Narada Productions
Encyclopedia
Narada is a record label
formed 1983
as an independent New Age music
label and distributed by MCA Records. Now a fully owned subsidiary of EMI
, Narada evolved through an expansion of formats to include music from other styles including world music
, jazz
, Celtic music
, new flamenco
, acoustic guitar and piano genre releases. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Narada created several sub-label imprints to differentiate their offerings in the marketplace, in particular: Sona Gaia, Antiquity Records, Rising Sun Records, Narada World, Narada Jazz, and Narada Mystique. In 1997 (see 1997 in music
), along with its affiliated companies, Narada was purchased by EMI
and put under the aegis of Virgin Records
.
Since the acquisition, Narada was the principal US licensee for Peter Gabriel
's Real World Records
until 2008, and the various sub-labels of Narada were retired and their albums folded into the company's main imprint, Narada. Higher Octave
, also acquired by EMI in 1997 was absorbed into Narada in 2004 as a sub-label retaining its imprint but not its staff. Higher Octave's roster of artists and albums was significantly reduced as part of this merger. During the first few years of the decade, Narada created a short-lived sub-label titled Shakti Records for releasing electronic chill-out music, but this imprint did not see much activity and was dropped as Narada's focus on contemporary jazz releases increased. Back Porch Records
(folk and Americana music) was also acquired by EMI in 1997 and became a sub-label imprint under the Narada umbrella.
In 2005, Narada was named as #4 in the 2005 top 4 Contemporary Jazz labels in Billboard
's year-end issue summary charts.
In 2006, Narada (including Higher Octave and Back Porch Music) was moved by EMI from its original location in the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale, Wisconsin
, to EMI's New York City
headquarters, to become part of the newly expanded role for Blue Note Records
with EMI, which is to function as EMI's consolidated label group for music for adults. Additional labels joining Blue Note in this new function are Mosaic Records
, Capitol Jazz, Roulette Jazz, Pacific Jazz, Manhattan, Angel & Metro Blue. Each of those, including Narada and Higher Octave, will continue to use their existing imprints. As part of this consolidation, Narada's involvement with New Age music has been reduced with Narada's focus narrowed to mainly Contemporary Jazz, while Narada's New Age music content migrates to sister label Higher Octave.
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
formed 1983
1983 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...
as an independent New Age music
New Age music
New Age music is music of various styles intended to create artistic inspiration, relaxation, and optimism. It is used by listeners for yoga, massage, meditation, and reading as a method of stress management or to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home or other environments, and is often...
label and distributed by MCA Records. Now a fully owned subsidiary of EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
, Narada evolved through an expansion of formats to include music from other styles including world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
, jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Celtic music
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...
, new flamenco
Flamenco
Flamenco is a genre of music and dance which has its foundation in Andalusian music and dance and in whose evolution Andalusian Gypsies played an important part....
, acoustic guitar and piano genre releases. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Narada created several sub-label imprints to differentiate their offerings in the marketplace, in particular: Sona Gaia, Antiquity Records, Rising Sun Records, Narada World, Narada Jazz, and Narada Mystique. In 1997 (see 1997 in music
1997 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1997.-January:*January 9 – David Bowie performs his 50th Birthday Bash concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City, USA with guests Frank Black, The Foo Fighters, Sonic Youth, Robert Smith of The Cure, Lou Reed, and Billy...
), along with its affiliated companies, Narada was purchased by EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
and put under the aegis of Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
.
Since the acquisition, Narada was the principal US licensee for Peter Gabriel
Peter Gabriel
Peter Brian Gabriel is an English singer, musician, and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis. After leaving Genesis, Gabriel went on to a successful solo career...
's Real World Records
Real World Records
Real World Records is a record label started in 1989 by Peter Gabriel to record and produce world music.-Overview:The label grew up alongside the success of the WOMAD festivals and Peter Gabriel's exploration of music from other cultures, and helped push world music into the general public's...
until 2008, and the various sub-labels of Narada were retired and their albums folded into the company's main imprint, Narada. Higher Octave
Higher Octave
Higher Octave is a sub-label imprint of Narada Productions, which is part of EMI's Blue Note Records label group, located in New York.Higher Octave was founded in 1986 as an independent record label specializing in a wide variety of uplifting music, including smooth jazz, New Age music, Latin music...
, also acquired by EMI in 1997 was absorbed into Narada in 2004 as a sub-label retaining its imprint but not its staff. Higher Octave's roster of artists and albums was significantly reduced as part of this merger. During the first few years of the decade, Narada created a short-lived sub-label titled Shakti Records for releasing electronic chill-out music, but this imprint did not see much activity and was dropped as Narada's focus on contemporary jazz releases increased. Back Porch Records
Back Porch Records
Back Porch Records is an Americana/Roots rock label owned by EMI Music. The label was started in 1997 as joint venture between Virgin Records and Milwaukee-based Narada Productions. The labels initial releases, including the popular I-10 Chronicles compilations, were produced by Virgin Records...
