Argo Records
| Argo Records | |
|---|---|
| Parent company | Chess Records |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Founder | Leonard Chess Phil Chess |
| Defunct | 1965 |
| Status | Inactive |
| Genre | Jazz, blues |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois |
Argo Records was a record label in Chicago that was established in 1955 as a division of Chess Records.[1][2]
Originally the label was called Marterry, but bandleader Ralph Marterie objected, and within a couple of months the imprint was renamed Argo.[3]
Although Chess was a blues label, the Argo division began to record jazz in 1955 and over decades attracted some big names: Gene Ammons, Kenny Burrell, Barry Harris, Illinois Jacquet, Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis, James Moody, Max Roach, Red Rodney, and Ira Sullivan.[4]
Argo also recorded pop, blues, and calypso. Its first big hit was by Clarence "Frogman" Henry, whose song "Ain't Got No Home" came out in 1956.[5] By 1960, rhythm and blues performers on the label included Etta James and the Dells.[6]
Argo changed its name in 1965 to Cadet Records when the company discovered that an Argo Records already existed in the UK.[7] As with its parent label and British Argo, the catalog is owned by Universal Music Group. Argo was one of several record labels to lose master recordings in the 2008 Universal fire.[8]
Discography
Jazz Series (1956-1965)
| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| LP-601 | Melodies by Al Hibbler | Al Hibbler |
| LP-602 | Chamber Music of the New Jazz | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-603 | Flute 'n the Blues | James Moody |
| LP-604 | Lonely One | Pinky Winters |
| LP-605 | Without Sauce | Dick Lane's Quartet |
| LP-606 | Doorway to Dixie | Cy Touff, Miff Mole and Mike Simpson |
| LP-607 | Norman Simmons Trio | Norman Simmons |
| LP-608 | Zoot | Zoot Sims Quartet |
| LP-609 | Chicago Scene | Ira Schulman, Sandy Moose and Eddie Baker |
| LP-610 | Count 'Em 88 | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-611 | Ramsey Lewis and his Gentle-men of Swing | Ramsey Lewis |
| LP-612 | Young John Young | John Young Trio |
| LP-613 | Moody's Mood for Love | James Moody |
| LP-614 | Chubby's Back | Chubby Jackson |
| LP-615 | Dick Lane Quartet | Dick Lane Quartet |
| LP-616 | Chet Chats | Chet Roble |
| LP-617 | Time on My Hands | Seymour and His Heartbeat Trumpet |
| LP-618 | Many Moods | Al Russ Orchestra |
| LP-619 | My Memories | Melavano and Orchestra |
| LP-620 | Out on a Limb with Clark Terry | Clark Terry |
| LP-621 | MJT+3 | MJT+3 |
| LP-622 | Jazz Exponents | Jazz Exponents |
| LP-623 | MAX | Max Roach Quintet |
| LP-624 | Johnny Griffin | Johnny Griffin Quartet |
| LP-625 | I'm Entitled to You!! | Chubby Jackson |
| LP-626 | Cookin' | Paul Gonsalves |
| LP-627 | Ramsey Lewis and his Gentle-men of Jazz | Ramsey Lewis |
| LP-628 | At the Pershing: But Not for Me | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
| LP-629 | Sonny Stitt | Sonny Stitt |
| LP-630 | The Colorful Strings of Jimmy Woode | Jimmy Woode |
| LP-631 | Swinging the Loop | Vito Price |
| LP-632 | Theme for the Tall One | Bess Bonnier Trio |
| LP-633 | This Is Me, J. C. Heard | J. C. Heard and Orchestra |
| LP-634 | Lateef at Cranbrook | Yusef Lateef |
| LP-635 | 2:38 A.M. | Ralph Sharon Quartet and Friend |
| LP-636 | Ahmad Jamal Trio Volume IV | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
| LP-637 | Last Train from Overbrook | James Moody |
| LP-638 | Portfolio of Ahmad Jamal | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
