Enja Records is a German

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. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

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. Labels are most often affixed to packaging and containers using an adhesive, or sewing when affix ...

based in

Munich Munich is the capital and most populous city of Bavaria, Germany. As of 30 November 2024, its population was 1,604,384, making it the third-largest city in Germany after Berlin and Hamburg. Munich is the largest city in Germany that is no ...

which was founded by jazz enthusiasts Matthias Winckelmann and Horst Weber in 1971. The label's first release was by

Mal Waldron Malcolm Earl "Mal" Waldron (August 16, 1925 – December 2, 2002) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He started playing professionally in New York in 1950, after graduating from college. In the following dozen years or so Wa ...

, and early releases included European and Japanese

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

artists such as Alexander von Schlippenbach, Terumasa Hino,

Albert Mangelsdorff Albert Mangelsdorff (September 5, 1928 – July 25, 2005) was a German jazz trombonist. Working mainly in free jazz, he was an innovator in multiphonics. Early life Mangelsdorff was born in Frankfurt on September 5, 1928, as the son of the book ...

and Yōsuke Yamashita, along with newer American jazz musicians like

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

Cecil Taylor Cecil Percival Taylor (March 25, 1929April 5, 2018) was an American pianist and poet. Taylor was classically trained and was one of the pioneers of free jazz. His music is characterized by an energetic, physical approach, resulting in comple ...

, Leroy Jenkins and Eric Dolphy and straight-ahead musicians such as Tommy Flanagan,

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet from 1960 to 1965, and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA J ...

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 ...

, Freddie Hubbard,

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 albums as ''My Fa ...

, and

Kenny Barron Kenneth Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist and composer who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era. Early life ...

. The label also branched out to release early world music productions from Abdullah Ibrahim, Rabih Abou-Khalil, Mahmoud Turkmani, Gypsy bands, Indonesia's Monica Akihary, and Turkish saz virtuoso Taner Akyol.

Discography

Main series

*9902 2 Mal Waldron / Steve Lacy: ''One-Upmanship / Moods'' *9904 2 Bob Degen: ''Sequoia Song'' / ''Chartreuse'' *9906 2 Clark Terry / Red Mitchell: ''To Duke & Basie'' / ''When I'm Singing'' *9908 2 Hal Galper: ''Now Hear This'' / ''Ivory Forest'' *9910 2 Abdullah Ibrahim: '' Banyana – Children of Africa'' / ''Desert Flowers'' *9912 2 Benny Bailey: Islands / Upper Manhattan Jazz Society *9914 2 Franco Ambrosetti: ''Heart Bop'' / ''Close Encounter'' *9916 2 David Friedman: ''Future Passed / Of the Wind's Eye'' *9918 2 John Stubblefield: ''Bushman Song / Countin' on the Blues'' *9920 2 Attila Zoller: ''Cream Bells'' / ''Memories of Pannonica'' *9922 2 Kenny Barron: ''What If?'' / ''Live at Fat Tuesdays'' *9924 2 Ray Anderson/Slickaphonics: ''Wow Bag'' / ''Modern Life'' *9926 2 Conexion Latina: ''Calorcito'' / ''Un Poco Loco'' *9928 2 Jerry Gonzalez & Forth Apache Band ''The River Is Deep'' / ''Obatala'' *9930 2 Leni Stern: ''Secrets'' / ''Closer to the Light'' *9932 2 Ed Blackwell: ''What It Is'' / ''What It Be Like''

