Artist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPS-628 | But Not For Me | Ahmad Jamal Trio | |
| LPS-637 | Jug Turn From Overbrook | James Moody | |
| LPS-646 | Jamal At The Penthouse | Ahmad Jamal | |
| LPS-679 | Moody With Strings | James Moody | |
| LPS-687 | Sound Of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio | |
| LPS-693 | Sound Of Spring | Ramsey Lewis Trio | |
| LPS-722 | The Message | ||
| LPS-723 | Barefoot Sunday Blues | Ramsey Lewis Trio | |
| LPS-741 | At The Bohemian Caverns | Ramsey Lewis Trio | |
| LPS-745 | More Sounds Of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio | |
| LPS-754 | Spectrum | ||
| LPS-755 | Choice! The Best of the Ramsey Lewis Trio | Trio | |
| LPS-756 | Cookin' the Blues | ||
| LPS-757 | The In Crowd | Trio | |
| LPS-758 | Extensions | ||
| LPS-759 | Musty Rusty | ||
| LPS-760 | Inter-Action | ||
| LPS-761 | Hang On Ramsey! | Trio | |
| LPS-762 | The Knack | ||
| LPS-763 | Smoking with Willis | ||
| LPS-764 | Rhapsody | with Strings | |
| LPS-765 | The Wailer | ||
| LPS-766 | Playin' for Keeps | ||
| LPS-767 | Gotta Travel On | Trio | |
| LPS-768 | Rough House Blues | ||
| LPS-769 | Man at Work - Reissue of Argo LP-655 | ||
| LPS-770 | Soul in the Night | and Bunky Green | |
| LPS-771 | Swingin' - Reissue of Argo LP-611. | Trio | |
| LPS-772 | The Tender Gender | ||
| LPS-773 | Go Power! | ||
| LPS-774 | Wade in the Water | ||
| LPS-775 | Raising the Roof | and the Organ-izers | |
| LPS-776 | Paint It Black | ||
| LPS-777 | Heat Wave | ||
| LPS-778 | Lonesome Traveler | ||
| LPS-779 | Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas | ||
| LPS-780 | The Latinization of Bunky Green | ||
| LPS-781 | Slow Freight | ||
| LPS-782 | The Movie Album | ||
| LPS-783 | Gene Ammons Makes it Happen - Reissue Of Chess LP 1442 | ||
| LPS-784 | Mood to Be Wooed | Various Artists | |
| LPS-785 | Jug and Sonny - Edited Reissue Of Chess LP 1445 | and Sonny Stitt | |
| LPS-786 | Standard Eyes | ||
| LPS-787 | Goin' Down Home | ||
| LPS-788 | Mellow Yellow | and the Organ-izers | |
| LPS-789 | Blowing in the Wind | ||
| LPS-790 | Goin' Latin | ||
| LPS-791 | Feature Spot | and Red Holt | |
| LPS-792 | Cry Young | with Voices | |
| LPS-793 | The Ray Bryant Touch | ||
| LPS-794 | Dancing in the Street | ||
| LPS-795 | Ain't Doing Too B-A-D, Bad | ||
| LPS-796 | Groovin' with the Soulful Strings | ||
| LPS-797 | Involvement | Quartet | |
| LPS-798 | Ode to 52nd Street | ||
| LPS-799 | Up Pops Ramsey Lewis | ||
| LPS-800 | Ducky | and the Organ-izers | |
| LPS-801 | Take a Bryant Step | ||
| LPS-802 | Tell Mama | ||
| LPS-803 | Out of Different Bags | ||
| LPS-804 | There Is | ||
| LPS-805 | Another Exposure | ||
| LPS-806 | Brand New Morning | ||
| LPS-807 | The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful | with Voices | |
| LPS-808 | And We Were Lovers | Quartet with Strings | |
| LPS-809 | Afro-Harping | ||
| LPS-810 | Her Point of View | ||
| LPS-811 | Maiden Voyage | ||
| LPS-812 | The Natural Thing | ||
| LPS-813 | The Peace-Maker | Quintet | |
| LPS-814 | The Magic of Christmas | ||
| LPS-815 | Lou Donaldson at His Best | ||
| LPS-816 | Yusef Lateef - Reissue of Argo LP 634 | ||
| LPS-817 | Getting Our Thing Together | ||
| LPS-818 | Up Above the Rock | ||
| LPS-819 | Light My Fire | ||
| LPS-820 | Back By Demand: The Soulful Strings in Concert | ||
| LPS-821 | Mother Nature's Son | ||
| LPS-822 | The Dells Musical Menu: Always Together | ||
| LPS-823 | Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding | ||
| LPS-824 | The Dells' Greatest Hits | ||
