Audiophile Records is a record company and

label A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed ...

founded in 1947 by Ewing Dunbar Nunn to produce recordings of

Dixieland jazz Dixieland jazz, also referred to as traditional jazz, hot jazz, or simply Dixieland, is a style of jazz based on the music that developed in New Orleans at the start of the 20th century. The 1917 recordings by the Original Dixieland Jass Band ...

. A very few of the early pressings were classical music, Robert Noehren on pipe organ, AP-2 and AP-9 for example.

History

Having been a record collector since the 1920s, Nunn began to make records to improve their audio quality. He was a

recording engineer An audio engineer (also known as a sound engineer or recording engineer) helps to produce a recording or a live performance, balancing and adjusting sound sources using equalization, dynamics processing and audio effects, mixing, reproductio ...

who believed

monophonic sound Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction (often shortened to mono) is sound intended to be heard as if it were emanating from one position. This contrasts with stereophonic sound or ''stereo'', which uses two separate audio channels to reproduc ...

(mono) was better than

stereophonic sound Stereophonic sound, or more commonly stereo, is a method of sound reproduction that recreates a multi-directional, 3-dimensional audible perspective. This is usually achieved by using two independent audio channels through a configuration ...

(stereo). His records impressed ''High Fidelity'' magazine and G. A. Briggs, the designer of

Wharfedale Wharfedale ( ) is the valley of the upper parts of the River Wharfe and one of the Yorkshire Dales. It is situated within the districts of Craven and Harrogate in North Yorkshire, and the cities of Leeds and Bradford in West Yorkshire. It ...

speakers. In 1947, he started Audiophile Records in Saukville, Wisconsin before moving it to

Mequon, Wisconsin Mequon () is the largest city in Ozaukee County, in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and the third-largest city in Wisconsin by land area. Located on Lake Michigan's western shore with significant commercial developments along Interstate 43, the com ...

in 1965. In 1969 Nunn sold the label to Jim Cullum of San Antonio, Texas, and his son,

Jim Cullum, Jr. James Albert Cullum Jr., better known as Jim Cullum Jr. (September 20, 1941 – August 11, 2019), was an American jazz cornetist known for his contributions to Dixieland jazz. His father was Jim Cullum Sr., a clarinetist who led the Happy Jazz B ...

, who owned Happy Jazz Records. Nunn remained as chief engineer."Happy Jazz Label Builds Reputation By Building Up the Classic Sounds"
''Billboard Magazine'', August 9, 1972, pps. T–28 & T–37 The Cullums were both musicians. With the father on clarinet and the son on cornet, they played in the Happy Jazz Band which was popular along the San Antonio River Walk and which recorded on Audiophile. In the 1970s, Audiophile was acquired by George Buck's Jazzology group, now under control of the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation.

Making records

Audiophile's albums were pressed by the Wakefield company in Phoenix, Arizona on transparent red vinyl, similar to the red vinyl used by RCA for many of its early microgroove releases. Its early albums were released on 78, which was thought to offer greater fidelity. Nunn is best known for his high-fidelity, monophonic 78 recordings. As recording technology improved, he produced 33 1/3 LPs and eventually stereo. In the late 1940s Audiophile released its first recording, ''Pop Goes the Weasel'' (AP 1) by Harry Blons. The Audiophile AP 1 disk side A has three tracks: "Pop Goes the Weasel", "Wolverine Blues", and "Chimes Blues". The B side has "Lassus Trombone", "Tia Juana", and "Copenhagen". All six numbers are played by the Harry Blons Dixieland Band. This disk carries the

matrix Matrix most commonly refers to: * ''The Matrix'' (franchise), an American media franchise ** '' The Matrix'', a 1999 science-fiction action film ** "The Matrix", a fictional setting, a virtual reality environment, within ''The Matrix'' (franchi ...

and label number 103 and 104. The Audiophile AP 2 disk side A has four tracks: "Caillon De Westminster", "Legende", "Scherzetto" and "Divertissement". The B side has three tracks: "Chorale Prefudes - Reger", "Pastorale - Reger" and "Prelude and Fugue on Bach - Liszt" All seven numbers are played by Robert Noehren, organist. This disk carries the matrix and label numbers 101 and 102. These labels showing the AP 1 disk with matrix 103 and 104 and the AP 2 disk with matrix 101 and 102 leaves open the question of which was the first of these rare Audiophile 78's pressed.Audiophile disks AP 1 and AP 2 The earliest of these releases (pressed at 78 rpm), AP-1 through at least AP-29, came in a heavy manilla envelope. The first few, AP-1 through AP-5 are rare and highly prized among collectors. Around 1952 or 1953, Nunn switched to 33 1/3 rpm and began using the more standard cardboard sleeve with a color slick on the cover.