| LP-639 | Relaxin' with Sandy Mosse | Sandy Mosse |
| LP-640 | Marian McPartland at the London House | Marian McPartland |
| LP-641 | Touff Assignment | Cy Touff |
| LP-642 | Lem Winchester and the Ramsey Lewis Trio | Lem Winchester and Ramsey Lewis |
| LP-643 | Red Rodney Returns | Red Rodney |
| LP-644 | Breakin' It Up | Barry Harris Trio |
| LP-645 | An Hour with the Ramsey Lewis Trio | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-646 | Jamal at the Penthouse | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-647 | [Unissued] | Will Green |
| LP-648 | James Moody | James Moody |
| LP-649 | Remember the Oldies | Various Artists |
| LP-650 | Taylor Made Jazz | Billy Taylor |
| LP-651 | Holiday on the Riviera | Caesar Giovannini |
| LP-652 | Where There's Fire... There's Smokey Stover and his Original Firemen | Smokey Stover's Original Firemen |
| LP-653 | The Last of the Big Plungers | Al Grey and The Basie Wing |
| LP-654 | Blue Lou | Lou McGarity Big Eight |
| LP-655 | A Night at the Vanguard | Kenny Burrell Trio |
| LP-656 | Fanfare of Hits | Various Artists |
| LP-657 | Jazz | Herb Pilhofer Trio |
| LP-658 | Richard's Alamac | Richard Evans Trio |
| LP-659 | The Legend of Bix | Metropolitan Jazz Octet |
| LP-660 | Mighty High | Milt Buckner |
| LP-661 | Burnin' | Sonny Stitt |
| LP-662 | Happy Moods | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
| LP-663 | Early in the Morning | Lorez Alexandria with the Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-664 | Meet the Jazztet | Art Farmer and Benny Golson |
| LP-665 | Stretching Out | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-666 | Hey! It's James Moody | James Moody |
| LP-667 | Ahmad Jamal At The Pershing, Volume 2 | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-668 | The Music of Quincy Jones | Benny Bailey, Joe Harris, Åke Persson and the Quincetet |
| LP-669 | Introducing Roland Kirk | Roland Kirk and Ira Sullivan |
| LP-670 | Please Mr. Organ Player | Milt Buckner |
| LP-671 | The Ramsey Lewis Trio in Chicago | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-672 | Big City Sounds | Art Farmer and Benny Golson |
| LP-673 | Listen to the Ahmad Jamal Quintet | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-674 | Jubilee | Smokey Stover's Original Firemen |
| LP-675 | Home Cookin' | Richard Evans Trio |
| LP-676 | Playtime | Buddy Rich and His Buddies |
| LP-677 | The Thinking Man's Trombone | Al Grey |
| LP-678 | Art | Art Farmer |
| LP-679 | Moody with Strings | James Moody |
| LP-680 | More Music from the Soil | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-681 | Take a Number from 1 to 10 | Benny Golson |
| LP-682 | Sing No Sad Songs for Me | Lorez Alexandria |
| LP-683 | Sonny Stitt at the D. J. Lounge | Sonny Stitt |
| LP-684 | The Jazztet and John Lewis | John Lewis, Art Farmer and Benny Golson |
| LP-685 | Ahmad Jamal's Alhambra | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-686 | Never on Sunday | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-687 | Sound of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-688 | The Jazztet at Birdhouse | Art Farmer and Benny Golson |
| LP-689 | The Al Grey - Billy Mitchell Sextet | Al Grey and Billy Mitchell |
| LP-690 | Dorothy Ashby | Dorothy Ashby |
| LP-691 | All of You | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-692 | Themes and Things | John Young Trio |
| LP-693 | The Sound of Spring | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-694 | Deep Roots | Lorez Alexandria |
| LP-695 | Another Bag | James Moody |
