Delmark Records


Delmark Records is the oldest American jazz and blues independent record label. It was founded in 1958 and is based in Chicago, Illinois. The label originated in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1953 when owner Bob Koester released a recording of the Windy City Six, a traditional jazz group, under the Delmar imprint.

History

Born in 1932 in Wichita, Kansas, Bob Koester was the son of a petroleum engineer. While in the hospital with polio when he was a child, he listened to the radio and was cheered up when he heard Eddie Condon and Benny Goodman. In his teens he was a dedicated jazz fan who began buying old records from a Salvation Army store. At concerts in Kansas City he heard Red Allen, Count Basie, Jimmy Rushing, Tommy Douglas, Lionel Hampton, and Jay McShann.
Moving from Wichita to St. Louis to attend college, Koester began his career as a record trader in his dormitory room. Joining a local jazz club gave Koester his first taste of live jazz, seeing Clark Terry perform. Koester made acquaintance with a fellow jazz club member, Ron Fister, with whom he opened his first record shop, K & F Sales. Shortly after opening in an old restaurant storefront, they changed the name to the Blue Note Record Shop. About a year after this joint venture, Fister and Koester decided to part ways, with Koester moving to the corner of Delmar and Olive streets in St. Louis. Taking the name from the street his shop was on, Koester recorded a local jazz group the Windy City Six in 1953. Shortly thereafter, Koester found local talent such as James Crutchfield, Speckled Red, J.D. Short, and Big Joe Williams.
Koester moved to Chicago in August 1958. He bought Seymour's Jazz Mart, and in renaming the storefront the Jazz Record Mart, Delmark Records found its new home in the basement of the record shop. By 1963, Koester had moved the shop to a location at 7 West Grand. During this period in Chicago, Delmark released albums by, Barney Bigard, Donald Byrd, Jimmy Forrest, George Lewis, Bud Powell, and Ira Sullivan.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Delmark recorded the Art Ensemble of Chicago, Sonny Stitt, Junior Wells, Luther Allison, Arthur Crudup, Jimmy Dawkins, Sleepy John Estes, Buddy Guy, J. B. Hutto, Jimmy Johnson, Magic Sam, Robert Nighthawk, Yank Rachell, Otis Rush, Roosevelt Sykes, and Malachi Thompson.
In 1966 Chuck Nessa, manager of the Jazz Record Mart, convinced Koester to release albums by musicians associated with the Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians. The first record was Roscoe Mitchell's Sound which received a five star review in Downbeat. This was followed by Muhal Richard Abrams' Levels and Degrees of Light, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre's Humility in the Light of the Creator and Anthony Braxton's For Alto. Delmark released two of the earliest Sun Ra albums, Sun Song and Sound of Joy, in 1967 and 1968 respectively.
Delmark has also released albums by Fred Anderson, Frank Catalano, Rob Mazurek, Nicole Mitchell, Ken Vandermark, Roy Campbell, Jr., and Ethnic Heritage Ensemble; and blues musicians including Zora Young, Ken Saydak, Byther Smith, Michael Coleman, Little Arthur Duncan, Eddie C. Campbell, Jimmy Burns, and ragtime musicians including Terry Waldo.
In March 2010, Delmark announced the release of the album Revisit by the Polish duo Mikrokolektyw. This album was Delmark's first by a European avant-garde jazz group in its 57-year history. In 2012, Delmark released two Chicago blues albums by Linsey Alexander and Mike Wheeler.
In May 2018 Koester retired and sold Delmark Records to Julia A. Miller and Elbio Barilari, two musicians from Chicago. The sale included Delmark's subsidiary labels, CD and LP inventory, the catalog of masters, and Riverside Studio.