Notable artists

* Claire Austin * Harry Blons * Joyce Breach * Joe Bushkin *

Joyce Carr Joyce may refer to: People * Joyce (name), list of people and fictional characters with the given name or surname * Joyce, (born 1948), Brazilian singer-songwriter * James Joyce (1882–1941), Irish modernist writer Places * Joyce, Washington, an ...

* Barbara Carroll *

Russ Case Orchestra Russ is a masculine given name, often a short form of Russell, and also a surname. People Given name or nickname * Russ Abbot (born 1947), British musician, comedian and actor * Russ Adams (born 1980), American retired baseball player * Russ B ...

Melissa Collard Melissa is a female given name. The name comes from the Greek word μέλισσα (''mélissa''), "bee", which in turn comes from μέλι (''meli''), "honey". In Hittite, ''melit'' signifies "honey". ''Melissa'' also refers to the plant ''Me ...

Eddie Condon Albert Edwin Condon (November 16, 1905 – August 4, 1973) was an American jazz banjoist, guitarist, and bandleader. A leading figure in Chicago jazz, he also played piano and sang. Early years Condon was born in Goodland, Indiana, the son of J ...

* Dolly Dawn *

Dorothy Donegan Dorothy Donegan (April 6, 1922 – May 19, 1998) was a classically trained American jazz pianist and occasional vocalist, primarily known for performing stride and boogie-woogie, as well as bebop, swing, and classical. Early life, family ...

George Duvivier George Duvivier (August 17, 1920 – July 11, 1985) 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 ...

Doc Evans Paul Wesley "Doc" Evans (June 20, 1907 – January 10, 1977) was an American jazz cornetist. Evans was born in Spring Valley, Minnesota. the son of a Methodist minister. He learned piano and drums as a child, and played saxophone in high school. ...

Helen Forrest Helen Forrest (born Helen Fogel, April 12, 1917 – July 11, 1999) was an American singer of traditional pop and swing music. She served as the "girl singer" for three of the most popular big bands of the Swing Era (Artie Shaw, Benny Goodm ...

Connie Francis Concetta Rosa Maria Franconero (born December 12, 1937), known professionally as Connie Francis, is an American pop singer, actress, and top-charting female vocalist of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Called the “First Lady of Rock & Roll” ...

* Bud Freeman * Urbie Green * Juanita Hall *

Dick Haymes Richard Benjamin Haymes (September 13, 1918 – March 28, 1980) was an Argentinian singer and actor. He was one of the most popular male vocalists of the 1940s and early 1950s. He was the older brother of Bob Haymes, an actor, television host, ...

Art Hodes Arthur W. Hodes (November 14, 1904 – March 4, 1993), was a Russian Empire-born American jazz and blues pianist. He is regarded by many critics as the greatest white blues pianist. Biography Hodes was born in Mykolaiv, in present-day Ukra ...

Dick Hyman Richard Hyman (born March 8, 1927) is an American jazz pianist and composer. Over a 70-year career, he has worked as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, electronic musician, and composer. He was named a National Endowment for the Ar ...

* Max Kaminsky *

Rebecca Kilgore Rebecca Kilgore (born September 24, 1949) is an American jazz vocalist based in Portland, Oregon. She has been called "one of the best interpreters of the Great American Songbook." She has performed with jazz pianist and composer Dave Frishberg, ...

Barbara Lea Barbara Lea (April 10, 1929 – December 26, 2011) was an American jazz singer. Music career Lea was born and raised in Detroit. Her father was a clarinetist before becoming attorney general of Michigan. He changed the family name from LeCocq t ...

Loonis McGlohon Loonis McGlohon (September 29, 1921 – January 26, 2002) was an American songwriter and jazz pianist. McGlohon was born in Ayden, North Carolina, and graduated from East Carolina University. After a spell in the Air Force during World War II, h ...

Mabel Mercer Mabel Mercer (3 February 1900 – 20 April 1984) was an English-born cabaret singer who performed in the United States, Britain, and Europe with the greats in jazz and cabaret. She was a featured performer at Chez Bricktop in Paris, owned ...

