Sledgehammer Blues is an independent record label owned by Valley Entertainment

Valley Entertainment

Valley Entertainment is a United States music distributor and independent record label based in New York City. The company was founded in 1996 by Barney Cohen, president and CEO. In 2001, they acquired the prestigious back catalogue of space, ambient, and New Age music from Hearts of Space Records...

 that was formerly named AudioQuest Music.

From the label’s website, “The blues label was founded in the late 1980s with the mission to create the highest standard audiophile

Audiophile

An audiophile is a person who enjoys listening to recorded music, usually in a home. Some audiophiles are more interested in collecting and listening to music, while others are more interested in collecting and listening to audio components, whose "sound quality" they consider as important as the...

 recordings based on the technology available. These are analog recordings using custom built tube electronics and eschewing noise reduction, compression, equalization or sound limiters. By recording the most proficient artists available at the highest possible standards, these recordings have been adapted to every subsequent audiophile platform-XRCD, SACD

SACD

SACD, founded as Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques on 7 March 1829, is a French collecting society, undertaking collective rights management for authors...

, etc.”

Discography

Selection Number	Artist	Album
2-AQM-1001	Robert Lucas	Usin’ Man Blues
2-AQM-1002	Strunz & Farah Strunz & Farah Strunz & Farah is a guitar duo with an eclectic sound that have been described as a cross between world fusion and flamenco.-History:Jorge Strunz, born in Costa Rica, and Ardeshir Farah, hailing from Iran, met in the United States in 1979. Jorge Strunz was one of the founders of the Latin jazz...	Misterio
2-AQM-1003	Tuxedo Cowboy	Woman of the Heart
2-AQM-1004	Robert Lucas	Luke and the Locomotives
2-AQM-1005	Trio Galanterie	Eighteenth Century Music for Lute and Strings
2-AQM-1006	Mokave	Volume 1
2-AQM-1007	Mokave	Volume 2
2-AQM-1008	Various Artists	Works of Art, Volume 1
2-AQM-1009	Larry Willis Larry Willis Lawrence 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...	Steal Away
2-AQM-1010	Victor Lewis Victor Lewis Victor Lewis is an American jazz drummer, a major force in the genre since the 1980s.-As leader:*1992: Family Portrait - with John Stubblefield, Edward Simon, Cecil McBee, Don Alias, Jumma Santos...	Steal Away
2-AQM-1011	Robert Lucas	Built for Comfort
2-AQM-1012	Bruce Katz Bruce Katz Bruce Katz is an American musician, playing piano, organ and bass guitar. Since 1996, he has been on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an associate professor.-Biography:...	Crescent Crawl
2-AQM-1013	Sasha Matson	Steel Chords
2-AQM-1014	Jeff Palmer	Ease On
2-AQM-1015	Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain is an American Grammy nominated soul blues singer and songwriter.-Life and career:As a five year old, he began singing in his mother's Gospel Church...	Give It Up To Love
2-AQM-1016	Various Artists	Works of Art Volume 2
2-AQM-1017	Bennie Wallace Bennie Wallace Bennie Wallace is an American post bop, swing music and jazz tenor saxophonist born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, probably better known for his work with Monty Alexander and Sheila Jordan during the 1970s. He settled in New York in 1971 and played with Barry Harris, Buddy Rich, Dannie Richmond...	The Old Songs
2-AQM-1018	Ronnie Earl Ronnie Earl Ronnie Earl is an American blues guitarist and music instructor.-Career:Earl collected blues, jazz, rock and soul records while growing up. He studied American History at C.W...  and The Broadcasters	Still River
2-AQM-1019	Les Arbuckle	No More No Les
2-AQM-1020	Rob Mullins	One Night In Houston
2-AQM-1021	Robert Lucas	Layaway
2-AQM-1022	Larry Willis Larry Willis Lawrence 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...	A Tribute to Someone
2-AQM-1023	James Newton James Newton James W. Newton is an American jazz flautist, composer, and conductor.-Biography:From his earliest years, James Newton grew up immersed in the sounds of African American music, including urban blues, rhythm and blues, and gospel. In his early teens he played electric bass guitar, alto saxophone,...  Ensemble	Suite For Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo Frida Kahlo de Rivera was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacán, and perhaps best known for her self-portraits....
2-AQM-1024	Mokave	Afrique
2-AQM-1025	Edward Simon Group	Beauty Within
2-AQM-1026	Bruce Katz Bruce Katz Bruce Katz is an American musician, playing piano, organ and bass guitar. Since 1996, he has been on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an associate professor.-Biography:...	Transformation
2-AQM-1027	Doug MacLeod Doug Macleod (Blues Musician) -Life and career:Doug MacLeod was born in New York in 1946. Although now associated with his home in Los Angeles, he has lived and worked in North Carolina, St Louis, and Norfolk, Virginia where he was stationed in the United States Navy....	Come To Find
2-AQM-1028	Kei Akagi Kei Akagi is a Japanese American jazz pianist most known as a sideman. In particular he is known for his work with the Airto Moreira/Flora Purim group and in Miles Davis's band in the late 1980s and early 1990s....	Mirror Puzzle
2-AQM-1029	Various Artists	Works of Art Volume 3
2-AQM-1030	David Binney David Binney David Binney is an American alto saxophonist and composer living in New York City.-Biography:David was born in Miami, Florida and raised in Southern California. His parents were jazz fans, and introduced Binney to jazz musicians such as John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Bobby Hutcherson and Wayne Shorter...	The Luxury of Guessing
