Apex
Apex, founded 1921: jazz artists and albums on the label.
Apex Records was a Canadian record label owned by the Compo Company which lasted as late as 1980. Compo established the Apex label in July 1921 in Toronto. It released American recordings from Okeh Records and Gennett Records, among others. It also released recordings by Canadian artists for both the Anglophone and Francophone communities. After Compo began a distribution arrangement with Decca Records (USA) in 1935, the Apex name was dropped. Apex was revived in 1942 to market Canadian recordings. American Decca bought Compo in 1951. In 1952, Apex resumed issuing American recordings from the various independent American record companies which were established after World War II. Compo was renamed MCA Records (Canada) in 1970, retaining the Apex label for Francophone recordings for a few years before phasing out the label. MCA Canada formally abandoned the trademark in 1984.
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Artists on Apex
Count Basie
1904–1984 · American jazz musician and composer (1904–1984)
Maynard Ferguson
1928–2006 · Canadian jazz musician and bandleader (1928–2006)
Joe Williams
1918–1999 · American jazz singer (1918–1999)
Joe Jones
1926–2005 · American musician (1926–2005)
Jeri Southern
1926–1991 · American singer (1926–1991)
Label profile
Canadian label introduced in 1921. Also known as "Apex Records" or "Disques Apex". Pop label for The Compo Company Ltd., primarily for licensed releases from American independent labels.
For unofficial releases, see Apex (13).
In 1935, Compo became the Canadian licensee for the American Decca Records (Decca), which bought Compo in 1951 with Berliner remaining as president until his death in 1966. MCA Records acquired American Decca in 1962, including Compo, which was renamed MCA Records (Canada) in 1970. It eventually evolved into Universal Music Canada.
During the mid-60s into the 70s, fewer and fewer records were released on Apex, as most US labels demanded/acquired their own identity through Compo (Cadence, Abnak, White Whale, Scepter) or other Canadian distribution (e.g., Warner Bros. establishing their own Canadian subsidiary). However, before disbanding, The Stampeders had one album on Apex. There have been no label retrospective CDs from Apex or its Canadian artists.
worked there around 1965.
Profile from Discogs (CC0)