| LPS-825 | Dorothy's Harp | ||
| LPS-826 | Upchurch | ||
| LPS-827 | Another Voyage | Trio | |
| LPS-828 | The Third Cup | ||
| LPS-829 | Love Is Blue | ||
| LPS-830 | Sound Ray | ||
| LPS-831 | Gin and Orange | ||
| LPS-832 | Etta James Sings Funk | ||
| LPS-833 | The Spice Of Life | ||
| LPS-834 | String Fever | ||
| LPS-835 | Heavy Exposure | ||
| LPS-836 | The Piano Player | ||
| LPS-837 | Like It Is, Like It Was | ||
| LPS-838 | Free Delivery | ||
| LPS-839 | The Best of Ramsey Lewis | ||
| LPS-840 | The Way I Feel | ||
| LPS-841 | The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby | ||
| LPS-842 | Fried Buzzard | ||
| LPS-843 | S.O.B. | Shades of Brown | |
| LPS-844 | Them Changes | ||
| LPS-845 | Woody | ||
| LPS-846 | Soulful Strings Play Gamble and Huff | ||
| LPS-847 | Losers Weepers | ||
| LPS-848 | Eddie Fisher & the Next Hundred Years |
| Catalog number | Title | Artist | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPS-4025 | Top Ten | Etta James | |
| LPS-4036 | The Three Souls | Dangerous Dan Express | |
| LPS-4046 | Bob Hope on the Road to Vietnam | Bob Hope | |
| LPS-4047 | Jammin' with the Windjammers | The Windjammers | |
| LPS-4048 | Feeling Good | Jean DuShon | |
| LPS-4049 | Tough! | Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers | |
| LPS-4050 | Fred Wacker Big Band Swings Cool | Fred Wacker Big Band | |
| LPS-4051 | The Blues, Volume 5 | Various Artists | |
| LPS-4052 | I'm So Good That I Don't Have to Brag! | Shel Silverstein | |
| LPS-4053 | Weary Traveler | King Fleming | |
| LPS-4054 | Drain My Brain | Shel Silverstein | |
| LPS-4055 | Call My Name | Etta James | |
| LPS-4056 | I Cried for You | Johnny Watson | |
| LPS-4057 | Carryin' On | Milt Trenier and Micki Lynn | |
| LPS-4058 | Fighting Back | Greig McRitchie Band |
Cadet Concept was established by Marshall Chess in 1967 with the first album by Rotary Connection and issued five albums by the group out of the 18 albums released on the label up until 1970 as well as featuring British band Status Quo, saxophonist John Klemmer and blues legends Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.[4]
| Catalog No. | Album | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| LPS-312 | Rotary Connection | Rotary Connection |
| LPS-314 | Electric Mud | Muddy Waters |
| LPS-315 | Messages from the Status Quo | Status Quo |
| LPS-316 | Salloom, Sinclair and the Mother Bear | Salloom & Sinclair |
| LPS-317 | Aladdin | Rotary Connection |
| LPS-318 | Peace | Rotary Connection |
| LPS-319 | The Howlin' Wolf Album | Howlin' Wolf |
| LPS-320 | After the Rain | Muddy Waters |
| LPS-321 | Blowin' Gold | |
| LPS-322 | Songs | Rotary Connection |
| LPS-323 | In Due Time... | Aesop's Fables |
| LPS-325 | What I Did on My Vacation | |
| LPS-326 | All the Children Cried | |
| LPS-327 | Salloom and Sinclair | Salloom & Sinclair |
| LPS-328 | Dinner Music | Rotary Connection |
| LPS-329 | Archie Whitewater | |
| LPS-330 | Eruptions | |
| LPS-331 | Aesop's Fables | Aesop's Fables |
Following the death of Leonard Chess in 1971, Chess Records was purchased by General Recorded Tape, GRT Records, which consolidated both the Chess and Cadet labels into a single labeling number sequence and used the artists and labels until 1975.[5]
| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| Chess CH-50001 | Another Dimension | |
| Chess CH-50002 | Message to the Young | Howlin' Wolf |
| Cadet CA-50004 | Freedom Means | |
| Cadet CH-50005 | Great Female Soul Vocalists | Various Artists |
