Kicking Mule Records

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Kicking Mule Records
Kicking Mule Records Logo.jpg
Parent company Concord Music Group
Ace Records (UK)
Founded1972 (1972)
Founder Stefan Grossman
ED Denson
Defunct2004 (2004)
StatusDefunct
Distributor(s) Concord
Genre Country blues, fingerstyle guitar, old-time, bluegrass
Country of originU.S.
Location Beverly Hills, California

Kicking Mule Records was an American independent record label, founded in Berkeley, California in 1971 by guitarist Stefan Grossman and Eugene "ED" Denson, formerly co-owner of Takoma Records. The company's name comes from the country blues sexual two-timing allegory "there's another mule kicking in your stall".

Contents

During the 1970s, the company did much to popularize solo fingerpicking guitar, expanding the style with recordings of Scott Joplin rags, Beatles hits, big band tunes, and Turlough Carolan harp tunes. The label also released several similarly-styled banjo records.

In the 1980s, Grossman left the label and Denson branched out to include many dulcimer releases as well as recordings by Charlie Musselwhite and Michael Bloomfield. In the early 1990s, Fantasy Records bought both Takoma and Kicking Mule from Denson and soon began to re-release selected LPs on CD. In 2004, all of Fantasy's labels were purchased by Concord Records which was renamed them as the Concord Music Group. A few of the Kicking Mule titles were reissued by Intersound, and a few others were retained by Grossman and reissued by Shanachie Records.

Kicking Mule is handled by Ace Records. [1]

