Bethlehem Records

Bethlehem Records was an American jazz independent record label, founded by Gus Wildi in 1953.

History

Bethlehem is remembered for its jazz releases from the 1950s. Producers included Creed Taylor and Teddy Charles.<ref name="New Grove">Template:Cite book</ref> Bethlehem released the first albums recorded by singers Chris Connor (the dual releases Chris Connor Sings Lullabys for Lovers and Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland) in 1954, Nina Simone (Little Girl Blue) in 1958, and singer/actress Julie London. Julie London recorded four songs that were released on the EP Julie London, and they were later added to the compilation LP Bethlehem's Girlfriends in 1955, which also featured Chris Connor and Carmen McRae. Bethlehem recorded the debut album by Marilyn Moore and the album Somebody Loves Me by Jerri Winters, in addition to many modern jazz musicians including Howard McGhee, Herbie Nichols, Pat Moran McCoy, and Oscar Pettiford.

In 1958, Bethlehem began a distributing deal with King Records. In 1962, Bethlehem Records was sold and absorbed by King Records.<ref>Callahan, M. & Edwards, D., The Bethlehem Records Story, accessed May 14, 2015</ref> After Syd Nathan died in 1968, King was acquired by Starday Records and relaunched as Starday and King Records. It was purchased in 1970 by Lin Broadcasting and in 1972 by Tennessee Recording & Publishing, until acquired by Gusto Records in 1974. At that time, Bethlehem was purchased by the Cayre brothers' Salsoul Records, who initially intended to release its back catalog for inexpensive 8-track tapes in the 1970s. By 1993, the Bethlehem name was revived as Bethlehem Music Company, although Salsoul is often used as an imprint. The Verse Music Group obtained its licensing in 2010. In 2015 BMG acquired the catalog of Verse Music, including the Bethlehem label.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

During 2013–2014, Verse and Naxos reissued the 1950s catalogue on LP, CD, and digital download. This included music by Art Blakey, Chris Connor, Paula Castle, John Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Nina Simone, Mel Tormé, and Zoot Sims.<ref name="Tamarkin">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Selected acquisitions

In 1956, Period Records sold its jazz LP catalog (10 disks) to Bethlehem. Production of all its jazz recordings was supervised by Leonard Feather. Several of the Period recordings had been previously released by Jazztone for mail-order club release.<ref name="Billboard 1956 Oct 20 p 18">"Beth'hem Buys Period's Jazz LP Catalog," Billboard, October 20, 1956, p. 18</ref>

Discography

BCP 1000 Series

The BCP 1000 Series of 10 inch LP records commenced in September 1954 and ran until July 1955 when the label switched to 12 in LP releases.<ref>Edwards, D. & Callahan, M., Bethlehem Discography, Part 1: BCP-1000 10-inch LP Series (1954-1955), accessed May 13, 2015</ref>

