Debut Records
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Debut Records was a United States jazz record label, which was founded in 1952 by bassist Charles Mingus, his then-wife Celia and drummer Max Roach. This short-lived label was an attempt to avoid the compromises of working for major companies. Intended to showcase work by new musicians (Thad Jones and Paul Bley made their first recordings on the label), only two dozen or so albums were issued before the company was wound up in 1957. Debut was the label on which the celebrated Jazz at Massey Hall concert album was first issued; recorded in Toronto, this features Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Mingus and Roach, and was the last recorded meeting of the first two participants.
The Debut catalog was eventually given to Saul Zaentz, then of Fantasy Records, by Mingus as a wedding present when Zaentz married the former Celia Mingus. A 12-CD set of those Debut recordings featuring Mingus, the majority, was issued by Fantasy Records in 1992.
