Bethlehem Records

Bethlehem Records is an American jazz and blues label.

History of the record label

The record label Bethlehem Records was founded by Gus Wildi in September 1946 and later taken over by the record label King Records. First record was a Blue Track by Johnny Temple, recorded in September 1946; on December 10, 1947 was followed by recordings of Lonnie Johnson. In 1953 the illustrator Burt Goldblatt its cooperation with Bethlehem Records. All 10 -inch albums were designed by Goldblatt; 40 different LPs published between 1953 and 1955. Followed about 160 LPs in 12- inch format, which came onto the market until 1962.

1953, producer Creed Taylor to Bethlehem and produced on 17 and 18 December 1953 album with the previously unknown singer Chris Connor ( Sings Lullaby of Birdland ), which he had to record with the trio of Ellis Larkins. The label which sold 20,000 copies. In Creeeds phase fell albums with pianist Bobby Scott on September 21, 1954 with flutist Herbie Mann and a quintet of Kai Winding and Jay Jay Johnson, with the Taylor then the first album for the label was founded in 1960 Impulse! Records recorded. 1958 King Records acquired 50 % of the company, to then completely in 1962 to take over.

In memory Bethlehem Records remains primarily by the legendary jazz recordings of Duke Ellington (1957 ), Charles Mingus with Bill Evans (East Coasting, 1957) and the last recordings of pianist Herbie Nichols, which was then under the title Love, Gloom, Cash, Love published. On the label appeared in 1958, the debut album of singer Nina Simone, Little Girl Blue. Other jazz musicians who published records in Bethlehem in the 1950s and early 1960s, were Stan Levey, Frank Socolow, Stu Williamson, Teddy Charles, Conte Candoli, Howard McGhee, Ralph Burns, Charlie Mariano, Hal McKusick, Ralph Sharon, Betty Roche, Dave McKenna, Mal Waldron, Bob Wilber / Johnny Glasel and Sam Most. Last 1970 recordings by James Brown were produced. The catalog of the labels later appeared in CD form at Fresh Sound Records.