Discography

Jazz

Delmark Records began releasing 12 inch LP jazz albums sporadically from 1959 commencing with the 400 series and continuing with the 500 series in 1998.
Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
401The Bob Graf Sessionsalso released as At Winchester
402Blue Stroll
403The John Young Trioalso released as Serenata
404All the Gin Is Gonerecorded 1959
406Bouncing with Bud
407Yusef!reissue of 1956 Transisition LP also released as First Flight by Donald Byrd
408Sound
409Archie Shepp in Europe with the New York Contemporary Fivepartial reissue of 1964 Sonet double LP
410Song For
411Sun SongSun Rareissue of 1957 Transition LP
413Levels and Degrees of Light
414Sound of JoySun Ra
415Three Compositions of New Jazz
416I Remember Newport
417As If It Were the Seasons
418Celebration for Modern Man
419Humility in the Light of the Creator
420/21For AltoDouble LP
422Nicky's Tune
423Young at Heart/Wise in Time
424Birth Sign
425Forces and Feelings
426Made for Each Other and Don Patterson
427Black Forrestrecorded 1959
428Together Alone and Anthony Braxton
429Because of You
430Things to Come from Those Now Gone
431Bad Bascomb
432/33Live at Mandel HallArt Ensemble of ChicagoDouble LP
434Somebody Done Stole My Blues
435Night Train
436Reality
437Modus Operandi
438Honkers And Bar Walkers 1Various Artists
439Big Band Jazz: Tulsa to HarlemVarious Artists
440Shock of the New
441Last Trio Session
442Spirit
443After Hours Joint
444Unit 7
445Upward Spiral
446Tough Town
447Jump Time
448On a Cool Night
449Delayed Exposure
450Takin' Off
451Mellow Mamacompilation of 1947 Apollo recordings
452Honkers and Bar Walkers 2Various Artists
453The Jaz Life
454Experience
455Ace High
456New Kingdom
457Nutville
458East of the Sun
459Rainbow Mistcompilation of 1944 Apollo recordings
460Call of the Gatorscompilation of 1949-50 Apollo recordings
461Straight Up
462The Traveler
463Lift Every Voice
464Brass Knuckles
465Swingtet Live at Andy's
466Renaissance of the Resistance Ritual Trio
467Rain or Shine
468Where or When
469La Tierra del Fuego
470And the Duke's Mencompilation of 1944/47 Apollo recordings
471Arnett Blows for 1300compilation of 1947 Apollo recordings
472How D'You Like It So Far?
473New Standards
474Haint
475Hey Donald
476Up, Over & Out
477Big Cliff Ritual Trio with special guest Billy Bang
478Cerupa
479Portrait in the Mist
480Sinatra Song Book
481Buddy Bolden's Rag and Africa Brass featuring Lester Bowie
482Horns Aplenty
483Skylark and Johnny Varro
484That's for Sure!
485This Is My HouseNRG Ensemble
486Ultimate Frontier
487Safe to Imagine
488Stablemates and Lin Halliday
489Just Found Joy Quartet plus Two
490Front Line
491Warrior
492Deemus
493Sound Songs
494Scotch and Milk
495Motherless Child
496The ContinuumEthnic Heritage Ensemble
49747th Street
498Soul Fountain
499Top and Bottom
500Mode for Mabes
501Cut It Out
502Smiles
503Playground Chicago Underground Orchestra
504Venus
505Groovin' Hard Big Band
506Freebop Now!
507Return of the Lost TribeBright Momentscollaborative project by Joseph Jarman, Kalaparusha Maurice McIntyre, Kahil El'Zabar, Malachi Favors and Adegoke Steve Colson
