Aladdin Records
{{Short description|American record company and label}}
{{For|Aladdin Records (UK), a 1960s sublabel|Island Records}}
{{Infobox record label
| name = Aladdin Records
| image = AladdinRecord.jpg
| image_size = 200px
| caption = 1952 Aladdin record
| parent = Universal Music Group
| founded = {{start date|1945}}
| founder = Eddie Mesner
Leo Mesner
| defunct = {{end date|1961}}
| status = Defunct
| country = U.S.
| location = Los Angeles, California
}}
Aladdin Records was a record company and label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by brothers Eddie and Leo Mesner.{{cite book|last1=Komara|first1=Edward|title=Encyclopedia of the Blues|date=2006|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9780415926997}}{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=David|last2=Callahan|first2=Mike|title=Aladdin Records Story|url=http://www.bsnpubs.com/aladdin/aladdinstory.html|website=www.bsnpubs.com|date=10 April 2007}} It was originally called Philo Records before changing its name in 1946.{{cite book|last=Kennedy|first=Gary|title=The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, vol. 1|year=2002|publisher=Grove's Dictionaries|location=New York|isbn=1561592846|edition=2nd|editor=Barry Kernfeld|page=24|chapter=Aladdin}}
Philo Records
{{confused|Philo Records (folk)}}
Philo's releases included 78 RPM singles of Illinois Jacquet, Wynonie Harris, Helen Humes with the Bill Doggett Octet, Jay McShann and Lester Young, and an album (set of two 78 RPM records) of Lester Young, Nat King Cole and Red Callender.{{cite web|last1=Edwards|first1=David|last2=Callahan|first2=Mike|title=Philo/Aladdin Singles Discography|url=http://www.bsnpubs.com/aladdin/aladdinsingles.html|website=www.bsnpubs.com|date=17 April 2007}}
When the U.S. Patent Office refused to register the label because of the similarity in name with the Philco radio corporation, which produced blanks for the record industry, the dispute was settled when the owners agreed to continue the name as Medlee.The Billboard, February 9, 1946, p. 27 On March 2, 1946, the company placed an advertisement in Billboard magazine, announcing the new trade name.The Billboard, March 2, 1946, p. 23 The next week, though, they placed a new ad "correcting their mistake", announcing Aladdin Records.The Billboard, March 9, 1946, p. 24. The numbering of the releases was continued, and older Philo releases were reprinted as Aladdin.
Aladdin Records
Aladdin was known for jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock music. Some albums were released on the company's short-lived Jazz: West imprint. Aladdin Records launched several subsidiary labels such as Score (1948), Intro (1950), 7-11 (1952), Ultra (1955), Jazz: West (1955), and Lamp (1956). In addition to recording in Los Angeles, many Aladdin recordings were produced by Cosimo Matassa in New Orleans.
Aladdin's first album was by Lester Young. Other musicians on the roster included Ernie Andrews, Charles Brown, Thurston Harris, Maxwell Davis, Al Hibbler, Billie Holiday, Lynn Hope, Jimmy Liggins, Lightnin' Hopkins,{{cite book|title=The Devil's Music|author=Giles Oakley|publisher=Da Capo Press|page=[https://archive.org/details/devilsmusichisto00oakl_0/page/219 219]|isbn=978-0-306-80743-5|date=1997|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/devilsmusichisto00oakl_0/page/219}} Red Nelson ("Mother Fuyer"),{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/red-nelson-mn0000382357 |title=Red Nelson|publisher=AllMusic |date=1907-08-31 |access-date=2016-11-02}} and Illinois Jacquet. In 1961, Aladdin was sold to Imperial Records, which was acquired by Liberty Records. Capitol Records bought Liberty in 1979 and reissues appeared on Blue Note Records.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://archive.org/details/georgeblood?and%5B%5D=publisher:aladdin Aladdin Records] on the Internet Archive's [http://great78.archive.org/ Great 78 Project]
{{Authority control}}
Category:American jazz record labels
Category:Rhythm and blues record labels
Category:Rock and roll record labels
Category:Soul music record labels
Category:Record labels based in California
Category:Defunct record labels of the United States
Category:Defunct companies based in Greater Los Angeles
Category:Record labels established in 1945
Category:Record labels disestablished in 1961