Catalog

100 series - fingerpicking guitar

No.Artist(s)TitleDateNotes
101 Reverend Gary Davis Children of Zion: Rev. Gary Davis in Concert1974 (rec. 1966)guitar & vocals [2]
102 Stefan Grossman Yazoo Basin Boogie 1974 (rec. 1970)guitar solos [3]
103Bob HadleyTunes from the Well1976guitar solos [4]
104 Roy Bookbinder, Reverend Gary Davis, Stefan Grossman, Woody Mann, Larry SandbergSome People Who Play Guitar... Like A Lotta People Don't!1974guitar & vocals
105Stefan GrossmanAcoustic Music for the Body and Soul1974 (rec. 1969)guitar & vocals [5]
106Reverend Gary Davis Ragtime Guitar1974 (rec. 1962-70)guitar solos [6]
107Tom Gilfellon, Tony Marcus, Woody Mann, Dale Miller, Dave Laibman, Eric Schoenberg, Leo WijnkampContemporary Ragtime Guitar1974solos [7]
108Art RosenbaumFive String Banjo1974 (rec. 1973)later moved to KM 208
108 John James Live In Concert1978Kicking Mule re-used #KM 108
109Stefan Grossman, Aurora Block How To Play The Blues Guitar1979 (rec. 1966)
110 Happy Traum Relax Your Mind1975guitar & vocals [8]
111 Nick Katzman & Ruby Green Mississippi River Bottom Blues1975guitar & vocals
112Stefan GrossmanFingerpicking Guitar Techniques1974guitar
113Bob HadleyThe Raven 1975 (rec. 1973)guitar solos
114Ton Van BergeykFamous Ragtime Guitar Solos1975 (rec. 1974)guitar solos [9]
115Stefan Grossman & Ton Van BergeykHow To Play Ragtime Guitar1975guitar solos
116 Peter Finger Bottleneck Guitar Solos1973guitar solos (performed on homemade guitars)
117Leo WijnkampRags to Riches1975guitar solos
118Stefan Grossman Memphis Jellyroll 1974guitar solos
119 David Cohen How To Play Folk Guitar1976guitar & vocals
120Dave EvansSad Pig Dance1974guitar solos [10]
121Stefan GrossmanBottleneck Serenade1975guitar solos [11]
122Bob Evans, Jim McLennan, Ton Van Bergeyk, Dick Fegy, Dave Laibman, Tim Nicolai The Entertainer - Scott Joplin Rags1975guitar
123Dale MillerFinger Picking Rags & Other Delights1975guitar solos
124 Duck Baker There's Something for Everyone in America 1975guitar & vocals
125Ton Van BergeykGuitar Instrumentals to Tickle Your Fingers1975guitar solos
126George GritzbachHave You Had Your Gritz Today?1976guitar & vocals [12]
127Bob Evans, Jim McLennan, Ton Van Bergeyk, Dick Fegy, Dave Laibman, Tim Nicolai, Lasse Johansson, Claes PalmqvistNovelty Guitar Instrumentals1976guitar solos
128Eric Schoenberg, Rick Maedler, Eric Park, Dave Auer, Flip Breskin, Julie Sakahara, Cliff Perry, Molly & James Mason, Jack Hansen, Peter SchwimmerThe Puget Sound Guitar Workshop1977guitar solos
129Sam MitchellBottleneck/Slide guitar 1976guitar solos
130Lasse Johansson & Claes PalmqvistRagtime Guitar Duets1977guitar duets
131Stefan Grossman & His FeetHot Dogs!1972guitars, vocals, tuba, bass, etc.
132Ton Van Bergeyk, Dale Miller, John James, Sam MitchellI Got Rhythm1976guitar solos
133Woody HarrisAfter Dinner Mints1977guitar instrumentals
134Dave EvansTake A Bite Out Of Life1976guitar solos
135Duck BakerWhen You Wore A Tulip1977guitar solos
136Bob BaxterFingerpickin' Blues1977guitar solos
137Dale MillerGuitarist's Choice1977guitar solos
138 Davey Graham The Complete Guitarist 1978guitar & vocals
139Greg BrownSerious Men Are Running Our World1978
139Gill Burns, Wendy Grossman, Margo Random, Janet Smith, Lynn ClaytonWomen's Guitar Workshop1978
140 Mickey Baker & The Alex Sanders Funk Time BandJazz Rock Guitar1978
141Duck Baker, Davey Graham, Mike Cooper, Sam Mitchell, Tom Paley Blues Guitar Workshop1979
142Mickey BakerBlues and Jazz Guitar1977
143John JamesDescriptive Guitar Instrumentals1977guitar solos
144Duck BakerThe King of Bongo Bong1977guitar solos
145Stefan Grossman, Jo Ann Kelly, Son House, Mike Cooper, Sam Mitchell, Paul RowanCountry Blues Guitar Festival1979guitar & vocals
146Lasse Johansson, Claes Palmqvist, Tim Nicolai, Ton Van Bergeyk, Duck BakerMasters of the Ragtime Guitar: Echoes from the Snowball Club1977guitar solos/duets
147Duck Baker, Lasse Johansson, Claes Palmqvist, Ton Engels, John James, Tim NicolaiAdvanced Fingerpicking Guitar Techniques: School of Ragtime (10 Classic Rags for Guitar by Scott Joplin)1977guitar solos/duets
148 Art Thieme Songs of the Heartland 1980guitar solos
149 Peter Finger Acoustic Rock Guitar: The Elf King1978guitar solos
150Art ThiemeOutright Bold-Faced Lies1978guitar solos
151Stefan Grossman, JoAnn Kelly, Sam Mitchell, Mike CooperHow To Play The Blues Guitar, Vol. 21979guitar & vocals
152Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn1977guitar duets
153David Bennett CohenRock n' Roll Guitar1977guitar solos
154Duck Baker, Dave Evans, Leo Wijnkamp Jr., Jim MacLennanContemporary Guitar Workshop1977guitar solos
155Dale MillerFingers, Don't Fail Me Now1980guitar solos
156Duck Baker The Art of Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar 1980guitar solos
157 Davey Graham, Duck Baker, Dave Evans & Dan Ar Bras Irish Reels, Jigs, Hornpipes & Airs 1980 (rec. 1975)
158Bob Hadley, Arvid Smith, Stephen Connolly, Woody Harris A Tribute to John Fahey 1979guitar solos
159Woody HarrisShow of Hands1979guitar solos
160Leo Wijnkamp Jr.The Return of Dr. Hackenbush 1980guitar solos
161Davey GrahamDance for Two People1980
162Stefan Grossman & John RenbournUnder The Volcano1979guitar duets
163John RenbournThe Black Balloon1979guitar solos
164Michael Bloomfield & Woody HarrisGospel Guitar Duets1979guitar duets
165Robert StantonGuitar Poetry1980guitar solos
166Michael BloomfieldThe Lost Works1980guitar solos
167Nick Katzman & Ruby GreenSparkling Ragtime & Hardbitten Blues1980guitar & vocals
168Ton Van BergeykLulu's Back in Town: Hot Guitar Solos1980guitar solos
169Duck Baker The Kid on the Mountain 1980guitar solos
170Lasse Johansson King Porter Stomp: The Music of Jelly Roll Morton Arranged for Guitar1980guitar
171Stefan GrossmanThunder on the Run1980guitar solos
172Bob HadleyOn the Trail of the Questing Beast: Fantasias for Guitar1980guitar solos
173Bob BrozmanBlue Hula Stomp1981guitar solos
174Seth Austen Appalachian Fiddle Tunes for Finger Style Guitar1982guitar solos
175Chris ProctorRunoff1982guitar solos
176Tom Ball & Kenny SultanWho Drank My Beer?1983guitar & harmonica duets
177 Dave Van Ronk Your Basic Dave Van Ronk1983guitar & vocals
178Sam WeisHologram1984guitar solos
179 Catfish Keith Catfish Blues1985guitar solos
180 Scott Appel Glassfinger1985guitar solos
181Seth AustenChristmas Day in the Morning1984guitar solos
182Ed SweeneyScratching the Surface1986guitar solos
183Seth AustenCircles1987guitar solos
184Andy DrakeWoodwork1987guitar solos
185Tom BallGuitar Music1987guitar solos
186Brian WendtImages for Solo Guitar1988guitar solos
187Ed SweeneyInside Fezziwigs: The Spirit of Christmas Past1988