508Von & Ed and Ed Petersen
509Payne's Window
510In Walked Buckner Quartet
511Possible CubeChicago Underground Trio
512The Song Bird
513Heretic Blues's Quality Six
514Conversations and Kahil El'Zabar's Ritual Trio
515Love You Madly
516Design in Time's Sound in Action Trio
517Freedom Jazz DanceEthnic Heritage Ensemble
518Rising Daystar
519Africa N'Da Blues Ritual Trio
521FlamethrowerChicago Underground Trio
522Control Freak's Quality Six
523Airegin
524Jo'burg Jump' New Horizons Ensemble
525You Talkin' to Me?! and Frank Catalano
526Robbins' Nest: Live at the Jazz Showcase
528Ethnic Stew and Brew
529'
530Modern Man
531Reminiscing Trio
532Talking Horns
533Spirits Entering and Billy Bang
534On the Run, Live at the Velvet Lounge
535At the Partyrecorded 1970
536Live at the Green Mill
537I've Got Rhythm: Live at the Jazz Showcase
538Jumpin' at Apollocompilation of tracks recorded for Apollo between 1945 and 1948
539Mister Lucky and Othello Anderson
540Silver Spines
541Love Outside of Dreams Trio
542Honkers & Bar Walkers Volume ThreeVarious Artists
543Like-Coping
544Four Compositions 2000
545Cape Town Shuffle' New Horizons Ensemble
546Cipher
547TitrationActive Ingredients
548Blue Jazz and Africa Brass with Gary Bartz and Billy Harper
549Back at the Velvet Lounge
550Up Jumped Spring
551Breeding Resistance's Rebel Souls
552Tribute to Hamp and the Chuck Hedges Swingtet
553Morning SongKalaparush and the Light
554Yes Indeed! Women Vocalists on UnitedVarious Artists
555Crazy Walkrecorded for United Records in the 1950s
556Deep Blue BruiseDeep Blue Organ Trio
557We Is and David Murray
558Song Songs Song and Scott Fields
559Mean Ameen' New Horizons Ensemble
560More Questions Than Answers
561Several LightsChicago Luzern Exchange
562Running Out of TimeSavoirFaire
563It's Magic
564High VoltageCommon Ground
565Blues for Hawkrecorded between 1981 and 1986 and originally released on the Pinnacle label
566Live at the River East Art Center Ritual Trio with Billy Bang
567Hypnotic Suggestion
568Timeless, Live at the Velvet Lounge
569Goin' to Town: Live at the Green MillDeep Blue Organ Trio
570The Messenger' New Horizons Ensemble
571Ready Everyday's Fast Citizens
572' Ritual Trio featuring Billy Bang
573ChronicleChicago Underground Trio
574Hot 'n' HeavyEthnic Heritage Ensemble
575Black Unstoppable's Black Earth Ensemble
576Transmigration's Infinity Orchestra
577Live at the Green Mill
578Nature Boy
579Doctor MidnightSabertooth
580Just Like This's Project Project
581The Art of Dying
582Drop It
583Tickle Toe and Sandy MosseRecorded in Chicago in October 1981
584West of State Street / East of Harlem' Swing Orchestra
585Go Red Go!
586Sound Is Quintet
587Renegades's Black Earth Strings
588Old Idea
58921st Century Chase
590Two Cities's Fast Citizens
591RevisitMikrokolektyw
592Get Happy Trio
593Tight Like This
595Stars Have ShapesExploding Star Orchestra
596Down for Double Orchestra with special guest Buddy DeFranco
597Dew PointMikrokolektyw
598The Prairie Prophet' New Horizons Ensemble
599Awakening

