Onyx Records Question

[JSngry]

In college (mid-1970s), I remember seeing a Bill Hardman side on a Don Schlitten label that doesn't show up through "the usual" online resources. I'm certain that it was on a Don Schlitten label, and I'm certain that it had a red cover.

Did Onyx have two lines for a while? Silver for the historic issues and red for the new sessions? If it wasn't Onyx, then what Schlitten label was this, and why is it so difficult to find info on it? The link from Mike Fitgerald's site shows the Onyx silver catalog, but that is all.

I'm not crazy - I defintiely remember that it was a Hardman side, that it was a Schlitten label, and that the cover was red. Seems like the same guy who had it had another couple of sides on the same label, but I can't remember by who. Frank Rehak, maybe was one (this guy was a trombone player and a hardcore collector of same), but I'm not making book on that one.

I know that Onyx was a relatively short-lived label with not the greatest distribution, and that the silver (historical) issues got all the profile (and for good reason), but I KNOW that Schlitten had a label with red covers and his trademark "look". But what was it, and what were the issues?

HELP!!!!

Edited June 22, 2004 by JSngry

[brownie]

Thanks to Michael Fitzgerald, this is the full list of Onyx releases:

http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Labels/onyx.htm

[JSngry]

Thanks to Michael Fitzgerald, this is the full list of Onyx releases:

http://www.jazzdiscography.com/Labels/onyx.htm

Either that list is not complete, or else there was another Schlitten label between Onyx and Xanadu.

I'm telling you, these sides that this cat had were totally obscure - I had never seen reviews of them nor read as much as a tiny press blurb about their release. But they were definitely Schlitten-produced, and they definitely all had red covers.

[brownie]

Are you speaking about the Bill Hardman first album under his name on Savoy. Savoy had red labels. Wasn't Schlitten briefly involved with Signal records that were released by Savoy?

[JSngry]

Nope - I'm talking COVERS. Same as the Onyx silver covers, except they were red.

I'm wondering if this guy had some sides that never made it out into general circulation before Onyx folded? Like I said, I've never seen or heard of them anywhere else. But Bill Hardman was definitely the leader on one of the dates, of this I am certain.

[mikeweil]

IIRC Schlitten started ONYX at the same time as Muse but had to stop soon after due to licensing problems. He ran ONYX for the historical issues, new productions were on Muse, with absolutely no crossing over. The XANADU GOLD SERIES was the follow-up to ONYX, ironically, whereas the XANADU SILVER SERIES was for new recordings with a cover design similar to the ONYX LPs.

Now I have all three Hardman LPs on Muse, and the first, "Home" has the leader with a bright red turtleneck on an orange couch with blackcat and trumpet ... hmm ...

[Chuck Nessa]

AFAIK, Hardman led no dates between the Savoy and the first Muse.

Schlitten did not have a label between Muse/Onyx and Xanadu. Onyx only had the silver series.

Onyx ended, not because of licensing problems, but in litigation between Don and Joe Fields (Muse).

I have no idea about these "red" issues.

Edited June 23, 2004 by Chuck Nessa

[mikeweil]

Onyx ended, not because of licensing problems, but in litigation between Don and Joe Fields (Muse).

Of course you're right, Chuck - that's what I wanted to say.

Pardon my English ... -_-