The classic ECM sound is atmospheric, minimalist contemporary jazz with a European outlook – Jan Garbarek, Erberhard Weber and the like – but the label’s output actually ranges from Keith Jarrett’s standards trio, to recordings of Bach, Shostokovich and Steve Reich American jazz giants like Pat Metheny and Chick Corea, to the Avant garde and the free improv of Evan Parker and Roscoe Mitchell.
They encompass a broad range of styles, and they’re based in various locations, but they all continue to put out excellent music.Įdition of Contemporary Music, to give it its full name, is the classic example of a label with a highly distinctive sound and aesthetic.įounded by influential producer Manfred Eicher in Munich in 1969, it was intended to give jazz the high quality production values of classical music, with dark, moody cover art, glossy inside booklets and crystal clear sound quality. So here’s our list of ten great jazz record labels. That said, there are still great independent jazz record labels out there releasing fantastic music.įor fans, a record label can act as a seal of quality, or suggest a certain style or aesthetic – think “the Blue Note sound” of the 1960s – which might point listeners in the direction of new music that they otherwise wouldn’t have checked out.Īnd, for artists, a high quality label with a proper PR strategy can help them connect with new fans, journalists and other important media contacts, allowing them to potentially make a bigger splash with that new record than they might have made with a self-release. Once upon a time, a contract with a record label was the only serious way of getting an album out there, but sites and platforms like Bandcamp, CD Baby and DistroKid have democratised the process and bridged the gap between artist and fans.
Without a doubt, the internet has made it easier than ever for anyone to release music into the world. We’ve put together this list of 10 of the most well-known labels in 2021 for a quick dive into their history and ethos…
You might not *need* a record deal in 2021 to get your music heard, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t independent jazz record labels out there releasing great music and giving you ideas for how to make the most out of your next album.