Private Music

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Private Music is an American independent record label, founded in 1984 by Peter Baumann, as a home for instrumental music. Initially signing such artists as Yanni, Suzanne Ciani, Patrick O'Hearn, and Baumann's former bandmates, Tangerine Dream, the record label specialized in New Age music, but made a sharp turn to mainstream niches, with signings of Taj Mahal, Ringo Starr, Etta James, A.J. Croce, and many more. Its releases were distributed by then-emerging BMG, which bought Private Music in 1996.

History

In 1989, Baumann hired veteran Warner Bros. Records' music executive Ron Goldstein. As Private Music's President & CEO, Goldstein moved the offices from New York City to Los Angeles, hiring former publicist for U2, Tony Bennett and Warners’ “Musicians for Life,” Karen Johnson, to expand the label's image and veteran-artists' re-development. Baumann recruited the respected mainstream A&R executive Jamie Cohen, in demand at the time for his work with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Visual image was important to Goldstein, who brought on Award-winning Art-Director Melanie Penny (previously of Virgin Records and Warner Bros. Records), as VP, Creative Services, through the life of Private Music.

Private Music's recordings earned multiple Grammy Awards (including Etta James' first), and many more Nominations, achieving high recognition on national television, with numerous artist appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and Jay Leno, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, etc. The label's recordings by Taj Mahal spawned the Phantom Blues Band who continue as a mainstay in blues recordings and concerts. (Private also entered into a joint venture with House of Blues‘ record label, featuring such artists as Cissy Houston). In 2001, Private Music became part of the short-lived Arista Associated Labels which also included Windham Hill; by 2004, after Sony and BMG merged, the label's releases switched to RCA. Currently, no reissues have been scheduled. Like its mentor (Warner Bros. Records), Private Music's business model leaves an example for indie artists who exemplify (Goldstein's A&R criteria of) "quality and excellence." Following his Private Music tenure, Goldstein served as President & CEO of the Verve Music Group label at Universal Music Group, in New York City. Karen Johnson directs KJPR Publicity and Artist Relations in Los Angeles. Sadly, Jamie Cohen and Melanie Penny passed in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

Discography

  • Joy Askew
    • "Tender City"
  • Azuma
    • Azuma
    • The Wanderer
  • Bounce the Ocean
    • Bounce the Ocean
  • Suzanne Ciani
    • Seven Waves (1982)*
    • The Velocity of Love (1986)*
    • Neverland (1988)
    • History of My Heart (1989)
    • Pianissimo (1990)
    • Hotel Luna (1991)
    • The Private Music of Suzanne Ciani (1992, compilation)
    • "Seven Waves" was originally released on Finnadar in 1982 and "The Velocity of Love" was released on RCA Skylark in 1986. Ciani owns the rights and released these through Private Music during her tenure there.
  • Bill Gable
    • There Were Signs
  • Jerry Goodman
    • On the Future of Aviation (1985)
    • Ariel (1986)
    • It's Alive (1987, live)
  • Miles Goodman and Various Artists
    • Getting Even With Dad - soundtrack
  • Lucia Hwong
    • House of Sleeping Beauties (1985)
    • Secret Luminescence (1987)
  • Diego Modena, Jean-Philippe Audin
    • Ocarina
    • Ocarina II
  • Patrick O'Hearn
    • Ancient Dreams (1985)
    • Between Two Worlds (1987)
    • Rivers Gonna Rise (1988)
    • Eldorado (1989)
    • Mix-Up (1990, remixes)
    • Indigo (1991)
    • The Private Music of Patrick O'Hearn (1992, compilation)
    • A Windham Hill Retrospective (1997)*
  *BMG absorbed Private Music into Windham Hill; the label did not re-issue O'Hearn's releases.
  • The Pahinui Brothers
    • The Pahinui Brothers (1992)
  • Phil Perry
    • One Heart One Love (1998) Peak 82163
    • My Book of Love (2000) Peak 82181
  • Sanford Ponder
    • Etosha - Private Music in the Land of Dry Water
    • Tigers Are Brave
  • Leon Redbone
    • Christmas Island (1987)
    • Sugar (1990)
    • Up a Lazy River (1992)

* contains recordings from Columbia and Private Music

  • John Tesh
    • Tour de France (1988)
    • Tour de France... The Early Years (1990)
  • Various (samplers)
    • Piano One (1985)
    • The World of Private Music, Vol. 1 (1986)
    • The World of Private Music, Vol. 2
    • The Private Music Sampler 1988 (1988)
    • The Private Music Sampler, Vol. 4
    • The Private Music Sampler, Vol. 5
    • Piano Two (1990)
    • Polar Shift (1991)

In 1986 Private Music released a collection of 5 music videos on VHS videocassette in the US. The collection features collage images for the five songs: "On The Future Of Aviation" by Jerry Goodman, "Beauty In Darkness" by Patrick O'Hearn, "Memories of Vienna" by Eddie Jobson, "Water Garden" by Sanford Ponder, and "Dragon Dance" by Lucia Hwong--all were artists on the PM label at the time. The collection was released on laserdisc only in Japan in 1986 (Private Music LD SM048-3085)

References

  1. ↑ Miles, Barry; Badman, Keith, ed. (2001). The Beatles Diary After the Break-Up: 1970-2001 (reprint ed.). London: Music Sales Group. ISBN 9780711983076. 

External links

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