Debut Records was an American jazz record company and label founded in 1952 by bassist Charles Mingus, his wife Celia, and drummer Max Roach.

This short-lived label was an attempt to avoid the compromises of working for major companies. Intended to showcase performances by new musicians, only about two dozen albums were issued before the company closed in 1957.Debut Records discography at Jazzdisco.org; accessed January 2, 2012 Nonetheless, several prominent jazz musicians made their first recordings as leaders for Debut, including pianist Paul Bley, and trumpeters Kenny Dorham and Thad Jones. Saxophonist Hank Mobley made his recording debut on the label, as a sideman with Roach.Pekar, H. A View of Debut, Metro, Oct. 30-Nov. 5, 1997 Teo Macero, later a producer with Miles Davis, recorded his first album as a leader as a saxophonist for Debut, an album described by critic Dan MorgensternSee Morgenstern's notes for the 4-CD set The Debut Records Story as an oddball fusion of Lennie Tristano and Anton Webern.

Debut was the label on which the Jazz at Massey Hall concert album was first issued. Recorded in Toronto, it features Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, and Max Roach, and was the last recorded meeting of long-term musical partners Parker and Gillespie.

In 1957, Danish bookseller Ole Vestegaard leased the company's catalogue from Mingus and produced recordings on the Danish Debut label by American jazz musicians who settled in Copenhagen or played at Jazzhus Montmartre.Jazzistmark: The Legengary Debut Label accessed May 2, 2016

After Celia and Charles Mingus divorced, Celia married Saul Zaentz in 1960. Charles gave the Zaentzes control of the rights to Debut catalog as a wedding gift. Mingus thought the gift fitting as Celia had handled the bulk of Debut's business affairs, and most of the seed money came from Celia's mother. Zaentz was later head of Fantasy Records, where the Debut recordings were subsequently reissued from 1962–1964.Fantasy's Debut Series at Discogs

A 12-CD set of the Debut recordings featuring Mingus, the majority of the label's output, was issued by Fantasy Records in 1990. A four-CD sequence entitled Mingus Rarities (Original Jazz Classics) collected some of the more obscure material featuring Mingus.

Discography

Albums

Debut Ten-inch series +Catalog numberYearArtistTitleNotesDLP 11953Charles Mingus/Spaulding GivensStrings and KeysDLP 21953The QuintetJazz at Massey Hall, Volume OneliveDLP 31953Bud Powell TrioJazz At Massey Hall, Volume TwoliveDLP 41953The QuintetJazz at Massey Hall, Volume ThreeliveDLP 51953Trombone RapportJazz Workshop, Vol. 1liveDLP 61953Teo MaceroExplorationsDLP 71954Paul BleyIntroducing Paul BleyDLP 81954Oscar PettifordThe New Oscar Pettiford SextetDLP 91954Kenny DorhamKenny Dorham QuintetDLP 101954John LaPortaThe John LaPorta QuintetDLP 111954Sam MostSam Most Quartet Plus TwoDLP 121954Thad JonesThe Fabulous Thad JonesDLP 131955Max RoachThe Max Roach Quartet featuring Hank MobleyDLP 141955Trombone RapportJazz Workshop, Vol. 2liveDLP 151955Ada MooreJazz Workshop, Vol. 3liveDLP 161955Hazel ScottRelaxed Piano MoodsDLP 171955Thad Jones/Charles MingusJazz Collaborations, Vol. 1

Debut Twelve-inch series +Catalog numberYearArtistTitleNotesDEB 1981955Jazz WorkshopAutobiography in JazzDEB 1201955Miles DavisBlue MoodsDEB 1211956?John DennisNew Piano ExpressionsDEB 1221956John LaPortaThree MoodsDEB 1231956Charles MingusMingus at the BohemialiveDEB 1241956The QuintetJazz at Massey Halllive; compiles DLP 2 & DLP 4DEB 1251957Alonzo LevisterManhattan MonodramaDEB 1261957Kai Winding + J.J. JohnsonFour Tromboneslive; recorded alongside DLP 5 & DLP 14DEB 1271958Thad JonesThad JonesDEB 128N/ACharles MingusChazz!(UNISSUED); issued in Denmark as DEB 139DEB 129N/AJimmy KnepperNew Faces(UNISSUED) some of the material appeared on Debut DL 101 – Danish EP