2-AQM-1031	Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain is an American Grammy nominated soul blues singer and songwriter.-Life and career:As a five year old, he began singing in his mother's Gospel Church...	Keep On Movin’
2-AQM-1032	The Bush Crew	The Bush Crew
2-AQM-1033	Charles Fambrough Charles Fambrough Charles Fambrough was a Jazz bassist, composer and record producer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Fambrough was a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers during the early 1980s...	Keeper Of The Spirit
2-AQM-1034	Various Artists	Blues Masters
2-AQM-1035	Various Artists	Jazz Masters
2-AQM-1036	Joey Calderazzo Joey Calderazzo Joey Calderazzo is a jazz pianist.Inspired by a friend who lived next door, Calderazzo began his piano studies at age seven. He progressed rapidly in a house where other family members were also playing drums and singing, and at 14 became the youngest member of brother Gene Calderazzo's rock band...	Secrets
2-AQM-1037	Lloyd Jones	Trouble Monkey
2-AQM-1038	Terry Evans	Puttin’ It Down
2-AQM-1039	Joe Beard	Blues Union
2-AQM-1041	Doug MacLeod Doug Macleod (Blues Musician) -Life and career:Doug MacLeod was born in New York in 1946. Although now associated with his home in Los Angeles, he has lived and worked in North Carolina, St Louis, and Norfolk, Virginia where he was stationed in the United States Navy....	You Can’t Take My Blues
2-AQM-1042	Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain is an American Grammy nominated soul blues singer and songwriter.-Life and career:As a five year old, he began singing in his mother's Gospel Church...	Sledgehammer Soul and Down Home Blues
2-AQM-1043	Ronnie Earl Ronnie Earl Ronnie Earl is an American blues guitarist and music instructor.-Career:Earl collected blues, jazz, rock and soul records while growing up. He studied American History at C.W... , Pinetop Perkins Pinetop Perkins Joseph William Perkins , known by the stage name Pinetop Perkins, was an American blues musician, specializing in piano music... , Willie "Big Eyes" Smith and Calvin “Fuzz” Jones	Eye to Eye
2-AQM-1044	Terry Evans	Come To The River
2-AQM-1045	Robert Lucas	Completely Blue
2-AQM-1046	Doug MacLeod Doug Macleod (Blues Musician) -Life and career:Doug MacLeod was born in New York in 1946. Although now associated with his home in Los Angeles, he has lived and worked in North Carolina, St Louis, and Norfolk, Virginia where he was stationed in the United States Navy....	Unmarked Road
2-AQM-1047	Bruce Katz Bruce Katz Bruce Katz is an American musician, playing piano, organ and bass guitar. Since 1996, he has been on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an associate professor.-Biography:...	Mississippi Moan
2-AQM-1048	Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain is an American Grammy nominated soul blues singer and songwriter.-Life and career:As a five year old, he began singing in his mother's Gospel Church...	Journey
2-AQM-1049	Joe Beard featuring Duke Robillard Duke Robillard Michael John "Duke" Robillard is an American blues musician.After playing in various bands and working for the Guild Guitar Company, he co-founded the band Roomful of Blues with pianist Al Copley in 1967. He has also been a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds which included Kim Wilson, replacing...  and Friends	For Real
2-AQM-1050	Sherman Robertson Sherman Robertson Sherman Robertson is an American blues guitarist, songwriter and singer, who has been described as "one part zydeco, one part swamp blues, one part electric blues and one part classic rhythm and blues."-Biography:Robertson was born in Louisiana and raised in Houston, Texas...	Going Back Home
2-AQM-1051	Bennie Wallace Bennie Wallace Bennie Wallace is an American post bop, swing music and jazz tenor saxophonist born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, probably better known for his work with Monty Alexander and Sheila Jordan during the 1970s. He settled in New York in 1971 and played with Barry Harris, Buddy Rich, Dannie Richmond...	Bennie Wallace
2-AQM-1052	Various Artists	Bluesquest
2-AQM-1053	Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain Mighty Sam McClain is an American Grammy nominated soul blues singer and songwriter.-Life and career:As a five year old, he began singing in his mother's Gospel Church...	Soul Survivor
2-AQM-1054	Doug MacLeod Doug Macleod (Blues Musician) -Life and career:Doug MacLeod was born in New York in 1946. Although now associated with his home in Los Angeles, he has lived and worked in North Carolina, St Louis, and Norfolk, Virginia where he was stationed in the United States Navy....	Whose Truth, Whose Lies?
2-AQM-1055	Joe Beard featuring Duke Robillard Duke Robillard Michael John "Duke" Robillard is an American blues musician.After playing in various bands and working for the Guild Guitar Company, he co-founded the band Roomful of Blues with pianist Al Copley in 1967. He has also been a member of The Fabulous Thunderbirds which included Kim Wilson, replacing...  and Friends	Dealin’
2-AQM-1056	Bruce Katz Bruce Katz Bruce Katz is an American musician, playing piano, organ and bass guitar. Since 1996, he has been on the faculty at the Berklee College of Music in Boston as an associate professor.-Biography:...	Three Feet Off The Ground
2-AQM-1057	Terry Evans	Mississippi Magic
2-AQM-1058	Terry Evans	Live Like A Hurricane
2-AQM-1059	Little Al Thomas & The Crazy House Band	South Side Story
2-AQM-2000	Wolfe	Why Thank You Very Much: Live at The Bluetone Cafe

External links

• Sledgehammer Blues on Valley-Entertainment.com