Savoy Records Explained

Savoy Records
Image Alt:Savoy disc from the 1940s
Parent:Concord
Founder:Herman Lubinsky
Distributor:Universal Music Group
Genre:Jazz, R&B, gospel
Country:U.S.
Location:Newark, New Jersey

Savoy Records is an American record company and label established by Herman Lubinsky in 1942 in Newark, New Jersey.[1] Savoy specialized in jazz, rhythm and blues, and gospel music.

In September 2017, Savoy was acquired by Concord Bicycle Music.[2]

History

In the 1940s, Savoy recorded some of the biggest names in jazz, including Charlie Parker, Erroll Garner, Dexter Gordon, J. J. Johnson, Fats Navarro, and Miles Davis. In 1948, it began buying other labels: Bop, Discovery, National, and Regent. It also reissued music from Jewel Records. In the early 1960s, Savoy briefly recorded several avant-garde jazz artists. These included Paul Bley, Bill Dixon, Charles Moffett, Perry Robinson, Archie Shepp, Sun Ra, Marzette Watts, and Valdo Williams.

After Lubinsky's death in 1974, Clive Davis, then manager of Arista Records, acquired Savoy's catalogue. After that, Joe Fields of Muse Records purchased the catalogue from Arista. In 1986, Malaco Records acquired Savoy's black gospel titles and contracts.[3]

In 1991, Nippon Columbia acquired Savoy and its library, and distributed Savoy releases through its wholly owned subsidiary, Savoy Jazz. In 2003, Savoy Jazz acquired the rights to the Muse and Landmark catalogues from 32 Jazz.[4] In 2009, the label entered a distribution arrangement with Warner Music Group.[5] Savoy included the rock imprint 429 Records.

Many of the label's African American artists begrudged the label's founder, Herman Lubinsky, feeling underpaid for their work. Tiny Price, a journalist for the African American newspaper The Newark Herald News, said of Savoy and Lubinsky:

There's no doubt everybody hated Herman Lubinsky. If he messed with you, you were messed. At the same time, some of those people, many of them Newark's top singers and musicians, would never have been exposed on records if he didn't do what he did. Except for Lubinsky, all the hot little numbers, like Buddy Johnson's "Cherry", would have been lost. The man may have been hated, but he saved a lot of our history for us and for future generations.[6]

Savoy's artistic directors included Buck Ram, Teddy Reig, Ralph Bass (1948–1952), Fred Mendelsohn (1953), and Ozzie Cadena (1954–1962).

Discography

The following are 12" LPs and have the prefix MG.

Subsidiaries

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Book: Rye. Howard. Kernfeld. Barry. Kernfeld. Barry. The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. 2002. Grove's Dictionaries Inc.. New York. 1-56159-284-6. 506. 3. 2nd.
  2. Web site: Concord acquires Savoy Label Group - and its 3,000+ recordings. September 21, 2017. Music Business Worldwide.
  3. Web site: Bowman . Rob . The Malaco Story . 2004 . 24 August 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141018213352/http://www.malaco.com/story.php . 18 October 2014 .
  4. Web site: Christopher . Porter . Savoy Acquires Muse & Landmark Catalogs . 16 January 2003 . . 13 October 2014 .
  5. . WEA Announces Exclusive Distribution Agreement with Legendary Savoy Label Group . New York . Warner Music Group . February 28, 2005 . October 13, 2014 .
  6. Book: Kukla, Barbara J. . Swing City: Newark Nightlife 1925 50 . Temple University Press . 1991 . 0-87722-874-4 . 91003176 . 158 .

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