| Cadet Concept CC-50006 | Hey Love | The New Rotary Connection |
| Cadet CA-50007 | Occasional Rain | |
| Chess CH-50008 | San Francisco Dues | |
| Cadet CA-50009 | Mystical Lady | |
| Cadet Concept CC-50010 | Oh What a Lovely War | |
| Cadet CA-50011 | Swahili Strut | Sextet |
| Chess CH-50012 | Live at Mr. Kelly's | Muddy Waters |
| Chess CH-50013 | Greatest Hits | |
| Chess CH-50014 | Power and Light | Power & Light |
| Chess CH-50015 | Live and Cookin' | Howlin' Wolf |
| Chess CH-50016 | Where it All Began | |
| Cadet CA-50017 | The Dells Sing Dionne Warwick's Greatest Hits | |
| Chess CH-50018 | Basic Soul | |
| Cadet CA-50019 | What Color Is Love | |
| Cadet CA-50020 | The Groover | |
| Cadet CA-50021 | Sweet as Funk Can Be | |
| Cadet 2CA-50022 | The Best of the Soulful Strings | |
| Chess CH-50023 | Can't Get No Grindin' | Muddy Waters |
| Cadet CA-50024 | Check This Out | |
| Cadet CA-50025 | Lean on Me | |
| Cadet CA-50026 | Mr. Bojangles | |
| Chess 2CH-50027 | This Is My Story | |
| Chess CH-50029 | The London Bo Diddley Sessions | |
| Chess 2CH-50030 | The Golden Age of Rhythm and Blues | Various Artists |
| Chess CH-50031 | Love More Than Pride | |
| Chess CH-50032 | Ghettos of the Mind | Bama the Village Poet |
| Chess 2CH-50033 | Fathers and Sons | Muddy Waters |
| Cadet CA-50034 | Teardrops in the Rain | |
| Cadet 2CA-50035 | Inspiration | |
| Cadet CA-50036 | Superstition | |
| Cadet CA-50037 | Give Your Baby a Standing Ovation | |
| Cadet 2CA-50038 | It Was a Very Good Year | |
| Cadet 2CA-50039 | I Cover the Waterfront | |
| Chess CH-50040 | Come and Get Me | |
| Cadet CA-50041 | I Just Can't Help Myself | |
| Chess CH-50042 | Etta James a.k.a. Only a Fool | |
| Chess CH-50043 | Bio | |
| Cadet CA-50044 | Songs for Ageing Children | |
| Chess CH-50045 | The Back Door Wolf | Howlin' Wolf |
| Cadet CA-50046 | The Dells | |
| Chess CH-50047 | Big Bad Bo | |
| Cadet CA-50048 | While My Guitar Gently Weeps | |
| Cadet CA-50049 | Atlantis | |
| Cadet CA-50051 | The Fourth Dimension | |
| Cadet CA-50052 | In the Cut | |
| Chess CH-50053 | You Can All Join In | |
| Cadet 2CA-50058 | Solid Ivory | |
| Cadet CH-50059 | Cross My Heart | |
| Cadet CA-50060 | Satan | |
| Chess 2CH-60000 | Laugh Time | and Pigmeat Markham |
| Cadet CA-60001 | Back to the Roots | |
| Cadet 2CA-60002 | Charlie Parker Memorial Concert | Various Artists |
| Cadet 2CA-60003 | Rock Bottom | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60004 | Peaches | |
| Chess 2CH-60005 | Got My Own Bag of Tricks | |
| Chess 2CH-60006 | McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy Waters | Muddy Waters |
| Cadet 2CA-60007 | Ha' Mercy | |
| Chess CH-60008 | The London Howlin' Wolf Sessions | Howlin' Wolf |
| Chess 2CH-60009 | Moms and Pigmeat | and Pigmeat Markham |
| Cadet 2CA-60010 | Everything 'Bout Sax and Flute | |
| Chess 2CH-60011 | Mad Man's Blues | |
| Chess 2CH-60012 | Chicago Blues Anthology | Various Artists |
| Chess CH-60013 | The London Muddy Waters Sessions | Muddy Waters |
| Chess 2CH-60014 | Boss Blues Harmonica | Little Walter |
| Chess 2CH-60015 | Blues Rock Cookbook: Montreux Festival | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60016 | Chester Burnette A.K.A. Howlin' Wolf | Howlin' Wolf |
| Cadet 2CA-60017 | The Heatin' System | |
| Cadet 2CA-60018 | Inside | |
| Cadet 2CA-60019 | Cool Cookin' | |
| Chess CH-60020 | The London Chuck Berry Sessions | |
| Cadet CA-60021 | 12 X 6 The Hard Way | Various Artists |
| Cadet CA-60022 | 12 X 6 The Easy Way | Various Artists |
| Chess 2CH-60023 | Chuck Berry's Golden Decade Volume 2 |