Danish Debut Twelve-inch series +Catalog numberYearArtistTitleNotesDEB 1301960The Four TrombonesTrombone Rapportlive; compiles DLP 5 & DLP 14DEB 1311960Coleman Hawkins/Bud Powell/Oscar Pettiford/Kenny ClarkeThe Essen Jazz Festival All Stars DEB 1321960Oscar Pettiford and His Jazz GroupsMy Little Cello DEB 1331960The Axen/Jaedig Jazz GroupsLet's Keep the Message Bent Axen/Bent JædigDEB 1341961Jorn ElniffMusic for Mice and Men DEB 1351961Louis Hjulmand & Allan Botschinsky Featuring Oscar PettifordBlue Brothers/Blue Bros.DEB 1361962Eric DolphyEric Dolphy in Europe liveDEB 1371962Brew MooreBrew Moore in Europe liveDEB 1381963Cecil TaylorLive at the Cafe Montmartre liveDEB 1391963Charles MingusChazz! live; recorded concurrently with DEB 123; partially reissued on Fantasy as The Charles Mingus Quintet & Max Roach in 1964DEB 1401964Albert AylerMy Name Is Albert Ayler DEB 1411964Sahib ShihabSahib's Jazz Party liveDEB 1421964Don ByasDon Byas' 30th Anniversary Album DEB 1431965The Contemporary Jazz Quartet Featuring Sonny MurrayAction DEB 1441965Albert AylerGhosts reissued on Freedom as VibrationsSDEB 11451965The Radio Jazz GroupThe Radio Jazz GroupDEB 1461964?Albert AylerSpirits reissued on Freedom as Witches & DevilsDEB 1471965Paul Bley TrioTouching DEB 11481966Hugh SteinmetzNu!DEB 1481965?Cecil Taylor Jazz UnitNefertiti, the Beautiful One Has ComeliveDEB 11491967Bent JaedigBent Jaedig QuintetDEB 1501967Palle Mikkelborg Og Radio Jazz GruppenThe Mysterious CoronaDEB 151196The Contemporary Jazz QuintetT.C.J.Q.

Singles and EPs

Debut 78 RPM series (10" shellac) +Catalog numberYearArtistTitleNotesM-1011952Charles Mingus"Precognition" / "Portrait"M-1021952Charles Mingus"Paris in Blue" / "Make Believe"M-1031952Charles Mingus"Montage" / "Extrasensory Perception"M-1041953Hal Mitchell"Confidentially" / "Mitch's Blues"M-1051953Max Roach"Orientation" / "Mobleyzation"M-1061953Max Roach"Glow Worm" / "Sfax"M-1071953Max Roach"Just One of Those Things" / "Drum Conversation"M-1081953Max Roach"Kismet" / "Chi-Chi"M-1091953Max Roach"I'm a Fool to Want You" / "Cou-Manchi-Cou"M-1101953The Gordons with the Hank Jones Trio"Bebopper" / "Can You Blame Me Me"M-1111953Honey Gordon with the Hank Jones Trio"You and Me" / "Cupid"M-1121955Don Senay with Strings"The Edge of Love" / "Fanny"

Debut Seven-inch series +Catalog numberYearArtistTitleNotesEP-4501954Charles Mingus OctetCharles Mingus OctetEP-4511954The Max Roach SeptetThe Max Roach Septetreissued on DLP 13 CD reissue

See also List of record labels

References

External links Debut Records Discography Project Page