Norgran Records (US jazz label)
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Annotation
Norgran was Granz second label, which he founded following his success with Clef, as to be able to produce more artists and releases without "cluttering" Clef.
Along with Down Home (focused on traditional jazz) and Verve (focused on pop), Granz intended to propose a wide spectrum of jazz artists.
Though, he found distributions circuits reluctant to handle his "smaller" lines, and eventually merged everything into Verve in 1956 and discontinued Norgran.
Like the rest of the Verve assets, Norgran vault now belongs to Universal.
Though of lesser importance than Clef, the Norgran tapes still document an important period of the jazz history, with around a hundred records from Gillespie, Powell, Farlow, Young, Webster and a few others.
Most if not all Norgran catalog was reissued by Verve at some point.
Catalog number schemes:
- 12" LPs: "MGN XXXX" (1000 to 1106)
- 10" LPs: "MGN XX" (1 to 32)
- 10" 78 rpm: "Norgran XXX" (100 to 164)
- Plus a handful of odd-ducks (2000/3500).
