Aladdin Records

Aladdin Records
1952 Aladdin record
Parent companyUniversal Music Group
Founded1945 (1945)
FounderEddie Mesner
Leo Mesner
Defunct1961 (1961)
StatusDefunct
GenreJazz, blues
Country of originU.S.
LocationLos Angeles, California

Aladdin Records was a record company and label founded in Los Angeles in 1945[1] by brothers Eddie and Leo Mesner. It was originally called Philo Records before changing its name in 1946.[2]

Aladdin was known for jazz, rhythm and blues,[2] and rock music. Some of these were issued on the company's short-lived Jazz: West imprint.[3] 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 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,[4] Red Nelson ("Mother Fuyer"),[5] and Illinois Jacquet. In 1961, Aladdin was sold to Imperial Records, which was acquired by Liberty Records. Capitol bought Liberty in 1979, and reissues appeared on Blue Note Records.[2]

  1. ^ Komara, Edward (2006). Encyclopedia of the Blues. Routledge. ISBN 9780415926997.
  2. ^ a b c Kennedy, Gary (2002). "Aladdin". In Barry Kernfeld (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, vol. 1 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries. p. 24. ISBN 1561592846.
  3. ^ Edwards, David; Callahan, Mike (10 April 2007). "Aladdin Records Story". Bsnpubs.com. Retrieved 3 July 2016.
  4. ^ Giles Oakley (1997). The Devil's Music. Da Capo Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-306-80743-5.
  5. ^ "Red Nelson". AllMusic. 1907-08-31. Retrieved 2016-11-02.