2000 Series

Delmark Records 2000 series consisted of eight CD releases between 2011 and 2012 when Delmark commenced the 5000 series.
Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
2011Double DemonStarlickerRob Mazurek, Jason Adasiewicz, John Herndon
2012Spacer's Sun Rooms
2013The Story This Time
2014Explosion!
2015Bright Light in Winter
2016There Now & His Gang
2017Gather's Fast Citizens
2018Stellar Pulsations Pulsar Quartet

5000 Series

Delamark Records 5000 series follows the 2000 series as the main series of Delmark jazz albums from 2012 onwards.
Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
5001Afro Straight
5002What It Is! Quartet
5003Absent MindedMikrokolektyw
5004Aquarius's Ice Crystals
5005Cicada Music
5007The Space Between Exploding Star Electro Acousic Ensemble
5008Heavy Artillery / Andy Brown Quartet
5009A Round Goal's Likely So
5010Blue Skies presents the Jim Holman Trio featuring Roger Humphries
5011Groove Awakening
5012Trance Hypothesis
5013Follow the Sun's Ritural Trio
5014High Red Center Octet
5015Force Majeure's GitGO
5016Folklords
5017From the Region's Sun Rooms
5018In the Wee Small Hours
5019Soloist
5020The Time Inside a Year Group
5021A Dance and a Hop
5022Invitation Trio
5023Direct Call
5024Rows & Rows and Jason Adasiewicz
5025Lucille! Quartet
5026Flow Trio with Joshua Abrams
5027Yes, and... Music for Nine Improvisors
5028Paquito LibreVolcano Radar featuring Paquito D’Rivera
5029New Latin American Music for Guitar And String Quartet and KAIA String Quartet
5030Soulful DaysSoul Message Band
5031Ephemeral Certainties’s Imagery Converter
5032It’s Too Hot for WordsMetropolitan Jazz Octet featuring Dee Alexander

