Owl Studios is a

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 label founded in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2005. In 2013 the label was sold and renamed Owl Music Group.

History

Founding

Owl Studios was started in 2005 by Al Hall, an Indianapolis businessman, to promote local jazz musicians. He grew up playing trumpet in northern California and moved to Indianapolis in 1981. The label began as a basement studio for his sons. Hall said he intended Owl to be run differently from other labels. He said that usually a record label will pay for an album's recording costs, but the musician doesn't see much money until the label has recovered the additional cost of making and promoting the album. His plan was to have the label pay little or nothing in recording fees but immediately share revenue with musicians. He said that this approach gave an incentive for musicians to help promote their work. Owl's roster includes Indianapolis saxophonist Rob Dixon, jam band

Garaj Mahal Garaj Mahal is a jazz fusion band formed in 2000 that combines jazz, rock, Indian music, and funk. The band consists of Fareed Haque (guitar), Kai Eckhardt (bass), Sean Rickman (drums), and Eric Levy (keyboards). Garaj Mahal allows its music to ...

led by Chicago guitarist Fareed Haque, and a new version of

the Headhunters The Headhunters was an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History and band name Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with ...

, a

jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as jazz rock, jazz-rock fusion, or simply fusion) is a popular music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric gui ...

band active in 1970s that featured

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

; drummer Mike Clark, vocalist Cynthia Layne, trumpeter Derrick Gardner, Indianapolis pianist and composer Steve Allee, clarinetist and saxophonist Frank Glover, the Busselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra; Chicago trumpeter

Pharez Whitted Pharez Whitted is an American jazz trumpeter, composer, band leader and educator from Indianapolis, Indiana. In January 2011, Whitted was nominated for the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards in the Jazz Album category for Transient Journey. In ...

, and New York City groups Bill Moring & Way Out East, and the Rick Germanson Trio.

Other projects

In 2009 Owl purchased the rights to the Indy Jazz Fest from the

American Piano Awards American Piano Awards is a non-profit performing arts organization based in Indianapolis, Indiana. The organization's goal is to "discover, promote, and advance" the careers of young American pianists. The organization hosts a biennial competition ...

and took ownership of the annual festival, turning it into a non-profit organization and a way to promote jazz in Indianapolis. The following year Owl started the Emerging Jazz Artist Project to promote new musicians. The first release was the album ''Blocks'' (2011) by the Jeff McLaughlin Quartet.

Owl Music Group

In 2013 Owl Studios was sold to Kenny and Valerie Phelps and renamed Owl Music Group. Kenny Phelps is a drummer who toured with

Dee Dee Bridgewater Dee Dee Bridgewater (née Denise Garrett, May 27, 1950) is an American jazz singer and actress. She is a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter, as well as a Tony Award-winning stage actress. For 23 years, she was the host of National ...

from 2012 to 2014.

Awards and honors

* Independent Music Awards, ''Echoes of Ethnicity'' by Derrick Gardner & The Jazz Prophets, 2010 * Independent Music Awards nomination, Best Jazz Album, ''Carnival of Soul'' by Mike Clark, 2011 * Independent Music Awards nomination, Best Jazz Album, ''Transient Journey'' by

, 2011

Roster

* Bill Moring * Buselli–Wallarab Jazz Orchestra * Cynthia Layne * Derrick Gardner * Fareed Haque * Frank Glover *

* Mike Clark * Monika Herzig *

* Rick Germanson * Rob Dixon * Steve Allee * The Dixon-Rhyne Project *

The Headhunters The Headhunters was an American jazz fusion band formed by Herbie Hancock in 1973. The group fused jazz, funk, and rock music. History and band name Hancock had grown dissatisfied with his prior band, Mwandishi, and wanted to make a band with ...

* The Twin Cats *

Todd Harrold Todd or Todds may refer to: Places Australia * Todd River, an ephemeral river United States * Todd Valley, California, also known as Todd, an unincorporated community * Todd, Missouri, a ghost town * Todd, North Carolina, an unincorporated c ...

References

External links

Owl Music Group
{{Authority control American jazz record labels American independent record labels Record labels established in 2005