Summit Records, Inc. is an internationally distributed

record label A record label, or record company, is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the prod ...

that evolved out of the large brass ensemble Summit Brass in the late 1980s. It was established by David Hickman and

Ralph Sauer Ralph C. Sauer is an American trombonist, arranger and teacher. He was Principal Trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 32 years. Sauer was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and graduated from the Eastman School of Music where he studied ...

. Four Summit Records recordings have been nominated for

Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

, including ''The Manhattan Transfer Meets Tubby the Tuba'' in the Best Children's Album category, the Chicago Chamber Musicians were finalists in the Best Chamber Music Performance category, Pete McGuinness in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist for his arrangement of "Smile", and The University of Miami Concert Jazz Bands' recording of "Three Romances" in the category of Best Instrumental Composition. In 2006 Summit Records took over distributorship of MAMA Records, which was founded in 1990 by Gene Czerwinski, who also founded

Cerwin-Vega Cerwin-Vega Inc. is a brand name used on products for professional audio components, as well as home audio speakers, and car audio components. Originally a stand-alone company, Cerwin-Vega was acquired by the Stanton Group after declaring bank ...

. It has won three Grammy Awards, including

Count Basie Orchestra The Count Basie Orchestra is a 16 to 18 piece big band, one of the most prominent jazz performing groups of the swing era, founded by Count Basie in 1935 and recording regularly from 1936. Despite a brief disbandment at the beginning of the 195 ...

Bob Florence Bob Florence (May 20, 1932 – May 15, 2008) was an American pianist, composer, arranger, and big band leader. Career A child prodigy, Florence began piano lessons before he was five years old and at seven gave his first recital. Although h ...

, and

Randy Brecker Randal Edward Brecker (born November 27, 1945) is an American trumpeter, flugelhornist, and composer. His versatility has made him a popular studio musician who has recorded with acts in jazz, rock, and R&B. Early life Brecker was born on N ...

Roster

Joseph Alessi Joseph Norman Alessi (born September 20, 1959) is an American classical trombonist with the New York Philharmonic. Life Joseph Norman Alessi was born in Detroit, Michigan and attended high school in San Rafael, California. His father, also nam ...

American Brass Quintet When the American Brass Quintet gave its first public performance on December 11, 1960, brass chamber music was still relatively young to concert audiences. The New York Brass Quintet is regarded as the first brass quintet in the United States, ha ...

Bill Anschell Bill Anschell is a jazz pianist and composer. He has recorded seven CDs as a leader, and performed or recorded with many jazz greats. His original compositions and piano work are prominently featured on Freelon's Grammy Award-nominated recording ...

Daniel Asia Daniel Asia (born June 27, 1953) is an American composer. He was born in Seattle, Washington, in the United States of America. Biography He received a B.A. degree from Hampshire College and a M.M. from the Yale School of Music. His major teacher ...

Atlantic Brass Quintet The Atlantic Brass Quintet is an American brass quintet that has been in existence for over 30 years. Founded in 1985 by John Manning, Joseph Foley, John Faieta, Tsuyoshi Taramotoi, and Bob Rasmussen, the quintet has won Grand prizes at thColeman ...

Michael Conway Baker Michael Conway Baker (born March 13, 1937) is a Canadian composer and music educator of American birth. He became a naturalized Canadian citizen in 1970 and has lived more or less continuously in the Vancouver area since. Life and career Baker wa ...

Jeanne Baxtresser Jeanne Baxtresser (born August 2, 1947) is an American flutist and teacher. She is most notable for her position as principal flutist of the New York Philharmonic for over 15 years, she decided to play the flute when she was only nine years ol ...

Tom Brantley Tom Brantley (born 1970) is an American trombonist and academic. Early life and education Brantley was born in 1970 in Louisiana. He is a third-generation trombonist. Brantley earned music degrees from the University of Southern Mississippi (B ...

Calliope In Greek mythology, Calliope ( ; grc, Καλλιόπη, Kalliópē, beautiful-voiced) is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry; so called from the ecstatic harmony of her voice. Hesiod and Ovid called her the "Chief of all Muses ...

Kevin Cobb Kevin Cobb is an American trumpet player who joined the American Brass Quintet in fall 1998. He also became a faculty member of The Juilliard School and the Aspen Music Festival. Currently, he teaches at the Yale School of Music and at SUNY St ...

