Groove Merchant
Encyclopedia
Groove Merchant was an American jazz and R&B record label during the 1970s. It was ran by producer Sonny Lester and distributed by Pickwick Records
. Notable artists included Chick Corea
, O'Donel Levy, Buddy Rich
, Jimmy McGriff
, and Lionel Hampton
to name a few. Lester would later close Groove Merchant and restructure it as Lester Radio Corporation, or LRC, and have it distributed for a time by T.K. Records. Lester still retains the rights to the Groove Merchant/LRC back catalog and independently distributes them on compact disc.
Pickwick Records
Pickwick Records was an American record label and distributor known for its budget album releases of sound-alike recordings, bargain bin reissues and repackagings under the brands Design, Bravo , Hurrah, Grand Prix, and children's records on the Cricket and Happy Time labels.The label is also...
. Notable artists included Chick Corea
Chick Corea
Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer.Many of his compositions are considered jazz standards. As a member of Miles Davis' band in the 1960s, he participated in the birth of the electric jazz fusion movement. In the 1970s he formed Return to Forever...
, O'Donel Levy, Buddy Rich
Buddy Rich
Bernard "Buddy" Rich was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. Rich was billed as "the world's greatest drummer" and was known for his virtuosic technique, power, groove, and speed.-Early life:...
, Jimmy McGriff
Jimmy McGriff
James Harrell McGriff was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ.-Early years and influences:...
, and Lionel Hampton
Lionel Hampton
Lionel Leo Hampton was an American jazz vibraphonist, pianist, percussionist, bandleader and actor. Like Red Norvo, he was one of the first jazz vibraphone players. Hampton ranks among the great names in jazz history, having worked with a who's who of jazz musicians, from Benny Goodman and Buddy...
to name a few. Lester would later close Groove Merchant and restructure it as Lester Radio Corporation, or LRC, and have it distributed for a time by T.K. Records. Lester still retains the rights to the Groove Merchant/LRC back catalog and independently distributes them on compact disc.
Discography
- GM 501 O'Donel Levy - Black Velvet
- GM 502 Junior ParkerJunior ParkerJunior Parker was an American Memphis blues singer and musician. He is best remembered for his unique voice which has been described as "honeyed," and "velvet-smooth"...
- Blue Shadows Falling - GM 503 Jimmy McGriffJimmy McGriffJames Harrell McGriff was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ.-Early years and influences:...
- Groove Grease - GM 504 Joe ThomasJoe Thomas-Cleveland Browns:Thomas signed a 6-year contract worth $43 million, $23 million guaranteed, including a voidable year, with the Browns. Thomas won the starting left tackle job, with previous Browns left tackle Kevin Shaffer moving to right tackle. He made his NFL debut versus the Pittsburgh...
- Joy Of Cookin - GM 505 Groove Holmes - American Pie
- GM 506 Jimmy McGriff Jimmy McGriffJames Harrell McGriff was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ.-Early years and influences:...
- Let's Stay Together - GM 507 O'Donel Levy - Breeding Of Mind
- GM 508 Lucky ThompsonLucky ThompsonEli "Lucky" Thompson was a United States jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist...
- Goodbye Yesterday - GM 509 Jimmy McGriffJimmy McGriffJames Harrell McGriff was an American hard bop and soul-jazz organist and organ trio bandleader who developed a distinctive style of playing the Hammond B-3 organ.-Early years and influences:...
- Fly Dude - GM 510 Dakota StatonDakota StatonDakota Staton , also known by the Muslim name Aliyah Rabia for a period, was an American jazz vocalist who found international acclaim with the 1957 No...
- Madame Foo Foo - GM 511 Reuben WilsonReuben WilsonReuben Wilson is a jazz organist. He performs soul jazz and acid jazz, and is best known for his title track "Got To Get Your Own"He was born in Mounds, Oklahoma and his family moved to Pasadena when he was 5....
- The Sweet Life - GM 512 Groove Holmes - Night Glider
- GM 513 Junior ParkerJunior ParkerJunior Parker was an American Memphis blues singer and musician. He is best remembered for his unique voice which has been described as "honeyed," and "velvet-smooth"...
