Black Lion Records
Black Lion Records, founded 1968: jazz artists and albums on the label.
Black Lion Records was a British jazz record company and label based in London, England. Alan Bates founded Black Lion Records in 1968. The label had two series of releases, one for British jazz musicians and one for international musicians. It released a large amount of reissue material, including items by Art Tatum, Jay McShann, Ben Webster, Earl Hines, Bud Freeman, Bud Powell, Don Byas, Coleman Hawkins, Mal Waldron, and Duke Ellington. It had a subsidiary called Freedom Records, which concentrated on free jazz releases; this wing was bought by Arista Records in 1975. The label was distributed by Polydor for part of its existence. It became part of D. A. Music in the 1980s, while Bates bought Candid Records in 1989 and shifted the focus of his activities there.
Read the full article on Wikipedia ↗ · From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Artists on Black Lion Records
Dudley Moore
1935–2002 · British actor, comedian, composer and musician (1935–2002)
Cleo Laine
1927–2025 · English jazz singer and actress (1927–2025)
Barney Kessel
1923–2004 · American jazz guitarist (1923–2004)
Julius Hemphill
1938–1995 · American saxophonist (1938-1995)
Guy Lafitte
1927–1998 · French musician (1927–1998)
Ray Nance
1913–1976 · American jazz musician (1913–1976)
Francy Boland
1929–2005 · Belgian musician (1929–2005)
Walter Bishop Jr.
1927–1998 · American jazz pianist and recording artist (1927–1998)
Ottilie Patterson
1932–2011 · Irish singer (1932–2011)
Cliff Jackson
1902–1970 · American pianist (1902–1970)
Ken Colyer
1928–1988 · British musician (1928–1988)
Label profile
UK label (some logos are Black Lion). Sometimes both logos can be found, one on the cover, the other on the label.
The label was introduced by Alan Bates in 1968, so please don't confuse earlier P&C marks with release dates. If not sure, the date should stay vacant. Instead of providing potentially incorrect dates, please denote the distributor and other identifiers that could help to find a reasonable date by times.
The UK headquarter was in London. For some time the label was distributed by Polydor.
Releases with cat# BLP 12xxx are mostly British Dixieland and traditional jazz
Releases with cat# BLP 30xxx are mostly US swing, bop and hard-bop
The earliest Black Lion Records have distinct pink/yellow center labels and are marketed by Transatlantic Records Ltd.
Starting somewhere during 1972 Black Lion Records were released and distributed In Germany by Intercord (see Billboard 4 June 1972, page 52).
Since at least 1987 the German distributor is Deutsche Austrophon GmbH & Co. KG.
Starting November 1973, Black Lion Records was exclusively distributed in North America by Audiofidelity Enterprises, Inc. (see Billboard 15 Sept. 1973 and 10 Nov. 1973).
These US releases cannot, the
Profile from Discogs (CC0)