| LP-696 | Look Out! Look Out! | Red Holt |
| LP-697 | Dig Him! | Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt |
| LP-698 | Just Jug | Gene Ammons |
| LP-699 | Just for Kicks | Eldee Young and Company |
| LP-700 | Snap Your Fingers | Al Grey and Billy Mitchell |
| LP-701 | Country Meets the Blues | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-702 | Midnight Mood | Milt Buckner |
| LP-703 | Ahmad Jamal at the Blackhawk | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
| LP-704 | Soul Cookin' | Thornel Schwartz and Bill Leslie |
| LP-705 | Bossa Nova | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-706 | Blues on the Other Side | Mike Mainieri Quartet |
| LP-707 | Breakthrough | Gene Shaw Quintet |
| LP-708 | Trumpet Caliente | Don Goldie |
| LP-709 | Rearin' Back | Sonny Stitt |
| LP-710 | Diggin' the Chicks | Bill Leslie |
| LP-711 | Night Song | Al Grey and Billy Mitchell |
| LP-712 | Macanudo | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-713 | A Touch of Pepper | John Young |
| LP-714 | Soul Merchant | Sam Lazar |
| LP-715 | Pot Luck | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-716 | Free | Benny Golson Quartet |
| LP-717 | Basie Is Our Boss | Frank Foster |
| LP-718 | Having a Ball | Al Grey |
| LP-719 | Poinciana | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-720 | For Swingers Only | Lorez Alexandria |
| LP-721 | French Cookin' | Budd Johnson |
| LP-722 | The Message | Illinois Jacquet with Kenny Burrell |
| LP-723 | Barefoot Sunday Blues | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-724 | Signifyin' | Lou Donaldson |
| LP-725 | Great Day | James Moody |
| LP-726 | Debut in Blues | Gene Shaw |
| LP-727 | Ready and Willing | Herman Foster |
| LP-728 | Here's Love | Hank Jones |
| LP-729 | World of Travel | Jimmy Grissom |
| LP-730 | Move on Over | Sonny Stitt |
| LP-731 | Boss Bone | Al Grey |
| LP-732 | Bach to the Blues | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-733 | Naked City Theme | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-734 | Possum Head | Lou Donaldson |
| LP-735 | Desert Winds | Illinois Jacquet |
| LP-736 | Ya! Ya! | Budd Johnson |
| LP-737 | Fantabulous | Oliver Nelson and his Orchestra |
| LP-738 | Perception | Art Farmer |
| LP-739 | Mo' Rock | Baby Face Willette |
| LP-740 | Comin' on Strong | James Moody |
| LP-741 | The Ramsey Lewis Trio at the Bohemian Caverns | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-742 | Summer Dawn | Sahib Shihab |
| LP-743 | Carnival Sketches | Gene Shaw |
| LP-744 | My Main Man | Sonny Stitt with Bennie Green |
| LP-745 | More Sounds of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-746 | Bosses of the Ballad | Illinois Jacquet |
| LP-747 | Cole Slaw | Lou Donaldson |
| LP-748 | Off the Wall | Budd Johnson |
| LP-749 | Behind the 8 Ball | Baby Face Willette |
| LP-750 | You Better Believe Me | Ramsey Lewis Trio with Jean DuShon |
| LP-751 | The Roar of the Greasepaint | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-752 | Cool | Rune Ofwerman's Piano |
| LP-753 | Testifyin' Time | Bunky Green |
| LP-754 | Spectrum | Illinois Jacquet |
| LP-755 | Choice! The Best of the Ramsey Lewis Trio | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-756 | Cookin' the Blues | James Moody |
| LP-757 | The In Crowd | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LP-758 | Extensions | Ahmad Jamal |
| LP-759 | Musty Rusty | Lou Donaldson |
| LP-1078 | At the Spotlite Club Vol. 1 | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
Pop/Blues/Folk Series (1961-1965)
| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| LP-4000 | The Eyes of Love | Osborne Smith |
| LP-4001 | Johnny Hamlin Quintet | Johnny Hamlin Quintet featuring Marci Miller |
| LP-4002 | Space Flight | Sam Lazar |
| LP-4003 | At Last! | Etta James |
| LP-4004 | Misty Night | King Fleming Trio |
| LP-4005 | The Three Souls | The Three Souls |
| LP-4006 | Morris Grants Presents JUNK | Various Artists |
| LP-4007 | Drum Sum | Buck Clarke Quintet |
| LP-4008 | Drums, Drollery And Drivel | Professor Paradiddle |
| LP-4009 | You Always Hurt the One You Love | Clarence Henry |
| LP-4010 | Brilliant! The Trumpet of Don Goldie | Don Goldie |
| LP-4011 | The Second Time Around | Etta James |
| LP-4012 | Dodo's Back! | Dodo Marmarosa |
| LP-4013 | Etta James | Etta James |
| LP-4014 | [Unissued] | |
| LP-4015 | Playback | Sam Lazar |
| LP-4016 | For the First Time | Shelley Moore |
| LP-4017 | Brown Gal | Bonnie Graham |
| LP-4018 | Etta James Sings for Lovers | Etta James |
| LP-4019 | Stand By! | King Fleming Trio |
| LP-4020 | House Warmin'! | Howard McGhee and the Blazers |
| LP-4021 | The Buck Clarke Sound | Buck Clarke |
| LP-4022 | Let Me In/Music, Music, Music | The Sensations |
| LP-4023 | The Campus Singers at the Fickle Pickle | The Campus Singers |
| LP-4024 | I'm on My Way | Willie Wright |
| LP-4025 | Etta James Top Ten | Etta James |
| LP-4026 | The Blues, Volume 1 | Various Artists |
| LP-4027 | The Blues, Volume 2 | Various Artists |
| LP-4028 | Cheer Up Me Lads | The Outsiders |
| LP-4029 | Martin Yarbrough Showcase | Martin Yarbrough |
| LP-4030 | Folk Swinger | Dean DeWolf |
| LP-4031 | Folk Festival of the Blues | Various Artists |
| LP-4032 | Etta James Rocks the House | Etta James |
| LP-4033 | Road of Blue | The Campus Singers |
| LP-4034 | The Blues, Volume 3 | Various Artists |
| LP-4035 | High Tide: The Folk Songs of Dean DeWolf | Dean DeWolf |
| LP-4036 | Dangerous Dan Express | The Three Souls |
| LP-4037 | The Soul of Blues Harmonica | Shakey Horton |
| LP-4038 | Composer's Choice | Johnny Nash |
| LP-4039 | Make Way for Jean DuShon | Jean DuShon |
| LP-4040 | The Queen of Soul | Etta James |
| LP-4041 | Dick Williams Kids Sing for Big People (and Little People Too) | Dick Williams |
| LP-4042 | The Blues, Volume 4 | Various Artists |
| LP-4043 | Mixed Moods | Martin Yarbrough |
| LP-4044 | Soul Sounds | The Three Souls |
| LP-4045 | The Real George Kirby | George Kirby |
| LP-4047 | Jammin' with the Windjammers | The Windjammers |
See also
References
- ^ Edwards, D & Callahan, M. The Chess Story, accessed September 12, 2012
- ^ Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. p. 17. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
- ^ Cohodas, Nadine (2000). Spinning Blues into Gold: The Chess Brothers and the Legendary Chess Records. New York: St. Martins. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved October 19, 2016.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ Gardner, Mark (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 1 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. p. 65. ISBN 1-56159-284-6.
- ^ "Clarence "Frogman" Henry Biography by Bill Dahl". Allmusic.com. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ Edwards, D & Callahan, M. Argo Album Discography, Part 2 (1961-1965): Pop/Blues/Folk Series, accessed September 12, 2012
- ^ Brack R. Chess 'Withdraws' Argo Name, Billboard, October 9, 1965. pp. 8–10.
- ^ Rosen, Jody (June 11, 2019). "The Day the Music Burned". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 2, 2019.
