QRS Records
Encyclopedia
QRS Records was a United States
record label
, which produced three different groups of records 1928-1930, including some notable jazz
and blues
recordings.
The QRS company began in 1900 as a manufacturer of piano roll
s and were one of the leading makers throughout the 20th Century.
. Their studio was located in Long Island City, New York using the New York Gennett recording studio (who pressed their records), Clarence Williams was involved with them as Musical Director during this period. There was a 7000 series for jazz and blues, as well as a 9000 series for country and rural folk. Among the artists who recorded for QRS were Ed Bell
, Clarence Williams, Clifford Gibson
, South Street Ramblers, Earl Hines
, James "Stump" Johnson
, Sara Martin
, Anna Bell and Edith North Johnson
, as well as the preacher Missionary Josephine Miles.
The audio quality of the 1928 QRS records is average for independent record label
s of the period. As they were produced at Gennett's New York studio and were pressed by Gennett, they were identical in quality to 1928 Gennett records. There were no QRS records produced after about April, 1929.
was apparently involved with this series. Where the 1928 QRS records were jazz, blues and gospel, this second series was bland commercial pop bands, all performing standard stock versions featuring little, if any, solo work.
The audio quality for this short-lived second series is also below average for the period, and the pressing quality is below the quality of the 1928 series. This second series was probably created to compete with the new crop of cheap, short-lived labels (Crown
and Hit of the Week
).
Is it not known where either of these separate QRS series were sold, but judging by their short existence, one might assume that they were intended as a store-specific type record label. This has never been substantiated. The 1930 red label series is rarer.
The QRS company continues as a manufacturer of piano rolls and music software to this day.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
record label
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,...
, which produced three different groups of records 1928-1930, including some notable 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...
and blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
recordings.
The QRS company began in 1900 as a manufacturer of piano roll
Piano roll
A piano roll is a music storage medium used to operate a player piano, piano player or reproducing piano. A piano roll is a continuous roll of paper with perforations punched into it. The peforations represent note control data...
s and were one of the leading makers throughout the 20th Century.
Gennett QRS
The earliest known QRS record not only drew from the Gennett catalog but even used the Gennett catalog number and label color-scheme. One of these rare and short lived QRS records is identical to Gennett 5271.Black label record series
They established their second QRS label in 1928 which was run by Arthur Satherly, who had been an executive at Paramount RecordsParamount Records
Paramount Records was an American record label, best known for its recordings of African-American jazz and blues in the 1920s and early 1930s, including such artists as Ma Rainey and Blind Lemon Jefferson.-Early years:...
. Their studio was located in Long Island City, New York using the New York Gennett recording studio (who pressed their records), Clarence Williams was involved with them as Musical Director during this period. There was a 7000 series for jazz and blues, as well as a 9000 series for country and rural folk. Among the artists who recorded for QRS were Ed Bell
Ed Bell
Ed Bell is a former guard and tackle in the National Football League.-Career:Bell's first professional experience was with the Miami Seahawks of the All-America Football Conference. Following his time there, he played with the Green Bay Packers for three seasons.He played at the collegiate level at...
, Clarence Williams, Clifford Gibson
Clifford Gibson
Clifford "Grandpappy" Gibson was an American blues singer and guitarist. He is best known for the tracks, "Bad Luck Dice" and "Hard Headed Blues"....
, South Street Ramblers, Earl Hines
Earl Hines
Earl Kenneth Hines, universally known as Earl "Fatha" Hines, was an American jazz pianist. Hines was one of the most influential figures in the development of modern jazz piano and, according to one source, is "one of a small number of pianists whose playing shaped the history of jazz".-Early...
, James "Stump" Johnson
James "Stump" Johnson
James "Stump" Johnson was an American blues pianist and singer from St. Louis.-Biography:James "Stump" Johnson was the brother of Jesse Johnson, "a prominent black business man," who around 1909 had moved the family from Clarksville, Tennessee, to St. Louis, where he ran a music store and was a...
, Sara Martin
Sara Martin
Sara Martin was an American blues singer, in her time one of the most popular of the classic blues singers. She was billed as "The Famous Moanin' Mama" and "The Colored Sophie Tucker"...
, Anna Bell and Edith North Johnson
Edith North Johnson
Edith North Johnson was an American classic female blues singer, pianist and songwriter. Her most noted tracks were "Honey Dripper Blues", "Can't Make Another Day" and "Eight Hour Woman". She wrote another of her songs, "Nickel's Worth of Liver Blues".-Biography:Born Edith North, in 1928 she...
, as well as the preacher Missionary Josephine Miles.
The audio quality of the 1928 QRS records is average for independent record label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
s of the period. As they were produced at Gennett's New York studio and were pressed by Gennett, they were identical in quality to 1928 Gennett records. There were no QRS records produced after about April, 1929.
Red label (Cova) record series
In early 1930, a new QRS series was started (by the Cova Record Company), which lasted a short time into (possibly) 1931. Carl FentonCarl Fenton
Carl Fenton born as Walter G. Haenschen, was an American bandleader, composer, and radio musician.- Name origin :The Carl Fenton Orchestra was a title given to Brunswick Records studio bands through the 1920s...
was apparently involved with this series. Where the 1928 QRS records were jazz, blues and gospel, this second series was bland commercial pop bands, all performing standard stock versions featuring little, if any, solo work.
The audio quality for this short-lived second series is also below average for the period, and the pressing quality is below the quality of the 1928 series. This second series was probably created to compete with the new crop of cheap, short-lived labels (Crown
Crown records (1930's label)
Crown Records was a New York based dime store label started in 1930 and survived the depression until 1933. Known as the label offering "Two Hits for Two Bits", they sold for 25 cents....
and Hit of the Week
Hit of the Week Records
Hit of the Week Records was a record label based in the United States of America in the early 1930s. Distinctively, "Hit of the Week"s were made not of shellac as was usual for gramophone record of the era, but of a patented blend of paper and resin called Durium...
).
Is it not known where either of these separate QRS series were sold, but judging by their short existence, one might assume that they were intended as a store-specific type record label. This has never been substantiated. The 1930 red label series is rarer.
The QRS company continues as a manufacturer of piano rolls and music software to this day.
External links
- QRS Music official website