Blues

Delmark Records began releasing 12 inch LP blues albums in 1961 with the 600 series which continued through the 800s by 2008.
Catalog No.AlbumArtistDetails
601The Dirty DozensSpeckled Red
602Piney Woods Blues
603Legend
604Blues on Highway 49
605Lonesome Bedroom Blues
606Mandolin Blues and his Tennessee Jug-Busters
607Hard Drivin' Blues with Homesick James
608Broke and Hungry
609Stavin' Chain Blues and J.D. Short
611Sleepy John Estes in Europe
612Hoodoo Man Blues
613Brownsville Blues
614Look on Yonder's Wall
615West Side SoulMagic Sam Blues Band
616Roosevelt Sykes in Europe Solo
617Hawk Squat and the Hawks with Sunnyland Slim
618Sweet Home ChicagoVarious Artists
619Electric Sleep
620Black MagicMagic Sam Blues Band
621Crudup's Mood
622Carey Bell's Blues Harp
623Fast Fingers
624Chicago Ain't Nothing But a Blues BandVarious Artists
625Love Me Mama
626Blues Piano OrgyVarious Artists
627Nine String Guitar Blues
628Southside Blues Jam with Buddy Guy and Otis Spann
629Blues with a Touch of Soul
630Steady Rollin' Man
631Kidney Stew is Fine
632Feel Like Blowing My Horn
633I Want a Little Girl
634All for Business
635On Tap
636Slidewinder
637He May Be Your Man
638Cold Day in Hell
639Newport Blues
640Blues Hit Big Town
641Blisterstring
642Raining in My Heart
643So Many Roads: Live in Japan
644Johnson's Whacks
645/646Magic Sam LiveMagic Sam2-LP set of recordings from Chicago in 1963/64 and from the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969
647North/South
648The Blues World of Little WalterVarious Artists
649Chicago Style
650Professor StrutProfessor's Blues Revue with Karen Carroll
651The Magic Sam LegacyMagic Sam
652Bluebird Blues and Barkin' Bill Smith
653Ain't It Nice
654Give Me TimeMagic Samcollection of 1968 home recordings
655House Rent PartySunnyland Slim featuring Jimmy Rogers, Willie Mabon and St. Louis Jimmycompilation of 1949 Apollo recordings
656Central Avenue Boogiecompilation of 1947 Apollo recordings
657West Coast JiveVarious Artistscompilation of 1946-47 Apollo recordings by Cee Pee Johnson, Duke Henderson, Lucky Thompson, Al "Stomp" Russell, Frank Haywood and Wynonie Harris
658Fortune Tellin' Man and Dave Specter
659Lay It on 'em GirlsBig Time Sarah and the BTS Express
660Let’s Talk It Over
661Big Wheeler's Bone Orchard with the Ice Cream Men
662The Strongman
663 Goodbye Mr. Blues's State Street Swingers
664Blueplicity
665Lonely Traveler
666Heartaches and Pain
667Too Hurt to Cry
668Get Your Kickscompilation of 1945 Apollo recordings
669East Coast JiveVarious Artistscompilation of 1946-47 Apollo recordings by Babs Gonzales, The Four Blues, Artie Simms, Loumell Morgan, Ben Smith and Babe Wallace
670Sounds in Silhouette
671Let Your Hair Down! and the Blues Swingers
672Gotcha!
673One to Infinity
674Back in the Game with Hi Rhythm
675Wild Cards
676Sweetheart of the Blues
677Live in Europe and the Bluebirds
678Boogie My Blues Away
679Mercurial Son
680Had My Fun
681Live at Westville PrisonLittle Milton
682I Ain't Lyin
683Everybody Boogie!compilation of 1945 Apollo recordings with Illinois Jacquet, Jack McVea and Oscar Pettiford
684Don't You Feel My LegBlu Lu / Wee Bea / Baby Deecompilation of 1946/50 Apollo recordings
685Blues Around the Clock
686Homebrew
687Who Put the Benzedrine in Mrs. Murphy's Ovaltine?
688Live at Blue Chicago
689Crying for My Baby
690Women of Blue ChicagoVarious Artists
691Mississippi Kid & The Night Riders
692Blues in the Year One-D-OneBig Time Sarah and the BTS Express
693Left Turn On Blue
694Leaving Here Walking
695Hello World
696Long Way to Ol' Miss
697Blues Guitar GreatsVarious Artists
698Can't Stop Now & The Wolf Gang
699Blues Before Sunrise Live Vol. 1Various Artists
700700 Blues
701Troubled World
702Working the Road: The Golden Age of Chicago GospelVarious Artists
703Chop Chop BoomVarious ArtistsThe Dandeliers and Other Great Groups on States
704Mary Joe
705Boogie Woogie Stomp with Meade Lux Lewis and Pete Johnson
706West Side Baby
707Talk to the Hand
708All Night Long
709Jump In
710Memphis Slim U.S.AMemphis Slim and his House Rockers featuring Matt "Guitar" Murphy
711Bricks in My Pillow
712Harmonica Blues Kings and Alfred "Blues King" Harris
714Windy City Boogie
715Jump 'n' Shout!Various Artists
716Wrapped in My Baby / Arthur "Big Boy" Spires
717Long Man Blues Various Artists
718Euphonic Sounds
719Ready!
720Straight Out of Chicago
721Blues Spoken Here and Lenny Lynn
