Commodore Records | |
---|---|
Founded | 1938 |
Founder | Milt Gabler |
Defunct | 1954 |
Status | Inactive |
Genre | Jazz |
Country of origin | U.S. |
Location | New York City |
Commodore Records was an American independent record label known for producing Dixieland jazz and swing. It is also remembered for releasing Billie Holiday's hit " Strange Fruit".
Commodore Records was founded in the spring of 1938 by Milt Gabler, [1] a native of Harlem who founded the Commodore Music Shop in 1926 in Manhattan at 136 East 42nd Street (diagonally across the street from the Commodore Hotel), and from 1938–41 with a branch at 46 West 52nd Street, [2]
Commodore's albums included dixieland music ( Eddie Condon, Wild Bill Davison) and swing ( Coleman Hawkins, Earl Hines). [3] Commodore's biggest hit was " Strange Fruit" (backed with " Fine and Mellow") by Billie Holiday, which reached No. 16 on the charts on July 22, 1939. [4] The label was most active from 1939 to 1946. [5] The roster included Bud Freeman, Bobby Hackett, Edmond Hall, Hot Lips Page, Pee Wee Russell, Willie "The Lion" Smith, Muggsy Spanier, Art Tatum, Fats Waller, Lee Wiley, and Lester Young. [6]
Gabler arranged for recording and pressing to be done by the American Record Corporation ( ARC), [1] then Reeves Transcription Services and Decca. In the early 1960s, a series of Commodore albums was compiled by Gabler and released by Mainstream. [1] In the late 1980s, Mosaic issued Commodore's complete recordings in three box-sets (LP). [5] [1]
Billy Crystal, Gabler's nephew, compiled an album of songs dedicated to his uncle titled Billy Crystal Presents: The Milt Gabler Story. [7]