Pacific Jazz Records
Pacific Jazz Records was a Los Angeles-based record label best known for releasing cool jazz or West coast jazz. It was founded by producer Richard Bock (1927–1988) and drummer Roy S. Harte in 1952. Harte, in 1954, also co-founded Nocturne Records with Harry Babasin.
Some of the musicians that recorded for Pacific Jazz included Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, Paul Desmond, the Jazz Crusaders, Joe Pass and Gerald Wilson.
In 1957, Pacific Jazz Records changed its name to World Pacific Records to expand into a full-line label, with the Pacific Jazz label retained for jazz releases.
Richard Bock and World Pacific were instrumental in introducing Indian traditional music to the west via Ravi Shankar, who also recorded for World Pacific.
The label was purchased by Liberty Records in 1965. World Pacific's only major hit was "Elusive Butterfly" by Bob Lind in 1966. Liberty continued both labels for a few years and also issued some releases on a combined World Pacific Jazz label. By the early 1970s, Liberty and its associated labels were owned by United Artists Records, which stopped issuing new material on the Liberty imprints. By the end of the 1970s, EMI had acquired United Artists Records and so became the owner of the ex-Liberty masters.
33 Jazz Records
33 Jazz Records was created in 1990 to develop a wider market for jazz and related music artists passing through the defunct 33 Jazz Club. Over the past 20 years '33' have, via the 33 Jazz and 33 WM labels, released over 250 albums of contemporary jazz and world music.
The label has developed an ongoing creative relationship with the vocalist Tina May, since the release of her debut album 'Never Let Me Go' in 1992.
The label was founded by musician/producer Paul Jolly, whose previous work includes playing with '70's progressive rock band Sweet Slag, and leading improvising musicians such as Maggie Nicols, the Loverly Band, the People Band and EAWO. His professional work included tours of Europe and the Far East. He also appeared, playing as a member of the Kraków Jazz Ensemble, in the Mike Figgis film 'Stormy Monday' which featured Sting, Melanie Griffiths & Tommy Lee Jones.
Among leading UK artists represented on the '33' label are singers Tina May, Johanna Graham, Jacqui Hicks, Juliet Kelly, Louise Gibbs, Paula Rae Gibson, Zoe Schwarz; saxophonists Theo Travis, Ed Jones, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Don Weller, Martin Speake; trumpet players Damon Brown; pianists Tim Richards, Jonathan Gee, Mike Gorman, Andrea Vicari, Kate Williams, Alex Hutton; guitarist Maciek Pysz and harmonica player Julian Jackson.