Catalog	Artist	Album
BCP 1001	Template:Sortname	Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland
BCP 1002	Template:Sortname	Chris Connor Sings Lullabys for Lovers
BCP 1003	Template:Sortname	Oscar Pettiford
BCP 1004	Template:Sortname	Great Scott
BCP 1005	Template:Sortname	Ruby Braff Swings
BCP 1006	Template:Sortname	Holiday with Hank
BCP 1007	Template:Sortname	Horn o' Plenty
BCP 1008	Template:Sortname	Aaron Sachs Sextet
BCP 1009	Template:Sortname	The Compositions of Bobby Scott: East Coast Jazz 1
BCP 1010	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/2
BCP 1011	Template:Sortname	Peter the Great
BCP 1012	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/3
BCP 1013	Template:Sortname	I Only Have Eyes for Shu
BCP 1014	Template:Sortname	Jonah Jones
BCP 1015	Template:Sortname	Terry Pollard
BCP 1016	Template:Sortname	Sincerely, Conte
BCP 1017	Template:Sortname	Stan Levey Plays the Composition of Bill Holman, Bob Cooper and Jimmy Giuffre
BCP 1018	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/4
BCP 1019	Template:Sortname	Basically Duke
BCP 1020	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/5
BCP 1021	Template:Sortname	The Most Intimate
BCP 1022	Template:Sortname	Mariano
BCP 1023	Template:Sortname	Carmen McRae
BCP 1024	Template:Sortname	Sapphire
BCP 1025	Template:Sortname	Please, No More Shaggy Dog Stories! I'd Much Rather Listen to Herbie Harper
BCP 1026	Template:Sortname	Lou's Blue
BCP 1027	Template:Sortname	Down in the Depths on the 90th Floor
BCP 1028	Template:Sortname	Hence! Home, You Idle Creatures: Get You Home: and Lend an Ear to Max Bennett
BCP 1029	Template:Sortname	The Compositions of Bobby Scott: 2
BCP 1030	Template:Sortname	The Songs of Bobby Troup
BCP 1031	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quartet
BCP 1032	Template:Sortname	Holiday in Braff
BCP 1033	Template:Sortname, Bob Brookmeyer and Zoot Sims	Happy Minors
BCP 1034	Template:Sortname	Ball at Bethlehem with Braff
BCP 1035	Template:Sortname	Dick Wetmore
BCP 1036	Paula|Castle	Lost Love
BCP 1039	Template:Sortname	Joe DeRise Sings
BCP 1040	Template:Sortname	Wigville

BCP 12-Inch "Deluxe" Series

The BCP "Deluxe" Series of 12 inch LP records commenced in 1955 and ran until 1960.<ref>Edwards, D. & Callahan, M., Bethlehem Discography, Part 2: BCP-1 12-inch LP Series (1955-1960), accessed May 13, 2015</ref> Early releases consisted of reissues of 10 inch albums from the BCP 1000 Series.

In the move to create the BCP 6000 series in the fall of 1956, Bethlehem removed three original recordings from the deluxe series and replaced them with later recordings. These are noted in the table with both releases shown.<ref>Edwards, D. & Callahan, M., Bethlehem Discography, BCP-1 12-inch LP Series (1955-1960), accessed January 20, 2024</ref>

