Blue Beat Records is an English record label that released Jamaican rhythm and blues (R&B) and ska music in the 1960s and later decades. Its reputation led to the use of the word bluebeat as a generic term to describe all styles of early Jamaican pop music, including music by artists not associated with the record label.
22-453: The Blue Beat label was founded in 1960, in London, as an imprint of Emil E. Shalit 's Melodisc Records . Melodisc, which was founded in London in 1947, specialised in releasing calypso and mento and imported American jazz music. The Blue Beat label focused on American-influenced Jamaican blues and R&B, which later evolved into ska , and was launched following the positive response in
44-500: A subsequent lawsuit in late 1952; According to Chilkes, Shalit had tricked him into believing that he owned the rights to material actually owned by other companies. In the early 1950s, Melodisc focused on licensing and releasing American jazz and folk records in the UK and had a production and distribution arrangement with Decca Records . After Chilkes was replaced by Trinidadian Rupert Nurse , who became Melodisc's musical director,
66-1396: The 1960s and into the early 1970s. Artists included Prince Buster , Ambrose Campbell , Ginger Johnson , Ravi Shankar , and Lord Kitchener. Emil Shalit died in Slough , England, in 1983, at the age of 73. The discography goes on to say, however, that the Jubilee records were never issued. They were issued on the Disc label instead after the purchase of the matrices by Mo Asch. (Cedric J. Hayes, Gospel Records, 1943–1969: A Black Music Discography (paperback), Robert Laughton) Savoy 809] || LP: track 1. Fela's Special / track 2. Alcana / track 3. Highlife Rakers Calypso / track 4. Wa Ba Mi Jo Bosue Lonnie (vocals) Jim Eanes rhythm guitar Frank Burns electric guitar Arnold Terry rhythm guitar Allen Shelton banjo Cliff Raysdale bass Roy Russell fiddle. His other two records were also recorded at WHEE in May and June 1960 with an unreleased track, "If You Ain't Gonna Love Me". Louis Jordan (alto sax, vocals) Chris Barber (trombone, vocals) Pat Halcox (trombone) Ian Wheeler (clarinet, alto sax) Eddie Smith (banjo) Dick Smith (bass) Graham Burbidge (drums). Recorded at Olympic Studios, Barnes 15 December 1962. In 1968, Nightingale
88-609: The 2-Tone generation. In 1987, Buster Bloodvessel (of the 2 Tone ska revival band Bad Manners ) and producer Ivan Healy Purvis started a brand new record label called Blue Beat Records and licensed the Blue Beat label name and logo. The label was run from a reclaimed riverboat named "The Bloodvessel", which was in Bloodvessel's backyard in Spring Hill. Between 1987 and 1990, this label released several records, including
110-466: The Bad Manners album Return of The Ugly . The Bad Manners single "Skaville UK" was the last Blue Beat single to make an impact on the UK charts, reaching No. 87 in 1989. In 2004, Siggy Jackson was approached by No.1 Station band leader Marcus Upbeat (aka Downbeat) with the idea of starting a revival of The Blue Beat Label. Together Siggy and Marcus released a series of 7-inch singles on the label in
132-401: The Blue Beat label became highly collectable among those who regarded records like Prince Buster's "Al Capone" as classics. When the ska rhythm slowed to rocksteady around 1966, Melodisc started a new sub-label, Fab, and the Blue Beat label stopped issuing new releases after 1967 (although the back catalogue continued to sell for several years). Jackson left to work for EMI , where he founded
154-652: The Blue Beat label's logo became popular. Many records on the Blue Beat label were played alongside soul music in dance clubs such as the Twisted Wheel in Manchester. In addition to appealing greatly to the West Indian community in the UK , the music became associated with the British mods of the early to mid-1960s, as well as the skinheads of the late 1960s. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, records on
176-501: The Columbia Blue Beat label. The Blue Beat label was revived in 1972 for a short run of obscure releases including John Holt's "Ok Fred" and "Sad News" singles. as well as reissues of some of the popular classics from Prince Buster's catalogue such as Al Capone and Ten Commandments Of Man. Later in the decade some of these tunes were once again reissued in 12" single format to supply the new younger audience that emerged from
198-567: The Marvels. Even some Prince Buster hits, including "Wash-Wash", were recorded in London, and involved well-known UK musicians such as Georgie Fame . The Blue Beat label released around 400 singles and over a dozen albums between 1960 and 1967. Prince Buster became the Blue Beat label's biggest star, with songs such as " Al Capone ". Siggy Jackson established a Blue Beat night at the Marquee Club in London, and fashion accessories featuring
220-625: The Pyramids . Siggy also reissued two Laurel Aitken tracks, and a single by the Mopeds which had previously been issued on Columbia Blue Beat. These releases were all limited edition vinyl pressings. Siggy Jackson retired from the music industry in 2008. Marcus Upbeat then acquired The Blue Beat Label to continue with label's revival. In 2011, Marcus Upbeat registered Blue Beat Records Ltd to continue The Blue Beat Label. and in 2011 released another new 7" single on The Blue Beat Label. Marcus then embraced
