Orpheum Productions

[Dmitry]

Here's what I know - Jazzland record label was sold to Orpheum Productions in 1964 or so.

Original Mono Jazzland labels were orange, Stereo were black, Orpheum Productions labels of the reissued Jazzland LPs were maroon. Sound quality of the Orpheum LPs is said to be mediocre.

Orpheum Productions later sold Jazzland to Fantasy, since it was later a part of the Fantasy/OJC catalogue [correct me if I am wrong on the Fantasy purchase/sale].

If you have any other info on Orpheum Productions - please pitch in.

[brownie]

Sound quality of the Orpheum LPs is said to be mediocre.

That's true. Orpheum was to Riverside/Jazzland what Status was to Prestige!

[Jim R]

The mono Orpheum labels were a teal color (edit: hmm... I had a maroon label or two as well, but can't remember much about them)

I'm associating all of this mainly with Riverside.

Unlike the Prestige/Status relationship, the name "Riverside" remained on the label, while the small print at the bottom simply changed from "Bill Grauer Productions" to "Orpheum Productions".

As far as Jazzland is concerned, I'm sort of blanking... I don't remember having a Jazzland LP produced by Orpheum. Also, why is it that the jazz guides (O'Sullivan/Woodside, Goldmine, etc) that I own don't even list Jazzland in their label directories?

Edited December 23, 2006 by Jim R

[michel1969]

Here's what I know - Jazzland record label was sold to Orpheum Productions in 1964 or so.

Original Mono Jazzland labels were orange, Stereo were black, Orpheum Productions labels of the reissued Jazzland LPs were maroon. Sound quality of the Orpheum LPs is said to be mediocre.

Orpheum Productions later sold Jazzland to Fantasy, since it was later a part of the Fantasy/OJC catalogue [correct me if I am wrong on the Fantasy purchase/sale].

If you have any other info on Orpheum Productions - please pitch in.

That's right. Anyway, besides Orpheum, Quality of jazzland (as for Riverside) is in itself very variable. Some good original pressings like "Blue Jubilee" and some lesser like "All Members" (this being said regardless of the musical quality). The maroon/red second pressing are not very good quality. Its not very interesting to buy them, because the price difference is not very big, most (if not all) Jazzland original are affordable. You can be picky ! Jazzland albums are cool !!! try to find "All Members" (Don Sleet) and Guitar Groove (René Thomas) (i know, i've written it many times....)

[Jim R]

The mono Orpheum labels were a teal color

Well, there goes that theory. This one's stereo.

[Jim R]

Jazzland (stereo or mono) = Maroon, Riverside = Teal ?

[Jim R]

Label images

Hmm... http://www.absolutemusik.com/info/jazz_con..._labels_tc.html (no black label stereos shown on their Contemporary page) !?

Edited December 23, 2006 by Jim R

[Clunky]

I've a Charlie Byrd - Orpheum LP "Blues Sonata " which sounds great, very full sound- quite a reasonable session

Edited December 23, 2006 by Clunky

[GA Russell]

Here's what I know - Jazzland record label was sold to Orpheum Productions in 1964 or so.

Someone with a discography would be able to speak definitively about this, but here is my understanding of the situation.

I think Riverside went bankrupt in 1965. The last recording that they did that I am aware of was a Charlie Byrd solo album, which was available from BMG/Your Music two years ago.

I always assumed that Orpheum purchased the company out of bankruptcy. I am not aware of their making any new recordings.

Orpheum didn't last long. I believe that ABC purchased the catalogue in 1968.

Don't take anything here as authoritative. This is just my understanding of how it went down.

[Dmitry]

Paging Dr. Albertson, Dr. Chris Albertson!

[Chuck Nessa]

As I understand it, a bank wound up with the Riverside holdings and eventually created Orpheum to "showcase" the label for sale. It seemed to work.

[jazzhound]

Sound quality of the Orpheum LPs is said to be mediocre.

That's true. Orpheum was to Riverside/Jazzland what Status was to Prestige!

I picked up a Orpheum Waltz for Debby and its sounds very good. Same matrix as Riverside original. difference between two is minor.