Catalog	Artist	Album	Notes
BCP 1	Template:Sortname and Terry Pollard	Bobby Scott and Terry Pollard	Compilation of BCP-1004 and BCP-1015 (not released)
BCP 2	Template:Sortname and Red Mitchell	Jazz Mainstream	Compilation of BCP-1019 and BCP-1033
BCP 3	Template:Sortname and Bob Hardaway	Jazz Practitioners	Compilation of BCP-1013 and BCP-1026
BCP 4	Template:Sortname and Jonah Jones	Jazz Kaleidoscope	Compilation of BCP-1011 and BCP-1014
BCP 5	Template:Sortname	A Ruby Braff Omnibus	Compilation of BCP-1005 and BCP-1034
BCP 6	Template:Sortname and Vinnie Burke	Bass by Pettiford/Burke	Compilation of BCP-1003 and BCP-1010
BCP 7	Template:Sortname and Aaron Sachs	We Brought Our Axes	Compilation of BCP-1006 and BCP-1008
BCP 8	Template:Sortname	The Compositions of Bobby Scott	Compilation of BCP-1009 and BCP-1029
BCP 9	Template:Sortname and Stan Levey	Westcoasting with Conte Candoli and Stan Levey	Compilation of BCP-1016 and BCP-1017
BCP 10	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/5	Reissue of BCP-1020 with additional material
BCP 11	Template:Sortname	Devil May Care
BCP 12	Template:Sortname	Mellophone
BCP 13	Template:Sortname and J. J. Johnson	K + J.J. / East Coast Jazz/7	Later removed from this series to become BCP 6001 and replaced.
BCP 13	Template:Sortname and Sue Ryan	Mr. and Mrs. Jazz	Replaced original BCP 13 issue.
BCP 14	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/6
BCP 15	Template:Sortname	Don Elliott Sings
BCP 16	Template:Sortname	East Coast Jazz/8
BCP 17	Template:Sortname	Easy Living
BCP 18	Template:Sortname	I'm Nuts About the Most...Sam That Is!
BCP 19	Template:Sortname	A Great Mercer Songbook: Bobby Troup Sings Johnny Mercer
BCP 20	Template:Sortname	This Is Chris
BCP 21	Template:Sortname, Cozy Cole and Charlie Shavers	Jazz at the Metropole Cafe
BCP 22	Smith/Glamann Quintet	Poinciana
BCP 23	Template:Sortname	I'm Wild Again
BCP 24	Template:Sortname Quartet	Flamingo
BCP 25	Template:Sortname	Charlie Mariano
BCP 26	Template:Sortname	I Play Trombone
BCP 27	Template:Sortname	Gershwin, Shavers and Strings
BCP 28	Template:Sortname	6
BCP 29	Template:Sortname	Newport News
BCP 30	Template:Sortname	Toots Sweet
BCP 31	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quartet/Quintet	Later removed from this series to become BCP 6002 and replaced
BCP 31	Template:Sortname	Stu Williamson Plays	Replaced original BCP 31 issue.
BCP 32	Template:Sortname	Jazz Great
BCP 33	Template:Sortname	Oscar Pettiford
BCP 34	Template:Sortname	It's a Blue World
BCP 35	Template:Sortname	The Distinctive Style of Bobby Troup
BCP 36	Template:Sortname	Daddy Plays the Horn
BCP 37	Template:Sortname	This Time the Drum's on Me
BCP 38	Template:Sortname	Jam for Your Bread
BCP 39	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quartet	Later removed from this series to become BCP 6003 and replaced.
BCP 39	Template:Sortname	Shades of Sal Salvador	Replaced original BCP 39 issue.
