Milt Gabler

Among the best record producers from the 1940s and 50s, Milt Gabler will be connected with his Commodore label. His dad possessed the Commodore Music Store which Milt (beginning in 1926) helped become among the best record shops in NY. At the same time when reissues had been unusual, Gabler talked many labels into allowing him lease products for his United Popular Night clubs of America label and in 1935 we were holding the 1st reissues. In 1938 Gabler began recording songs for his Commodore label and through the following eight years his business emphasized freewheeling little group jazz. At performers documenting for Commodore had been Eddie Condon and his sidemen, Billie Vacation (“Strange Fruits” was designed for Commodore when Columbia shied from the questionable tune), Coleman Hawkins, Lester Little and the Kansas Town Six, Jelly Move Morton & most from the who’s who of golf swing and New Orleans jazz. After 1946 the label slowed up drastically although periodic material was documented through 1957; every one of the Commodore recordings had been reissued on three substantial limited-edition models (totalling 67 LPs!) by Mosaic in the past due ’80s. Furthermore to Commodore, Milt Gabler was quite energetic as a manufacturer for Decca until the past due ’60s, dealing with both jazz and pop performers including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Jordan. He also got a direct effect on Stone, being responsible not merely for signing Costs Haley as well as the Comets to Decca in 1954, also for changing their audio from Western Golf swing to Stone while performing as manufacturer. Gabler was inducted in to the Stone Hall of Popularity in 1994.