242-504: The UK in 1960. Following its success, Shalit employed Sigimund "Siggy" Jackson to set up a subsidiary label, Blue Beat , which focused on Jamaican blues and ska music. For several years, the label name became synonymous with Jamaican music in the UK and became associated with the mod and later skinhead sub-cultures of the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1966, Melodisc set up a new sub-label, Fab Records , to release rocksteady music. The Melodisc label continued to release LPs through
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#1732790513094264-470: The United Kingdom to Laurel Aitken 's Melodisc release of "Lonesome Lover". Shalit put Sigimund "Siggy" Jackson in charge of the label, and Jackson subsequently chose the name Blue Beat, which he said was an adaptation of "It sounds like blues and it's got a great beat" or "Blues Beat", which apparently was a generic term for Jamaican blues music at the time. The first release on the Blue Beat label
286-510: The digital single released on The Blue Beat Label, and a new website featuring all the releases on the label over the past sixty years, alongside Marcus Upbeat agreeing a deal with Tipp Investments to acquire a stake in Blue Beat Records Ltd. It has been reported that the deal is due to complete during April 2020. The Blue Beat Label is still going independently as it reaches sixty. Melodisc Records Melodisc Records
308-714: The early 1950s, Melodisc started recording musicians in London, particularly at the Esquire studios in Bedford Court Mansions in Covent Garden. Early recordings were supervised by Denis Preston . Among the musicians recorded were Jamaican -born jazz musician Joe Harriott , pianist Russ Henderson , and the Trinidadians Lord Beginner and Lord Kitchener , whose song "Birth of Ghana" was recorded in London in late 1956. Melodisc
330-497: The emerging and ever faster growing digital age for The Blue Beat Label. An exclusive digital distribution agreement for The Blue Beat Label was implemented and over the following years a few selective No.1 Station and other releases were made available for digital release on iTunes and other reputable digital outlets. The Blue Beat Label got a further reboot in 2019 with the re-release of a No. 1 station single She's So Sweet on 7 inch vinyl marcus upbeat re recorded this all on his own and
352-534: The first—and, at the time, the largest—independent record labels in the UK. Its offices were in Earlham Street, Covent Garden . The company was founded in 1949 when Shalit was still living in New York City , with the initial purpose of licensing American jazz for release in the UK. In London, Melodisc was managed by Jack Chilkes until a disagreement with Shalit led to his departure and
374-475: The label also released rhythm and blues , West Indian, and African recordings. Calypso and mento music was also released to cater to the growing Afro-Caribbean community in Britain . Early Melodisc releases in the UK included 78 rpm and later 45 rpm records, EPs , and LPs by artists such as Big Bill Broonzy , Louis Jordan , Josh White , Woody Guthrie , Lead Belly , and Charlie Parker . From
396-399: The style of The Blue Beat Label's 1960s output. These releases included six singles by No. 1 Station, which featured The Blue Beat Label veteran Eddie 'Tan-Tan' Thornton on trumpet and several guest vocalists, including The Marvels. Siggy Jackson re-issued several tracks from his own back catalogue, as well as one single each from ska revival band Intensified and veterans of The Blue Beat Label
418-438: Was "Boogie Rock" by Laurel Aitken , which was licensed from Dada Tewari's Downbeat label. The Blue Beat label's distinctive blue covers and silver logo first appeared with the label's third release, "Manny Oh" by Higgs and Wilson . The Blue Beat label reached licensing agreements with the majority of major Jamaican producers and also released many home-produced recordings by Siggy Jackson, featuring English-based artists such as
440-598: Was a record label founded by Emil E. Shalit in the late 1940s. It was one of the first independent record labels in the UK and the parent company of the Blue Beat label. Melodisc records was founded by Austrian -born American citizen Emil Edward Shalit (24 December 1909 – 23 April 1983) and his business partner Jack Chilkes. Melodisc began trading in London , England, in August 1949 and soon became established as one of
462-527: Was actively involved in exporting records from Britain to the emerging record-buying markets in West Africa and the Caribbean including Guyanese singer Terry Nelson (aka Halla Gala). From the mid- to late 1950s, Melodisc sought out Jamaican-produced records to distribute in Britain and made deals with producers such as Coxsone Dodd and Duke Reid . It released Laurel Aitken 's "Lonesome Lover" in
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#1732790513094484-496: Was contracted for a tour of Europe for four months. Fatty George (clarinet) Oscar Klein (trumpet) Willy Meerwald (trombone) Bill Grah (piano) Hrinz Grah (bass) Bob Blumenhoven (drums) Recorded at Fatty's Jazz Club, Vienna, Austria EP 2 "Ragtime Annie" / "Soldiers Joy" / "Fall Back Six" / "Butlin's Reel" EP 3"Left Handed Indian Jig"; "Devil's Dream"; "Dip And Dive"; "Birdie In The Cage" || Special 3 EP Set Symarip Too Many Requests If you report this error to
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