Groove Merchant
Groove Merchant was an American jazz and R&B record label during the 1970s. It was run by producer Sonny Lester and distributed by Pickwick Records. Notable artists included Chick Corea, O'Donel Levy, Buddy Rich, Jimmy McGriff, Lonnie Smith and Lionel Hampton. Lester would later close Groove Merchant and restructure it as Lester Radio Corporation, or LRC; TK Records were distributors for a period. Lester still retains the rights to the Groove Merchant/LRC back catalog and independently distributes them on compact disc.
Discography
500 Series
The Groove Merchant 500 Series consisted of 34 albums released between 1971 and 1974.2200 Series
The 2200 Series, released in 1972, consisted of five albums which feature previously released and/or unissued material produced by Sonny Lester for various other labels.| Catalog | Artist | Album | Notes |
| GM 2201 | Evergreens | originally released as Basic Basie on MPS. | |
| GM 2202 | Sundance | previously unreleased tracks from the 'Is' recording sessions for Solid State. | |
| GM 2203 | Black and Blues | double LP of previously unreleased material recorded circa 1963. | |
| GM 2204 | Fusion | double LP featuring tracks originally released as Energy on Capitol, along with a whole LP of previously unreleased material. | |
| GM 2205 | and Junior Parker | Good Things Don't Happen Every Day | originally released as The Dudes Doin' Business on Capitol. |
3300 Series
The 3300 Series consisted of sixteen albums released between 1973 and 1976.| Catalog | Artist | Album | Notes |
| GM 3300 | and Groove Holmes | Giants of the Organ in Concert | Live 2LP set |
| GM 3301 | Very Live at Buddy's Place | ||
| GM 3302 | and Lionel Hampton | Transition | |
| GM 3303 | The Last Blues Album Volume 1 | Later issued on LRC as Loot To Boot under Illinois Jacquet's name. | |
| GM 3304 | 900 Shares of the Blues | ||
| GM 3305 | Man & Woman | ||
| GM 3306 | Chicago 'n All That Jazz | ||
| GM 3307 | Big Band Machine | ||
| GM 3308 | Afro–desia | ||
| GM 3309 | Stump Juice | ||
| GM 3310 | Masada | ||
| GM 3311 | The Mean Machine | ||
| GM 3312 | Keep on Lovin' | Reissued in 1977 on LRC/T.K. 9312 | |
| GM 3313 | Windows | Reissued in 1977 on LRC/T.K. 9313 | |
| GM 3314 | Red Beans | Reissued in 1977 on LRC/T.K. 9314 | |
| GM 3315 | Feelin's from Within | Reissued in 1977 on LRC/T.K. 9315 |
4000 Series
The 4000 Series, released in 1974–1975, consisted of twelve double LP compilations of previously issued material.- GM 4400 Lionel Hampton: The Works!
- GM 4401 Carmen McRae: Velvet Soul
- GM 4402 Groove Holmes: Hunk–a–Funk
- GM 4403 Jimmy McGriff: Flyin' Time
- GM 4404 Reuben Wilson: Bad Stuff!
- GM 4405 Various Artists: Blues in Concert
- GM 4406 Chick Corea / Mike Longo: Piano Giants
- GM 4407 Buddy Rich: Tuff Dude!
- GM 4408 O'Donel Levy: Hands of Fire
- GM 4409 Jimmy McGriff and Groove Holmes: Supa Cookin'
- GM 4410 Dakota Staton: Confessin'
- GM 4411 Lucky Thompson: Illuminations