(folk and Americana music) was also acquired by EMI in 1997 and became a sub-label imprint under the Narada umbrella.
In 2005, Narada was named as #4 in the 2005 top 4 Contemporary Jazz labels in Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's year-end issue summary charts.
In 2006, Narada (including Higher Octave and Back Porch Music) was moved by EMI from its original location in the Milwaukee suburb of Glendale, Wisconsin
Glendale, Wisconsin
Glendale is a city in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 13,367 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Glendale is located at ....
, to EMI's New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
headquarters, to become part of the newly expanded role for Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records
Blue Note Records is a jazz record label, established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis. Francis Wolff became involved shortly afterwards. It derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. At the end of the 1950s, and in the early 1960s, Blue Note headquarters...
with EMI, which is to function as EMI's consolidated label group for music for adults. Additional labels joining Blue Note in this new function are Mosaic Records
Mosaic Records
Mosaic Records is an American specialist jazz record label, founded in 1983 by Michael Cuscuna and Charlie Lourie to issue coherent limited edition box sets of jazz recordings by individual musicians, which had fallen out-of-print...
, Capitol Jazz, Roulette Jazz, Pacific Jazz, Manhattan, Angel & Metro Blue. Each of those, including Narada and Higher Octave, will continue to use their existing imprints. As part of this consolidation, Narada's involvement with New Age music has been reduced with Narada's focus narrowed to mainly Contemporary Jazz, while Narada's New Age music content migrates to sister label Higher Octave.
Past and present artists on the Narada label
- Alasdair FraserAlasdair FraserAlasdair Fraser is a Scottish fiddler.Fraser operates Culburnie Records, and is a leading artist on the label. He has founded three summer fiddling programs: the fiddle camp in California , a week-long course on the Isle of Skye and the more recent in California...
- Altan
- Artie TraumArtie TraumArtie Traum was a New Age Voice Award-winning guitarist, producer and songwriter. Traum's work appeared on more than 35 albums...
- Azam AliAzam Ali-Biography:Born in Tehran, Iran 1970, Ali spent most of her childhood in Panchgani, India. Ali and her mother moved to Los Angeles, California in 1985, after which Ali discovered the santour...
- Billy McLaughlinBilly McLaughlinBilly McLaughlin is a new age acoustic guitarist, composer and producer from Minnesota, United States.McLaughlin is a five-time Minnesota Music Award winner with 11 CD releases and Billboard Top-Ten Chart history. He has recorded on the Narada label....
- Bradley JosephBradley JosephBradley Joseph is an American composer, arranger, and producer of contemporary instrumental music. His compositions include works for orchestra, quartet, and solo piano, while his musical style ranges from "quietly pensive mood music to a rich orchestration of classical depth and breadth".Active...
- Brenda RussellBrenda RussellBrenda Russell is an American-Canadian singer-songwriter and keyboardist. Known for her eclectic musical style, her recordings have encompassed several different genres, including pop, soul, dance, jazz and adult contemporary...
- David ArkenstoneDavid ArkenstoneDavid Arkenstone is an American New Age musician. His music is primarily instrumental, with occasional vocalizations. He was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 1, 1952. He has three children—Quillon, Dashiell and Valinor—with his first wife, Julie...
- David LanzDavid LanzDavid Lanz is a Grammy-nominated New Age pianist. His most popular album, Cristofori's Dream, topped the New Age charts in 1988, which was No. 1 on Billboard's first adult alternative/New Age chart for 27 weeks and eventually sold platinum. Natural States peaked at No...
- Don RossDon Ross (guitarist)Donald James Ross , commonly known as Don Ross, is a Canadian fingerstyle guitarist noted for the emotion and intensity of his playing as well as his use of extended technique....
- Down to the Bone
- Jeff LorberJeff LorberJeff Lorber is an American Grammy Award-nominated keyboardist, composer, and record producer.After leading his own group, The Jeff Lorber Fusion, he went on to pioneer the smooth jazz genre....
- Jesse CookJesse CookJesse Cook is a Toronto-based guitarist, born in Paris to Canadian parents. Like other guitarists of his style of music, he incorporates funky jazz, latin & world music into his playing. Cook is also well known for the energy of his live shows. He has contributed to the Afro Celt Sound System album...
- John DoanJohn DoanJohn Doan is one of the best-known harp guitarists in the world. In addition, he is a performer, Emmy-nominated composer, historian, instrument collector, and university professor.-Background:...
