Big Bear Records

Last updated

Big Bear Records
Founded1968 (1968)
FounderJim Simpson
Genre Blues, jazz, swing
Country of originUK
Location Birmingham, England
Official website www.bigbearmusic.com

Big Bear Records is the oldest independent British record label set up in 1968 by Jim Simpson in Birmingham, England. It specialises in blues and jazz recordings. [1]

Contents

History

Big Bear Records was founded by promoter and band manager Jim Simpson in 1968, taking its name from the nickname given to Simpson by Radio 1 DJ John Peel. [2] At the time, Simpson was managing The Locomotive, who had just scored a top 40 hit with "Rudi's In Love". [3] After Parlophone, the band's existing label, declined to release the planned follow-up recording "Rudi The Red Nosed Reindeer", Simpson decided to set up his own Big Bear Records label to release the single (with the band renamed Steam Shovel for contractual reasons), with initial distribution from Island Records. [4]

During 1968, Simpson established the weekly Henry's Blueshouse club night at The Crown Hotel on Station Street in Birmingham. [5] Early members of the club included Ozzy Osbourne and Tony Iommi, who one week approached Simpson to request a support slot at a future gig for their band, then known as Earth. [6] Simpson would go on to manage Earth, who soon changed their name to Black Sabbath. Under Simpson's management, they reached number one on the album chart with Paranoid, before leaving him in 1970. [7]

Following this, Simpson began to focus his attention on recording and touring American bluesmen, under the billing American Blues Legends. [8] Featuring musicians including Tommy Tucker, Willie Mabon, Homesick James, Doctor Ross, Snooky Pryor, Cousin Joe, Eddie "Guitar" Burns, Champion Jack Dupree and Eddie "Playboy" Taylor, Big Bear released a total of 21 albums of American blues during the 1970s. [9] [10]

The 1980s saw Big Bear Records returning to Simpson's first love, mainstream jazz and swing. Assembling a lineup of leading British jazz musicians including Humphrey Lyttelton, Dick Morrissey, Digby Fairweather, Dave Shepherd and Jim Douglas, Big Bear promoted a live jam session on 12 August 1984 at Birmingham's Cannon Hill Park, [11] recorded and released on LP as The M&B Jam Session. The success of the event provided the impetus for the first Birmingham International Jazz Festival the following summer, which continues to be organised annually by Big Bear Music every July. [12] In 1987, Big Bear launched The Jazz Rag magazine, which continues to publish bi-monthly, [13] as well as The British Jazz Awards. [14] The first edition of the awards was marked with a ceremony at Birmingham's Grand Hotel, where the jam session featuring the poll winners was recorded and released as the British Jazz Awards 1987 album. [15]

Big Bear Records continued to work with prominent names in British jazz into the 1990s, releasing albums by Lady Sings The Blues (fronted by Val Wiseman), Kenny Baker's Dozen, Bruce Adams and Alan Barnes. [16]

Discography

Year ReleasedArtistTitleCatalogue Number
1968Steam ShovelRudi the Red-Nosed ReindeerTR-635
1972 Eddie "Guitar" Burns Bottle Up and GoBEAR 16, Action ACMP 100
Johnny Mars Blues from MarsBEAR 17, Polydor 2460 168
Doctor Ross Live at MontreuxBEAR 18, Polydor 2460 169
Gene Conners with Mickey Baker Let the Good Times RollBEAR 19, Polydor 2460 185
1973Various ArtistsAmerican Blues Legends '73BEAR 20, Polydor 2460 186
Homesick James & Snooky Pryor Homesick James & Snooky PryorBEAR 21, Caroline C 1502, INT 146.404, BRP 2002
1974 Doctor Ross The Harmonica BossBEAR 2, Munich 150 201, INT 146.403, BRP 2013
Various ArtistsAmerican Blues Legends '74BEAR 1, Munich 150 202
Eddie "Playboy" Taylor Ready for EddieBEAR 6, Munich 150 203,INT 146.407
Cousin Joe Gospel-Wailing...Blues Man from New OrleansBEAR 3
Big John Wrencher Big John's BoogieBEAR 4, INT 146.402
1975 Mickey Baker Take a Look InsideBEAR 5, INT 146.408
Eddie "Guitar" Burns Detroit BlackbottomBEAR 7
Various ArtistsAmerican Blues Legends '75BEAR 8
Willie Mabon The ComebackBEAR 9
Homesick James Home Sweet Homesick JamesBEAR 10
1976 Erwin Helfer Boogie Piano Chicago StyleBEAR 11, INT 146.401, BRP 2003
Johnny Mars Oakland BoogieBEAR 12, INT 146.405
Clark Terry's Big Bad BandLive on 57th StreetBEAR 13
Snooky Pryor Shake Your BoogieBEAR 14, INT 146.406, BRP 2033
Doctor Ross Jivin' the BluesBEAR 15, INT 146.409
MusclesMusclesBEAR 24, BB 1001, INT 161.400
1979Various ArtistsAmerican Blues Legends '79BEAR 23, INT 146.410
1980 Claude Williams Kansas City GiantsBEAR 25
Various ArtistsBrum Beat – Live at the Barrel Organ!BRUM 1
1985Various ArtistsM&B Jam Session Volume 1BEAR 26
1988Various ArtistsMitchells and Butler's British Jazz Awards 1987BEAR 27
Duncan Swift Out Looking For The LionBEAR 28
Groove Juice SpecialGroove Juice Comin' To TownBEAR 29
King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysKing Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysBEAR 30
1990Bill Allred's Goodtime Jazz BandSwing That Music!BEAR 31
King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysThis Is It!BEAR 32
Lady Sings The BluesLady Sings The BluesBEAR 33
1991 Duncan Swift The Broadwood ConcertBEAR 34
King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysBetter Beware!BEAR 35
1992Bruce Adams QuartetOne Foot In The GutterBEARCD36
1993King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysLive At Ronnie Scotts BirminghamBEARCD37
Bruce Adams/Alan Barnes QuintetSide-Steppin'BEARCD38
1994 Kenny Baker's Dozen The Boss Is HomeBEARCD39
1995King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysBlues & Rhythm Revue, Vol 1BEARCD40
Bruce Adams/Alan Barnes QuintetLet's Face The MusicBEARCD41
1998King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysSmack Dab In The MiddleBEARCD42
2002King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysLet 'Em RollBEARCD43
2004 Alan Barnes' All Stars The Marbella Jazz SuiteBEARCD44
2006The Doctor Teeth Big BandRhythm Is Our BusinessBEARCD45
King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysHey Puerto Rico!BEARCD46
2007TipitinaI Wish I Was In New OrleansBEARCD47
2009Django's Castle with Bruce AdamsSwing Hotel du VinBEARCD48
Nomy Rosenberg TrioNomy Rosenberg TrioBEARCD49
2010King Pleasure & The Biscuit BoysLive At LastBEARCD50
2012TipitinaTaking Care of BusinessBEARCD51
The Will Johns BandHooks & LinesBEARCD52
2013Remi HarrisNinickBEARCD53
2015The Whiskey BrothersBottle Up And GoBEARCD54
2016Lady Sings The BluesLaughing At LifeBEARCD55
2017Various ArtistsJazz City UK: Volume 1BEARCD56
2018Various ArtistsJazz City UK: Volume 2BEARCD57
Howard McCrary Moments Like ThisBEARCD58

See also

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References

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  12. Young, Graham (18 July 2014). "Diversity is the priceless key to the marvellous Jazz Festival". Birminghampost. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
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  16. "Big Bear Music Agency". Europe Jazz Network. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2019.