Novus Records (later Arista Novus and RCA Novus) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

record label run by Steve Backer. Backer worked at

Impulse! Records Impulse! Records (occasionally styled as "¡mpulse! Records" and "¡!") is an American jazz record company and label established by Creed Taylor in 1960. John Coltrane was among Impulse!'s earliest signings. Thanks to consistent sales and positi ...

until 1974, when

Clive Davis Clive Jay Davis (born April 4, 1932) is an American record producer, A&R executive, record executive, and lawyer. He has won five Grammy Awards and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a non-performer, in 2000. From 1967 to 1 ...

, founder of

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

, asked him to oversee the jazz division at Arista. Backer left Arista in the early 1980s, worked for

Windham Hill Records Windham Hill Records was an independent record label that specialized in instrumental acoustic music. It was founded by guitarist William Ackerman and Anne Robinson (née McGilvray) in 1976 and was popular in the 1980s and 1990s. The label was ...

, and then went to

RCA The RCA Corporation was a major American electronics company, which was founded as the Radio Corporation of America in 1919. It was initially a patent trust owned by General Electric (GE), Westinghouse, AT&T Corporation and United Fruit Comp ...

to run Novus. Novus's roster included

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

Warren Bernhardt Warren Bernhardt (November 13, 1938 – August 19, 2022)''WBGO'', (Newark, NJ)"Warren Bernhardt, pianist with Steps Ahead, Steely Dan and other bands, dies at 83" August 24, 2022. Retrieved on August 24, 2022. was an American pianist in jazz, pop ...

Steve Coleman Steve Coleman (born September 20, 1956) is an American saxophonist, composer, bandleader and music theorist. In 2014, he was named a MacArthur Fellow. Early life Steve Coleman was born and grew up in South Side, Chicago. He started playing al ...

Larry Coryell Larry Coryell (born Lorenz Albert Van DeLinder III; April 2, 1943 – February 19, 2017) was an American jazz guitarist. Early life Larry Coryell was born in Galveston, Texas, United States. He never knew his biological father, a musician. He w ...

Oliver Lake Oliver Lake (born September 14, 1942) is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer, poet, and visual artist. He is known mainly for alto saxophone, but he also performs on soprano and flute. During the 1960s, Lake worked with the Black Art ...

, Steve Lacy, James Moody,

Hilton Ruiz Hilton Ruiz (May 29, 1952 – June 6, 2006) was an American jazz pianist in the Afro-Cuban jazz mold, but was also a talented bebop player. He was of Puerto Rican descent. Biography Born in New York City, Ruiz began playing piano at the age of f ...

, and

Henry Threadgill Henry Threadgill (born February 15, 1944) is an American composer, saxophonist and flautist. He came to prominence in the 1970s leading ensembles rooted in jazz but with unusual instrumentation and often incorporating other genres of music. He h ...

. Beginning in 1989, Backer signed

Marcus Roberts Marthaniel "Marcus" Roberts (born August 7, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer, arranger, bandleader, and teacher. Early life Roberts was born in Jacksonville, Florida, United States. His mother was a gospel singer who had gone blind a ...

Roy Hargrove Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved worldwide acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...

Danilo Pérez Danilo Pérez (born December 29, 1965) is a Panamanian pianist, composer, educator, and a social activist. His music is a blend of Panamanian roots with elements of Latin American folk music, jazz, European impressionism, African, and other music ...

Antonio Hart Antonio Hart (born September 30, 1968) is a jazz alto saxophonist. He attended the Baltimore School for the Arts, studied with Andy McGhee at Berklee College of Music, and has a master's degree from Queens College, City University of New York. H ...

, and

Christopher Hollyday Christopher Hollyday is a jazz alto saxophonist. Biography Hollyday began playing the saxophone at the age of nine.Jarvey, Paul (June 21, 1990) "Hollyday Races onto Jazz Stage at Early Age". ''Telegram & Gazette''. p. D1. He grew up in a musical fa ...

. The label closed in the mid-1990s. The catalogue is now managed by

Sony Masterworks Sony Music Masterworks (Sony Masterworks) is a record label, the result of a restructuring of Sony Music's classical music division. Before the acquisition of Bertelsmann's shares in the former Sony BMG, the label was known as Sony BMG Masterwor ...

through its Masterworks Jazz imprint.