- Joyce CoolingJoyce CoolingJoyce Cooling, a San Francisco based jazz guitarist, vocalist and songwriter, has recorded seven albums - five of which charted on Billboard. She has to her credit two #1 singles, six Top-10 and 13 charting radio singles in all and has garnered multiple music awards including the Gibson Best Jazz...
- Kate PriceKate PriceKate Price is a hammered dulcimer player and vocalist born in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has made recordings on several labels, including Priceless Productions, Access Music, Higher Octave / Om Town, Narada Productions, and LunaVerse Music....
- Kathy MatteaKathy MatteaKathleen Alice "Kathy" Mattea is an American country music and bluegrass performer who often brings folk, Celtic and traditional country sounds to her music. Active since 1983 as a recording artist, she has recorded seventeen albums and has charted more than thirty singles on the Billboard Hot...
(2001–2007) - Keiko MatsuiKeiko Matsui, born in Tokyo as Keiko Doi, is a Japanese smooth jazz/jazz fusion/new age/ keyboardist and composer whose career spans three decades, during which time she has released twenty CDs and has received international acclaim....
- Kim RobertsonKim RobertsonKim Robertson is a Celtic harp player. She was born in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and classically trained on piano and orchestral harp. Her work encompasses over 20 album projects, several volumes of harp arrangements, instructional videos, and an international itinerary of concerts and retreats...
- Lila DownsLila DownsLila Downs is a Mexican singer-songwriter. She performs her own compositions as well as tapping into Mexican traditional and popular music...
- Michael JonesMichael Jones (new age pianist)Michael Jones is a New Age pianist, author, and lecturer.- Biography :Jones is a native of Ontario, Canada. His first album, Pianoscapes, was the first album released on the Narada record label.- Original discography :...
- Oscar LopezOscar LopezOscar Lopez is a Chilean-Canadian folk and nouveau flamenco guitarist. He has won many awards from the Latino community....
- Paul CardallPaul CardallPaul Cardall is an American pianist.-History:Cardall says his earliest memories of music were songs learned in Primary....
- Peter BuffettPeter BuffettPeter Andrew Buffett is an American musician, composer, author and producer. Buffett is the second son of investor Warren Buffett and his late wife Susan Buffett.-Biography:...
- Tingstad & RumbelTingstad & RumbelEric Tingstad and Nancy Rumbel are musicians who have performed, recorded and traveled together since 1985, and are responsible for 19 albums....
- Tony LevinTony LevinTony Levin is an American progressive rock musician, specializing in bass guitar, Chapman stick and upright bass ....
- VasVas (band)Vas was an alternative world musical group composed of Persian vocalist Azam Ali and American percussionist Greg Ellis. Vas is frequently compared to the Australian band Dead Can Dance. The band released four full-length albums, and both artists have released a few solo albums and participated in...
Narada compilation albums (various artists)
- 20 Years of Narada Piano20 Years of Narada Piano20 Years of Narada Piano is a 2001 compilation release by Narada. It peaked at #12 on Billboard's Top New Age album charts in the same year.-Track listing:*1.1 "Endings" – Michael Jones – 5:33*1.2 "Sunrise" – Kostia – 5:02...
- Grand Piano (Narada Anniversary Collection)Grand Piano (Narada Anniversary Collection)Grand Piano is a 1997 compilation release by Narada. It peaked at #10 on Billboard's Top New Age album charts in the same year.From album liner:...
- Narada Smooth JazzNarada Smooth JazzNarada Smooth Jazz is a 1997 compilation release by Narada. It peaked at #25 on Billboard's Top Contemporary Jazz Albums in the same year.-Track listing:*1.01 "Redwood/Nocturne" – Spencer Brewer – 4:20...
- Stories (Narada Artist Collection)Stories (Narada Artist Collection)Stories is a 1998 compilation release by Narada."Extraordinary performers reveal their artistic inspirations in deeply personal instrumental memoirs".-Track listing:#"Bahama" – Artie Traum – 4:26...
- The Next Generation - Narada SamplerThe Next Generation - Narada SamplerThe Next Generation - Explore Our World is a 1997 Narada sampler introducing their "Next Generation" of artists.-Track listing:#Jesse Cook Introduction – 0:52#"Mario Takes A Walk" – Jesse Cook – 3:47...
- Narada Film and Television Music SamplerNarada Film and Television Music SamplerNarada Films and Television Music Sampler is a 2003 U.S. EMI Film & TV Music publishing 2CD sampler that represents an overview of the Narada catalog, demonstrating the breadth and diversity of the Narada roster.-Disc One:...
External links
- Official website
- Narada
- Narada listing at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...