* Johnny Mince * Buddy Morrow *

Rose Murphy Rose Murphy (April 28, 1913 – November 16, 1989) was an American jazz pianist and singer, famous for the song "Busy Line" and her unique vocal style.Brethour, Ross, sleevenotes to ''Busy Line'', a Rose Murphy best of compilation, Body and Soul, ...

* Robert Noehren *

Helen O'Connell Helen O'Connell (May 23, 1920 – September 9, 1993) was an American singer, actress, and hostess, described as "the quintessential big band singer of the 1940s". Early life Born in Lima, Ohio, O'Connell grew up in Toledo, Ohio. By the time ...

Anita O'Day Anita Belle Colton (October 18, 1919 – November 23, 2006), known professionally as Anita O'Day, was an American jazz singer and self proclaimed “song stylist” widely admired for her sense of rhythm and dynamics, and her early big band app ...

Patti Page Clara Ann Fowler (November 8, 1927 – January 1, 2013), known professionally as Patti Page, was an American singer and actress. Primarily known for pop and country music, she was the top-charting female vocalist and best-selling female ar ...

Knocky Parker Knocky Parker (August 8, 1918, Palmer, Texas – September 3, 1986, Los Angeles, California), born John William Parker, II, was an American jazz pianist. He played primarily ragtime and Dixieland jazz. A native of Texas, Parker played in the Wes ...

Les Paul Lester William Polsfuss (June 9, 1915 – August 12, 2009), known as Les Paul, was an American jazz guitarist, jazz, country guitarist, country, and blues guitarist, songwriter, luthier, and inventor. He was one of the pioneers of the solid body ...

Bucky Pizzarelli John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli (January 9, 1926 – April 1, 2020) was an American jazz guitarist. He was the father of jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and double bassist Martin Pizzarelli. He worked for NBC as a staffman for Dick Cavett (1971) ...

* Bertice Reading *

Jimmy Rowles James George Hunter (August 19, 1918 – May 28, 1996), known professionally as Jimmy Rowles (sometimes spelled Jimmie Rowles), was an American jazz pianist, vocalist, and composer. As a bandleader and accompanist, he explored multiple styles in ...

Pee Wee Russell Charles Ellsworth "Pee Wee" Russell (March 27, 1906 – February 15, 1969), was an American jazz musician. Early in his career he played clarinet and saxophones, but he eventually focused solely on clarinet. With a highly individualistic and sp ...

Artie Shapiro Arthur Shapiro (January 15, 1916 – March 24, 2003) was an American jazz bassist. Early life Shapiro was born in Denver, Colorado, on January 15, 1916. He began on trumpet at age 13 and picked up bass at 18. Later life and career In the late 19 ...

* Daryl Sherman *

Carrie Smith Carrie Louise Smith (August 25, 1925 – May 20, 2012) was an American blues and jazz singer. She was not well known in the United States but had a small following in Europe. Career Smith was born in Fort Gaines, Georgia, United States. S ...

* Maxine Sullivan *

Mel Tormé Melvin Howard Tormé (September 13, 1925 – June 5, 1999), nicknamed "The Velvet Fog", was an American musician, singer, composer, arranger, drummer, actor, and author. He composed the music for " The Christmas Song" ("Chestnuts Roasting on an ...

* Ukulele Ike *

Marlene VerPlanck Marlene Paula VerPlanck ''(née'' Pampinella; November 11, 1933 – January 14, 2018) was an American jazz and pop vocalist whose body of work centered on big band jazz, the American songbook, and cabaret. Life and career VerPlanck was born and r ...

* Ronnie Whyte * Lee Wiley *

Paul Weston Paul Weston (born Paul Wetstein; March 12, 1912 – September 20, 1996) was an American pianist, arranger, composer, and conductor who worked in music and television from the 1930s to the 1970s, pioneering mood music and becoming known as "the ...

George Wettling George Godfrey Wettling (November 28, 1907 – June 6, 1968) was an American jazz drummer. He was born in Topeka, Kansas, United States, and from his early teens was living in Chicago, Illinois. He was one of the young Chicagoans who fell ...

Margaret Whiting Margaret Eleanor Whiting (July 22, 1924 – January 10, 2011) was an American popular music and country music singer who gained popularity in the 1940s and 1950s.Mapes, Jillian.Margaret Whiting, Iconic Standards Singer, Dies at 86. ''Billboard' ...

References

External links

Jazzology Records

The Story of the Original Audiophile Record Label

{{Authority control American record labels Jazz record labels Record labels established in 1947 1947 establishments in Wisconsin