BCP 40	Template:Sortname and Sam Most	The Herbie Mann-Sam Most Quintet
BCP 41	Template:Sortname	Ralph Sharon Trio
BCP 42	Template:Sortname	The Return of Howard McGhee
BCP 43	Template:Sortname	Songs from the Heart
BCP 44	Template:Sortname	The Jazz City Workshop	Herbie Harper, Larry Bunker, Marty Paich, Curtis Counce, Frankie Capp and Jack Costanzo
BCP 45	Template:Sortname	Why Do I Love You
BCP 46	Template:Sortname Orchestra	Four Horns and a Lush Life
BCP 47	Template:Sortname	Songs of a Woman in Love
BCP 48	Template:Sortname	Max Bennett
BCP 49	Template:Sortname	Charlie Mariano Plays
BCP 50	Template:Sortname	Max Bennett Plays
BCP 51	Template:Sortname	Joe DeRise
BCP 52	Template:Sortname	Mel Tormé and the Marty Paich Dek-Tette
BCP 53	Template:Sortname with Russ Garcia "Wigville" Band	That Old Black Magic
BCP 54	Template:Sortname	Claude Williamson
BCP 55	Template:Sortname	Stu Williamson
BCP 56	Template:Sortname	Chris
BCP 57	Template:Sortname	The View from Jazzbo's Head
BCP 58	Template:Sortname	Herbie Mann Plays	Reissue of BCP-1018 with additional material
BCP 59	Template:Sortname	Frivolous Sal
BCP 60	Template:Sortname	Historically Speaking
BCP 61	Template:Sortname	Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries
BCP 62	Template:Sortname	Relaxin' with Frances Faye
BCP 63	Template:Sortname	Love and the Weather
BCP 64	Template:Sortname	Take the "A" Train
BCP 65	Template:Sortname	The Jazz Experiments of Charlie Mingus	Compilation of Period Records SPL 1107 and SPL 1111
BCP 66	Template:Sortname	The Happy Jazz of Osie Johnson
BCP 67	Template:Sortname and Maxine Sullivan	The Complete Charlie Shavers with Maxine Sullivan
BCP 68	Template:Sortname	Bijou
BCP 69	Template:Sortname	'Round Midnight
BCP 70	Template:Sortname	Sounds by Socolow
BCP 71	Template:Sortname	Grand Stan
BCP 72	Template:Sortname	Say It Isn't So
BCP 73	Template:Sortname	Moody
BCP 74	Template:Sortname	A Tribute to the Greats
BCP 75	Template:Sortname	Sam Most Plays Bird, Bud, Monk and Miles
BCP 76	Template:Sortname	Somebody Loves Me
BCP 77	Template:Sortname	A Swinging Introduction to Jimmy Knepper
BCP 78	Template:Sortname	The Amazing Mr. Sam Most
BCP 79	Template:Sortname	Jazz for Young Moderns
BCP 80	Template:Sortname / Russ Garcia / Herbie Harper	Jazz City Presents Bethlehem Jazz Session
BCP 81	Template:Sortname	Love, Gloom, Cash, Love
BCP 82	Various Artists	Bethlehem's Best Volume One
BCP 83	Various Artists	Bethlehem's Best Volume Two
BCP 84	Various Artists	Bethlehem's Best Volume Three
BCP 85	Various Artists	Nothing Cheesy About This Jazz
BCP 86	Various Artists	We Cut This Album for Bread
BCP 87	Various Artists	Double Barrel Jazz
BCP 88	Various Artists	Jazz Music for People Who Don't Care About Money
BCP 89	Various Artists	We've Built a Jazz Album for You
BCP 90	Various Artists	A Handful of Cool Jazz
BCP 91	Various Artists	A Lot of Yarn But a Well Knitted Jazz Album
BCP 92	Various Artists	No Sour Grapes ...Just Pure Jazz