200 series - other stringed instruments

201 Tom Paley Hard Luck Papa: Old Time Picking Styles and Techniques1976banjo solos
202John Burke accompanied by The Old Hat BandFancy Pickin' & Plain Singing1977banjo & vocals
203Art RosenbaumThe Art of the Mountain Banjo1978banjo solos
204Tommy Thompson, Buell Kazee, Ola Belle Reed, John Burke, Dan Gellert, Pat Dunford, Bob Winans, Buzz Fountain, Shorty Ralph Reynolds, Reed MartinThe Old-Time Banjo in America1978banjo solos
205The Delaware Water GapFrom the Rivers of Babylon to the Land of Jazz1978string band
206Richard Lieberson & The Central Park Sheiks, Michael Auman, Dick Fegy, Tom Gilfellon, Eric Thompson, David Bromberg Flatpicking Guitar Festival1976guitar solos
207 Fred Sokolow Bluegrass Banjo Inventions1977banjo solos
208Art RosenbaumFive String Banjo1978 (rec. 1974banjo solos, moved from KM108
209Andy Cahan, Ken Perlman, Henry Sapoznik, Bob Carlin, Dana Loomis Melodic Clawhammer Banjo1976banjo solos
210 Dan Crary, Dick Fegy, Eric Thompson, Barry Solomon, Steve KaufmanFlatpicking Guitar Festival, Vol. 21980guitar solos
211Clark Buehling, Steve Moore, Henry SapoznikBanjo Gems: Solos, Duets, Trios1980banjo solos/duets/trios
212Fred SokolowRagtime Banjo Bluegrass Style1981banjo solos
213Various ArtistsSouthern Clawhammer Banjo1978banjo solos
214Dick WeissmanModern Banjo - Mountain Style1979banjo solos
215Eric ThompsonEric Thompson's Bluegrass Guitar1979guitar
216Various ArtistsNew England Contra Dance Music1978various
217Robert Force and Albert d'OsscheThe Art of the Dulcimer1980mountain dulcimer
218Mark NelsonThe Rights of Man1980mountain dulcimer
219Janita BakerFingerpicking Dulcimer1982mountain dulcimer
220Bonnie CarolFingerdances for Dulcimer1980mountain dulcimer
221Mark BiggsSeason of the Dream1983mountain dulcimer
222Neal HellmanAppalachian Dulcimer Duets1981mountain dulcimer
223Michael RuggRugg's Celtic Collection for Dulcimer1981mountain dulcimer
224The New York Banjo EnsemblePlays Gershwin1982banjo
225Various ArtistsDulcimer Music for the Christmas Season1983mountain dulcimer
226Randy WilkinsonElizabethan Music for Dulcimer1982mountain dulcimer
227Lance FrodshamDulcimer Songs and Dances of the British Islands1983?mountain dulcimer
228Bonnie PhippsAutoharpin'1982autoharp

300 series - Blues, jazz and miscellaneous

No.Artist(s)TitleDateNotes
301Happy TraumAmerican Stranger1978guitar & vocals
302Bert JanschA Rare Conundrum1978guitar, vocals & band
303Ralph McTellEasy1978guitar, vocals & band
304George GritzbachThe Sweeper1978instruments & vocals
305Charlie MusselwhiteMusselwhite on Harmanica1978Chicago blues

See also

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References

  1. "Kicking Mule". Ace Records. Archived from the original on 2012-03-24. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  2. Stefan Wirz. "A list of LPs issued by Kicking Mule Records". Wirz.de. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  3. Koda, Cub. "Yazoo Basin Boogie - Stefan Grossman". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  4. "Bob Hadley - Tunes From The Well (Vinyl, LP, Album) at Discogs". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  5. Kicking Mule insert listing catalog as of 1977
  6. ""Ragtime Guitar", LP album by Reverend Gary Davis". Reverendgarydavis.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-14. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  7. "Contemporary Ragtime Guitar CD Album". Cduniverse.com. 2009-10-20. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  8. Renner, Chip. "Relax Your Mind - Happy Traum". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  9. "Keep (it) Swinging: Fingerpicking Wizard Still Kicking". Keepswinging.blogspot.com. 2008-07-01. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  10. "Time Has Told Me". Time-has-told-me.blogspot.com. 2006-10-07. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  11. Bush, Nathan. "Bottleneck Serenade - Stefan Grossman". AllMusic. Retrieved 2012-04-01.
  12. "George Gritzbach Band". George Gritzbach Band. Archived from the original on 2013-06-10. Retrieved 2012-04-01.