Discography

3000-N (RCA) series

*3000:

– ''

Lifea Blinec ''Lifea Blinec'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams which was released on the Arista Novus label in 1978 and features performances by Abrams, Joseph Jarman, Douglas Ewart, Amina Claudine Myers and Thurman Barker. Reception The Allmusic review ...

'' *3001:

– ''Solo Piano'' *3002:

Air The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, known collectively as air, retained by Earth's gravity that surrounds the planet and forms its planetary atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure allowing for ...

– ''

Open Air Suit ''Open Air Suit'' is an album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins recorded in New York in 1978 featuring four of Threadgill's compositions.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Threadgill disco ...

'' *3003:

– ''Life Dance of Is'' *3004: Baird Hersey – ''Looking for That Groove'' *3005:

– ''European Impressions'' *3006:

Ran Blake Ran Blake (born April 20, 1935) is an American pianist, composer, and educator. He is known for his unique style that combines blues, gospel, classical, and film noir influences into an innovative and dark jazz sound. His career spans over 40 rec ...

– ''Rapport'' *3007:

– ''

Spiral Live at Montreux 1978 ''Spiral Live at Montreux 1978'' is a live album by Muhal Richard Abrams recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival and released on the Arista Novus label in 1978. Reception The Allmusic review by Scott Yanow states "Abrams' occasional use of devic ...

'' *3008:

– ''

Montreux Suisse ''Montreux Suisse'' is a live album by the improvisational collective Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall and Fred Hopkins recorded at the Montreux Jazz Festival, in Switzerland in 1978.Backstrom, L. & Lopez, RHenry Threadgill discograph ...

'' *3009:

Mike Mainieri Michael T. Mainieri Jr. (born July 4, 1938) is an American vibraphonist, known for his work with the jazz fusion group Steps Ahead. He is married to the singer-songwriter and harpist Dee Carstensen. Biography Mainieri was born in The Bronx, Ne ...

– ''Free Smiles'' *3010:

– ''Shine'' *3011:

– ''Floating'' *3012: Michael Gregory – ''Gifts'' *3013:

– ''

X-75 Volume 1 ''X-75 Volume 1'' is the debut album by Henry Threadgill released on the Arista Novus label in 1979. The album and features four of Threadgill's compositions performed by Threadgill with Douglas Ewart, Joseph Jarman, Wallace McMillan, Leonard ...

'' *3014:

– ''

Air Lore ''Air Lore'' is an album by the improvisational trio Air featuring Henry Threadgill, Steve McCall, and Fred Hopkins performing compositions by Jelly Roll Morton and Scott Joplin. It was reissued on compact disc by Bluebird/RCA in 1987 and includ ...

'' *3015: Michael Gregory – ''Heart and Center'' *3016: Baird Hersey – ''Have You Heard?'' *3017:

– ''Tributaries'' *3018:

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951), sometimes referred to as "Sco", is an American guitarist and composer whose music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention in the ...

– '' Who's Who?'' *3019:

– ''Film Noir'' *3020:

– ''Manhattan Update'' *3021:

Pharoah Sanders Pharoah Sanders (born Ferrell Lee Sanders; October 13, 1940 – September 24, 2022) was an American jazz saxophonist. Known for his overblowing, harmonic, and multiphonic techniques on the saxophone, as well as his use of "sheets of sound", San ...

Norman Connors Norman Connors (born March 1, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and producer who has led a number of influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads. He is pos ...

– '' Beyond a Dream'' *3022:

– '' Bar Talk'' *3023:

Steve Khan Steve Khan (born Steven Harris Cahn; April 28, 1947) is an American jazz guitarist. Career Steven Harris Cahn was born in Los Angeles. His father, lyricist Sammy Cahn, "loved to hear any and all versions of his songs". He took piano lessons as a ...

– ''Evidence'' *3024:

– ''Standing Ovation'' *3025:

– '' Easily Slip Into Another World'' *3032:

Michael Shrieve Michael Shrieve (born July 6, 1949) is an American drummer, percussionist, and composer. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band Santana, playing on the band's first seven albums from 1969 to 1974. At age 20, Shrieve was the second youn ...