722Last Go Round
723Make Room for the Blues
724Kiss of Sweet Blues
725Foolish Man
726Junk Food
727Good Blues to You
728American PeopleTail Dragger
729Talkin' Bout Chicago!
730Night Time Again
731Boot 'Em Up
732Man's Temptation
733Singin' with the Sun
734C' for Chicago
735Smile On My FaceSunnyland Slim
736Blues Had a Baby
738The Neglected Professor
739Biddle Street BarrelhousinVarious Artists
740Dr. FeelgoodPiano Red
741New Role Soul
742All in the Joy
743Can't Take It
744Speculatin
745Pepper's Hangout
746This Is the Blues HarmonicaVarious Artists
747Do Your Thing!
748Learned My Lesson
749Blues Is a Feeling
750A Million of YouBig Time Sarah
751Love Without Trust Band
752I'll Be Your Mule
753Joplin's Disciple
754Hoot & Holler Saturday Night! / Eddie Mackcompilation of 1948/50 Apollo recordings
755The Back Porch Boys and Louis "Jelly Belly" Hayescompilation of 1947-50 Apollo recordings with Blind Willie McTell, Champion Jack Dupree and Brownie McGhee
756McVoutie's Central Avenue Bluescompilation of 1945-46 Apollo recordings with Rabon Tarrant, Wynonie Harris, Wild Bill Moore, Cee Pee Johnson and Duke Henderson
757Killer Diller
758Snake Eyes
759Bye Bye Baby
760On the Battlefield... Great Gospel QuartetsVarious Artists
761Bang Goes My HeeartVarious ArtistsThe Moroccans and Other Great Groups on United
762The Come BackMemphis Slim and his House Rockers with Matt "Guitar" Murphy
763I Smell a Rat
764The Delmark Sessions
765Rockin' Wild in ChicagoMagic Sam
766Feel the Spirit: A Tribute to Mahalia
767I Got Wild
768Switchin' in the Kitchen's Blues Swingers featuring Floyd McDaniel
769Rockin' in the Same Boat
770Back to the Delta
771If Heartaches Were Nickels
772Something Within Me
773Chicago Boogie
774Hold That Train
775The United Records StoryVarious Artists
776Tell MeVarious ArtistsThe Five C's and Other Great Groups on United
777Blues on the InternetDetroit Junior
778Stompin' at Mother Blues
779Is What It Is and Steve Freund
780This Is the Blues Harmonica Vol 2Various Artists
781All Your Love I Miss Loving
782My Head Is BaldTail Dragger
783One Eye OpenMississippi Heat featuring Lurrie Bell
784Tore Up from the Floor Up
785Blues Brunch at the Mart and the Delmark All-Stars
786That Ain't RightMagic Slim and the Teardrops / Joe Carter with Sunnyland Slim
787Live at Theresa's 1975
788Alton Blues
789Live at B.L.U.E.S
790Street Singer: Born 1875
791Gettin' Up Live and Lurrie Bell
792Messin' Around Blues
793Live At Rosa's Blues Lounge
794Live in Chicago
795Hattiesburg BluesMississippi Heat
796Blues on the Moon
797On 80 Highway with Hammie Nixon
798Blues Attack
799Tear This World Up
800It Ain't Over: Delmark Celebrates 55 Years of BluesVarious Artists
801Hey Jodie! Blues Band
802The French Connection
803Live at Rooster's LoungeTail Dragger
804Boogie Woogie KingsVarious Artists
805The Life I Love
806Burnin' Love and the Imperial Flames
807Let's Live It Up!Mississippi Heat
808Jimmy Dawkins Presents The Leric StoryVarious Artists
809Live in Boston 1966 and the Aces
810That's the Way You DoStudebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings
811Love You from the Top
812Gettin' Kinda Rough!
813Low Down Papa
814Bad Girl
815Put It On Me! Blues Band
816The Real Deal and Texas Fire
817Leaving Mood
818Old School RockinStudebaker John
819Spider Eating Preacher
820Grim Reaper
821Still Called the Blues
822Been There Done That
823Delta BoundMississippi Heat
824Self Made Man
825Cell Phone Man
826...In Between Time Chicago Blues Band
827Sunny Road
828Stop LyinTail Dragger
829Blues In My Soul
830Kingsville Jukin'Studebaker John's Maxwell Street Kings
831John the Conquer Root
832Troubles
833Live at the Avant GardeMagic Sam
834Stoned Soul
835Live In Japan with Hammie Nixon
836Message in Blue
837Set Me Free and Gloria Hardiman
838Come Back Baby
839Warning ShotMississippi Heat
840Born & Raised
841It Ain’t Right
842Slip Into a Dream and the Imperial Flames
843Truth
844Corey Dennison Band Band
845Turn Up!! Band
846Omar Coleman Live!
847Can’t Shake This Feeling
848Cab Driving ManMississippi Heat
849Grown Ass Woman and Texas Fire
850Lonesome Highway'
851Two Cats
852Night After Night Band
853Sometimes the Blues Got Me
854Back to ChicagoRockwell Avenue Blues Band
855Tribute to Carey Bell & The Bell Dynasty
856Tribute: Delmark’s 65th AnniversaryVarious Artists
857Willie Buck Way
858Johnny Burgin Live
859Blues from the Inside Out
860If It Ain't Broke Don’t Fix It''