- Love Ain't Nothin' But A Business Goin' On - GM 514 Larry WillisLarry WillisLawrence Elliott Willis is an American jazz pianist and composer. He has performed in a wide range of styles, including jazz fusion rock music, Bebop and Avant-Garde...
- Inner Crisis - GM 515 McGriff/Thompson - Concert - Friday the 13th - Cook County Jail
- GM 516 Ramon Morris - Sweet Sister Funk
- GM 517 Lucky ThompsonLucky ThompsonEli "Lucky" Thompson was a United States jazz tenor and soprano saxophonist...
- I Offer You - GM 518 O'Donel Levy - Dawn Of A New Day
- GM 519 George FreemanGeorge FreemanGeorge Freeman is a Canadian comic book penciller, inker, and colorist.Freeman's comic book illustrating career began with Richard Comely's independent Canadian publication, Captain Canuck. He made the move to the majors and subsequently worked on several superhero comics, such as Green Lantern,...
- New Improved Funk - GM 520 Jimmy McGriff/Groove Holmes - Giants of the Organ Come Together
- GM 521 Dakota Staton - I Want A Country Man
- GM 522 Carmen McRae - It Takes A Whole Lot Of Human Feeling
- GM 523 Reuben Wilson - The Cisco Kid
- GM 524
- GM 525 Mike Longo - Funkia
- GM 526 O'Donel Levy - Simba
- GM 527 Groove Holmes - New Groove
- GM 528 Buddy Rich - The Roar of '74The Roar of '74The Roar of '74 is a 1973 studio album by the Buddy Rich big band released on the Groove Merchant Records label in the USA. The album was released in the UK in 1974 on the Mooncrest label by B & C Records...
! - GM 529 Jimmy McGriff - If You're Ready, Come Go With Me
- GM 530 Chick Corea - SundanceSundance (album)Sundance is an album recorded by Chick Corea and released in 1969. In 2002, Blue Note Records re-released all tracks from this album, together with all tracks from 1969's Is and alternate takes from both albums as The Complete "Is" Sessions....
- GM 531 Carmen McRae - Ms. Jazz
- GM 532 Dakota Staton - Ms. Soul
- GM 533 Zoot Sims/Bucky Pizzarelli - Nirvana
- GM 534 Jimmy McGriff - The Main Squeeze
- GM 535 O'Donel Levy - Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky
- GM 2201 Count Basie - Evergreens
- GM 2202 Chick Corea - Sundance
- GM 2203 Jimmy McGriff - Black And Blues
- GM 2204 Jeremy Steig - Fusion
- GM 2205 Jimmy McGriff/Junior Parker - Good Things Don't Happen Every Day
- GM 3300 Jimmy McGriff/Groove Holmes - Giants Of The Organ In Concert
- GM 3301 Buddy Rich - Very Live at Buddy's PlaceVery Live at Buddy's PlaceVery Live at Buddy's Place is a jazz septet album by drummer Buddy Rich recorded in 1974 and released on the Groove Merchant Records label.-Track listing:LP side A#"Chameleon" – 4:52...
- GM 3302 Buddy Rich/Lionel Hampton - Transition
- GM 3303 Buddy Rich - The Last Blues Album Volume 1
- GM 3304 Mike Longo - 900 Shares Of The Blues
- GM 3305 George Freeman - Man & Woman
- GM 3306 Lee Konitz - Chicago n'all That Jazz
- GM 3307 Buddy Rich - Big Band Machine
- GM 3308 Lonnie Smith - Afro-desia
- GM 3309 Jimmy McGriff - Stump Juice
- GM 3310 Joe Thomas - Masada
- GM 3311 Jimmy McGriff - The Mean Machine
- GM 3312 Lonnie Smith - Keep On Lovin
- GM 3313 O'Donel Levy - Windows
- GM 3314 Jimmy McGriff - Red Beans
- GM 3315 Joe Thomas - Feelin's From Within
- 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 - Live 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/Groove Holmes - Supa Cookin
- GM 4410 Dakota Staton - Confessin
- GM 4411 Lucky Thompson - Illuminations