Chiaroscuro Records is a jazz record company and label founded by Hank O'Neal in 1970. The label's name comes from the art term for the use of light and dark in a painting. O'Neal came up with the name via his friend and mentor Eddie Condon, a jazz musician who performed in what were called Chiaroscuro Concerts in the 1930s. O'Neal also got the name from a store that sold only black and white dresses. O'Neal ran the label from 1969 to 1977 and produced all but two of the albums. Its catalogue included Earl Hines, Joe Venuti, Teddy Wilson, George Barnes, and Ruby Braff. O'Neal sold the label to Audiophile Enterprises in 1978, then bought back the catalogue when he started SOS Productions in 1987. Chiaroscuro released new discs and reissues through the 1990s.
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Artists on Chiaroscuro Records
Don Cherry
1936–1995 · American jazz trumpeter (1936–1995)
Louie Bellson
1924–2009 · American jazz drummer (1924–2009)
Nat Adderley
1931–2000 · American jazz cornet and trumpet player (1931–2000)
Frank Wess
1922–2013 · American saxophonist, flutist, composer and arranger
Ted Curson
1935–2012 · Jazz trumpeter (1935–2012)
Junior Mance
1928–2021 · American musician (1928–2021)
Eddie Condon
1905–1973 · US musician (1905–1973)
Urbie Green
1926–2018 · American jazz trombonist (1926–2018)
Bud Freeman
1906–1991 · American musician (1906–1991)
Milt Hinton
1910–2000 · American musician and photographer (1910-2000)
Ralph Sutton
1922–2001 · American pianist (1922–2001)
Dorothy Donegan
1924–1998 · American jazz pianist (1922–1998)
Flip Phillips
1915–2001 · American jazz tenor saxophone and clarinet player…
Perry Robinson
1938–2018 · American musician (1938–2018)
Bill Charlap
b. 1966 · American jazz pianist, also know as the GOAT
Eddie Locke
1930–2009 · American musician (1930–2009)
Bobby Durham
1937–2008 · American musician (1937–2008)
Bill Barron
1927–1989 · American musician (1927–1989)
Label profile
US jazz label founded by Hank O'Neal in 1970.
Around April 1973, acquired the distribution rights of the label that appears to be more than just helping their records get into stores. They invested in the company as well as the studio (also owned by O'Neal) . In 1978, Audiofidelity bought the label and allowed O'Neal to keep the studio. It took until 1982 for O'Neal to get the whole amount from Audiofidelity. Chiaroscuro Records was bought back by O'Neal and his business partner Andrew Sordonia in 1987 via their newly formed company, SOS Productions, Inc.. They established a business headquarters in Wilkes Barre, PA while maintaining the creative office and studio in New York City. Donated by its owners to in 2011, which continues to own and operate the label.
The label's name comes from the art term for the use of light and dark in a painting. O'Neal got the name from his friend and mentor Eddie Condon, a jazz musician who played in what were called Chiaroscuro Concerts in the 1930s. O'Neal also got the name from a store that sold only black and white dresses.
Profile from Discogs (CC0)