& Steve Roach – ''The Leaving Time'' *3054:

Chet Baker Chesney Henry "Chet" Baker Jr. (December 23, 1929 – May 13, 1988) was an American jazz trumpeter and vocalist. He is known for major innovations in cool jazz that led him to be nicknamed the "Prince of Cool". Baker earned much attention and ...

– '' Let's Get Lost'' *3070:

Hugh Masekela Hugh Ramapolo Masekela (4 April 1939 – 23 January 2018) was a South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, singer and composer who was described as "the father of South African jazz". Masekela was known for his jazz compositions and for ...

– ''

Uptownship ''Uptownship'' is a 1989 studio album by South African trumpeter Hugh Masekela. It was recorded in New York City and Jersey City, and released via Novus Records label. It was his last album in exile before the end of apartheid. Reception Richar ...

'' *3084:

Opafire Opafire was a jazz fusion group from San Francisco, California. Their debut album ''Opafire'' (RCA, 1991) sold close to half a million units worldwide. Opafire was created in 1990 by composer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer Zachary No ...

– ''Opafire featuring Zachary Norman E.'' *3115:

John Hicks Sir John Richards Hicks (8 April 1904 – 20 May 1989) was a British economist. He is considered one of the most important and influential economists of the twentieth century. The most familiar of his many contributions in the field of economic ...

Cecil McBee Cecil McBee (born May 19, 1935) is an American jazz bassist. He has recorded as a leader only a handful of times since the 1970s, but has contributed as a sideman to a number of jazz albums. Biography Early life and career McBee was born in Tu ...

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such widely celebrate ...

– ''

Power Trio A power trio is a rock and roll band format having a lineup of electric guitar, bass guitar and drum kit (drums and cymbals), leaving out a second rhythm guitar or keyboard instrument that are often used in other rock music bands that are quartet ...

63000 (BMG) series

*63119:

and Five Elements – '' Black Science'' *63125: Steve Coleman – ''

Rhythm in Mind ''Rhythm in Mind'' is an album by saxophonist Steve Coleman, recorded in 1991 and released by Novus Records. Reception The ''Toronto Star'' wrote that "the fluid emotional work of altoist Coleman headlines an octet gathering of post-bop conservat ...

'' *63136:

– '' Beatin' Aroun de Bush'' *63141:

- ''

Friends Old and New ''Friends Old and New'' is an album led by pianist John Hicks, recorded in 1992.Drop Kick A drop kick is a type of kick in various codes of football. It involves a player dropping the ball and then kicking it as it touches the ground. Drop kicks are used as a method of restarting play and scoring points in rugby union and rugby league ...

'' *63153:

Mulgrew Miller Mulgrew Miller (August 13, 1955 – May 29, 2013) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. As a child he played in churches and was influenced on piano by Ramsey Lewis and then Oscar Peterson. Aspects of their styles remained in ...

– '' Hand in Hand'' *63160: Steve Coleman and Five Elements – ''

The Tao of Mad Phat ''The Tao of Mad Phat'' (subtitled "Fringe Zones") is an album by saxophonist Steve Coleman and his band Five Elements recorded in 1993 and released on the Novus label.Mulgrew Miller Mulgrew Miller (August 13, 1955 – May 29, 2013) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator. As a child he played in churches and was influenced on piano by Ramsey Lewis and then Oscar Peterson. Aspects of their styles remained in ...

– ''

With Our Own Eyes ''With Our Own Eyes'' is a studio album by American jazz pianist Mulgrew Miller with bassist Richie Goods and drummer Tony Reedus. The album was released in December 1993 by Novus Records. This is Miller's second record for Novus and tenth overal ...

'' *63176:

– ''Without a Trace'' *63188:

– '' Getting to Know You''

References

External links

Arista/Novus at Discogs.com

Novus at Discogs.com
– Some albums are erroneously filed there, such as AN 3007 - Muhal Richard Abrams - ''Spiral: Live at Montreux 1978''

Article by Robert Christgau
{{Authority control Jazz record labels Defunct record labels of the United States Record labels established in 1978