Other series

*blu-1000 2 Robert Pete Williams: ''Sugarfarm'' *blu-1001 2 Thomas Shaw: ''Do Lord Remember Me'' *blu-1002 2 Little Brother Montgomery: ''Bajez Copper Station'' *blu-1003 2 Bukka White: ''Baton Rouge Mosby Street'' *blu-1004 2 Eddie Taylor: ''Stormy Monday'' *blu-1005 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir: ''Highway to Heaven'' *blu-1006 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir: ''Jubilation Ii'' *blu-1007 2 Christian Willisohn: ''Boogie Woogie & Blues'' *blu-1008 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir ''Glory Train'' *blu-1009 2 Stephen Barry Blues Band: ''Blues Under a Full Moon'' *blu-1010 2 Louisiana Red & Carey Bell ''Live At 55'' *blu-1011 2 Lillian Bouté & Christian Willisohn: ''Lipstick Traces'' *blu-1012 2 Bryan Lee ''Jump Street Five'' *blu-1013 2 Nick Woodland: ''Big Heart'' *blu-1014 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir ''A Cappella'' *blu-1015 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir ''Anniversary in Gospel'' *blu-1016 2 Yvonne Jackson W. Maceo Parker: ''I'm Trouble'' *blu-1017 2 Lillian Boutté: ''The Gospel Book'' *blu-1018 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir: ''Joy to the World'' *blu-1019 2 Christian Willisohn: ''Blues News'' *blu-1020 2 Lillian Boutté: ''The Jazz Book'' *blu-1021 2 Bryan Lee: ''Memphis Bound'' *blu-1022 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir Looking Back (Jubilation Vi) *blu-1024 2 Al Jones Blues Band: ''Watch This!'' *blu-1025 2 Christian Willisohn Trio: ''Blues on the World'' *blu-1026 2 Christian Willisohn New Band: ''Heart Broken Man'' *blu-1027 2 Nick Woodland Quartet Live ''Fireworks'' *blu-1028 2 Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir Hamba Ekhaya *blu-1029 2 Bryan Lee ''Live at the Old Absinthe House Bar – Friday Night'' *blu-1031 2 Big Allanbik Batuque Y Blues *blu-1032 2 Bryan Lee ''Live at the Old Absinthe House Bar – Saturday Night'' *blu-1033 2 Marty Hall: ''Who's Been Talkin'?'' *blu-1035 2 Bryan Lee: ''Crawfish Lady'' *blu-1036 2 Nick Woodland: ''The Current That Flows'' *blu-1037 2 Nick Woodland Cult Factory Vol. 1 (Authentic Heads) *m M P-1 70886 2 Rabih Abou-Khalil: ''Between Dusk and Dawn'' *m M P-1 70889 2 Rabih Abou-Khalil: ''Bukra'' *m M P-1 70890 2 Rabih Abou-Khalil: ''Roots and Sprouts'' *r27-9153 2 Harvie Swartz: ''In a Different Light'' *r27-9154 2 Bebop & Beyond W. Joe Henderson Plays Thelonious Monk *r27-9163 2 Tim Eyermann & East Coast Off. ''Outside Inside'' *r27-9167 2 David Becker: ''In Motion'' *r27-9169 2 Uncle Festive ''The Paper & The Dog'' *r27-9170 2 Dizzy Gillespie / Bebop & Beyond Plays Dizzy Gillespie *r27-9171 2 Mark Egan: ''Beyond Words'' *r27-9180 2 Scott Henderson /tribal Tech Illicit*tip-888801 2 Blue Box Captured Dance Floor *tip-888802 2 Kevin Bruce Harris: ''And They Walked Among People'' *tip-888803 2 Vladimir Estragon / ''Three Quarks For Muster Mark'' *tip-888804 2 Intergalactic Maiden Ballet ''Square Dance'' *tip-888805 2 Mike Westbrook: ''Off Abbey Road'' *tip-888806 2 Michael Gregory: ''The Way We Used to Do'' *tip-888807 2 Kevin Bruce Harris: ''Folk Songs / Folk Tales'' *tip-888808 2 Greetje Bijma: ''Tales of a Voice'' *tip-888809 2 Wolfgang Schmid / Kick, B. Cobham ''No Filters'' *tip-888810 2 Abdullah Lbrahim (Dollar Brand): ''Mantra Mode'' *tip-888811 2 Mike Clark / Paul Jackson: ''The Funk Stops Here'' *tip-888812 2 Abdullah Lbrahim (Dollar Brand): '' Water from an Ancient Well'' *tip-888813 2 Blue Box ''Time We Sign'' *tip-888814 2 Mitch Watkins: ''Strings With Wings'' *tip-888815 2 Abdullah Lbrahim (Dollar Brand): ''No Fear No Die'' *tip-888816 2 Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand): ''Knysna Blue'' *tip-888817 2 Intergalactic Maidenballet ''Gulf'' *tip-888818 2 Blue Box "10" *tip-888819 2 Okay Temiz: ''Magnet Dance'' *tip-888820 2 Abdullah Ibrahim: '' Yarona'' *tip-888821 2 Subruto Roy Chowdhury Bageshree *tip-888822 2 Raiz De Pedra With Egberto Gismonti Diario De Bordo *tip-888823 2 Ferenc Snétberger ''The Budapest Concert'' *tip-888824 2 Paradox ''Paradox'' *tip-888825 2 Harald Haerter & Dewey Redman ''Mostly Live'' *tip-888826 2 Abdullah Ibrahim: ''Cape Town Flowers'' *tip-888827 2 Rikhy Ray: ''Mangalam'' *tip-888831 2 Greenfish: ''Perfume Light, Singing Blue'' *tip-888832 2 Abdullah Ibrahim: ''African Suite'' *tip-888833 2 Paradox ''The Rist Second'' *tip-888834 2 Ferenc Snétberger: ''Obsession'' *tip-888835 2 Mahmoud Turkmani Nuqta *tip-888836 2 Abdullah Ibrahim: ''Cape Town Revisited'' *tip-888838 2 Lew Soloff: ''Rainbow Mountain'' *tip-888839-2 Götz Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble *tip-888340-2 Abdullah Ibrahim: ''Ekapa Lodumo'' *tip-888841-2 Gilad Athmon & Oriental House Ensemble: ''Nostalgico'' *tip-888843-2 The World Quintet *tip-888845-2 Abdullah Ibrahim: ''African Magic'' *tip-888846-2 Nunu!: ''Con Alma'' *tip-888848-2 Gilad Atzmon Musik *tip-888849-2 Gilad Atzmon & Orient House Ensemble: ''Refuge'' *tip-888850-2 Gilad Atzmon: ''In Loving Memory of America'' Rising Sun Collection *rsc-0001 2 John Lee Hooker *rsc-0002 2 Big Mama Thornton *rsc-0003 2 Taj Mahal *rsc-0004 2 Nina Simone *rsc-0005 2 Archie Shepp *rsc-0006 2 Louisiana Red *rsc-0007 2 Esther Phillips *rsc-0008 2 Johnny "Big Moose" Walker *rsc-0009 2 Lightnin' Hopkins *rsc-0010 2 Chet Baker *rsc-0011 2 Louisiana Red A.o.yellowbird *yeb-7707 2 Marc Ribot's Ceramic Dog '' Party Intellectuals'' *yeb-7710 2 Susi Hyldgaard: ''It's Love We Need'' *yeb-7711 2 Roy Nathanson: ''Sotto Voce'' /''Subway Moon''

References

{{Authority control Record labels established in 1971 German jazz record labels Mass media in Munich