5000 series

The 5000 series of 12 inch LP records commenced in 1957 but only released six albums.<ref>Edwards, D. & Callahan, M., Bethlehem Records Catalog: 6000, 5000 series - album index, accessed November 8, 2019</ref>

Catalog	Artist	Album
BCP 5001	Template:Sortname	Ted Steele Presents Miss Teal Joy
BCP-5002	Template:Sortname	The Most Intimate
BCP-5003	Template:Sortname	Dick Stabile Plays for You
BCP-5004	Template:Sortname and His Orchestra	Let's Go Dancin'
BCP-5005	Template:Sortname	Clean Head's Back in Town
BCP-5006	Template:Sortname, His Vocal Choir and Orchestra	Sounds in the Night

6000 series

The 6000 series of 12 inch LP records commenced in 1956 and ran until 1964.<ref>Edwards, D. & Callahan, M., Bethlehem Discography, Part 3: BCP-6000 Series, accessed May 13, 2015</ref>

Catalog	Artist	Album
BCP 6001	Template:Sortname and J. J. Johnson	K + J.J.
BCP 6002	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quartet/Quintet
BCP 6003	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quartet
BCP 6004	Template:Sortname	Chris Connor Sings Lullabys of Birdland
BCP 6005	Template:Sortname	Duke Ellington Presents...
BCP 6006	Template:Sortname / Carmen McRae / Julie London	Bethlehem's Girl Friends
BCP 6007	Template:Sortname	The Pat Moran Quartet
BCP 6008	Template:Sortname	Musically Yours
BCP 6009	Template:Sortname	Squeeze Me
BCP 6010	Template:Sortname	The Voice of Audrey Morris
BCP 6011	Template:Sortname	Something Else by Johnny Richards
BCP 6012	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quintet at the Varsity Drag
BCP 6013	Template:Sortname	Mel Tormé Sings Fred Astaire
BCP 6014	Template:Sortname	All of Me: The Debonair Mr. Hartman
BCP 6015	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quintet Plus One
BCP 6016	Template:Sortname	Mel Tormé's California Suite
BCP 6017	Template:Sortname	Frances Faye Sings Folk Songs
BCP 6018	Template:Sortname	While at Birdland
BCP 6019	Template:Sortname	East Coasting
BCP 6020	Template:Sortname	Mel Tormé at the Crescendo
BCP 6021	Template:Sortname and Paul Quinichette	The Chase Is On
BCP 6022	Template:Sortname	Selections of Rogers and Hammerstein
BCP 6023	Template:Sortname's Jazz Messengers	Hard Drive
BCP 6024	Various Artists	Winner's Circle
BCP 6025	Template:Sortname	World on a String
BCP 6026	Template:Sortname	A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry
BCP 6027	Template:Sortname	Art Blakey Big Band
BCP 6028	Template:Sortname	Little Girl Blue
BCP 6029	Template:Sortname	The Australian Jazz Quintet in Free Style
BCP 6030	Template:Sortname	Modern Jazz Performance of Kurt Weill's Three Penny Opera
BCP 6031	Template:Sortname	Songs for Any Taste
BCP 6032	Template:Sortname and His Sextet	Salute to Hamp
BCP 6033	Template:Sortname	The Forward Sound
BCP 6034	Various Artists	Smart, Luscious, Beautiful: Sounds of the Trumpet
BCP 6035	Various Artists	Fifteen Star Saxophones
BCP 6036	Various Artists	Trombone Band Stand
BCP 6037	Various Artists	Big Band Contrast
BCP 6038	Various Artists	Bluesville
BCP 6039	Template:Sortname and Marty Paich	Jazz Music for the Birds and the Hep Cats
BCP 6040	Template:Sortname, Frances Faye and Others	Porgy and Bess: A Jazz Version of Highlights from the Opera
BCP 6041	Template:Sortname / Carmen McRae / Chris Connor	Nina Simone and Her Friends
BCP 6042	Template:Sortname and Jack Teagarden	Meet in Dixieland
BCP 6043	Template:Sortname	The Best of Braff
BCP 6044	Template:Sortname Group	On Campus! Ivy League Jazz Concert
BCP 6045	Template:Sortname	Left Alone
BCP 6046	Template:Sortname	Charlie Persip and the Jazz Statesmen
BCP 6047	Template:Sortname	Leroy Parkins and Yazoo River Jazz Band
BCP 6048	Template:Sortname	The Book Cooks
BCP 6049	Template:Sortname and Hal Overton	Dual Piano Jazz
BCP 6050	Template:Sortname and the Storyville Sextet	Metronome Presents Jazz at the Modern
BCP 6051	Template:Sortname	Down Home
BCP 6052	Template:Sortname	The Soft Land of Make Believe
BCP 6053	Template:Sortname	The Many Angles of John Letman
BCP 6054	Template:Sortname	Hornful of Soul
BCP 6055	Template:Sortname	Dusty Blue
BCP 6056	Template:Sortname and Donald Byrd	Motor City Scene
BCP 6057	Template:Sortname	A Treasury of Spicy Sea Songs
BCP 6058	Template:Sortname	Betty Blake Sings In a Tender Mood
BCP 6059	Template:Sortname	Tenor Sax
BCP 6061	Template:Sortname	Booker Little and Friend
BCP 6062	Template:Sortname and His Orchestra	Watt's Cooking
BCP 6063	Template:Sortname	Humph Plays Standards
BCP 6064	Template:Sortname	Third Dimension
BCP 6065	Various Artists	Golden Jazz Instrumentals
BCP 6066	Template:Sortname	John Coltrane in the Winners Circle
BCP 6067	Template:Sortname	The Epitome of Jazz
BCP 6068	Various Artists	Jazz Vocals Award Album
BCP 6069	Template:Sortname with Shirley Scott at the Organ	The Best of Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis
BCP 6070	Template:Sortname	Jazz for Beach-Niks
BCP 6071	Various Artists	Blues 'N' Folk
BCP 6072	Template:Sortname	The New World of Milt Buckner
BCP 6073	Template:Sortname	Jazz for Surf-Niks

See also

• List of record labels

External links

• The Pictorial Discography of 1000 Series
• Bethlehem Discography