Larry Combs Larry Combs (born December 31, 1939) is an American clarinetist and educator. Early life and education Combs was born in South Charleston, West Virginia. He received a bachelor of music degree with distinction as well as the Performer's Certif ...

* Jack Cooper *

Les DeMerle Lester William DeMerle (born November 4, 1946, Brooklyn) is an American jazz drummer, vocalist, and bandleader. Career DeMerle first picked up drums at age ten. He studied drums and percussion with Bob Livingstone in New York from 1960 to 1965, ...

* Dixieland Ramblers *

Dorian Wind Quintet Dorian Wind Quintet is an American wind quintet. Formed at Tanglewood Music Festival, Tennessee, in 1961, their repertoire includes Baroque pieces to contemporary pieces. They have released recordings on Summit, New World, and CRI Records. Members h ...

Duo46 The American-Canadian ensemble Duo46 was established in 1994 at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona by guitarist Dr. Matthew Gould and violinist Beth Ilana Schneider-Gould. Their name comes from a violin having four strings, and a guita ...

Eastman Wind Ensemble The Eastman Wind Ensemble was founded by conductor Frederick Fennell at the Eastman School of Music in 1952. The ensemble is often credited with helping redefine the performance of wind band music. At the time, concert bands used all of their playe ...

Extension Ensemble Extension Ensemble is an American five piece Brass Quintet, based in New York City, composed of Ralph Alessi (trumpet), Sycil Mathai (trumpet), Theo Primis ( horn), Mike Boschen (trombone) and Andrew Bove (tuba). They have worked with composers suc ...

Tim Eyermann Tim Eyermann (1947-May 1, 2007) was a saxophonist, known for his work with The Airmen of Note and as a recording musician. Early years He started his musical career at the age of six by taking up piano lessons for two years, he hated them. Tim gre ...

Philip Farkas Philip Farkas (March 5, 1914 – December 21, 1992) was the principal French horn player in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for many years, and he left in 1960 to join the music faculty at Indiana University Bloomington. His books include ''The ...

David Friesen David Friesen (born May 6, 1942 in Tacoma, Washington) is an American jazz bassist. He plays double bass and electric upright bass. Career Friesen began playing bass while serving in the United States Army in Germany. He played with John Hand ...

Mark Hetzler Mark Hetzler (born 1968 in Sarasota, Florida) is an American trombonist and former member of the Empire Brass Quintet. Hetzler has performed with the Minnesota Orchestra, Boston Pops, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Springfield Symphony Orchestra, ...

* David Hickman *

Arnold Jacobs Arnold Maurice Jacobs (June 11, 1915 – October 7, 1998) was an American tubist who spent most of his career with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He held that position from 1944 until his retirement in 1988. Jacobs was considered one of the f ...

* Stan Kenton Alumni Band *

Ted Kooshian Ted Kooshian (born October 8, 1961) is an American jazz pianist, keyboardist, and composer who has performed with Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Marvin Hamlisch, Edgar Winter, Sarah Brightman, Il Divo, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears. Kooshian has p ...

* Mark Lawrence * Ronald Leonard *

Dave Liebman David Liebman (born September 4, 1946) is an American saxophonist, flautist and jazz educator. He is known for his innovative lines and use of atonality. He was a frequent collaborator with pianist Richie Beirach. In June 2010, he received ...

London Symphony Orchestra The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...

Matthias Lupri Matthias Albrecht Lupri (born 29 October 1964 in Germany) is a jazz musician who plays the vibraphone. History Lupri grew up in Manhattan, Kansas, and Alberta, Canada. Initially he played the drums, and as a teenager played in blues, rock, and co ...

John Mack John Mack may refer to: * John Martin Mack (1715–1784), Moravian bishop * John Mack (Medal of Honor recipient) (1843–1881), American Civil War sailor and Medal of Honor recipient * John J. Mack (coach) (1870–1923), Yale University track coach ...

Dave MacKay David Craig Mackay (14 November 1934 – 2 March 2015) was a Scottish football player and manager. Mackay was best known for a highly successful playing career with Heart of Midlothian, the Double-winning Tottenham Hotspur side of 1961, a ...

Matrix Matrix most commonly refers to: * ''The Matrix'' (franchise), an American media franchise ** '' The Matrix'', a 1999 science-fiction action film ** "The Matrix", a fictional setting, a virtual reality environment, within ''The Matrix'' (franchi ...

Bob McChesney Bob McChesney is an LA based jazz and studio trombonist, famous for his use and mastery of the 'doodle - tongue,' a method of articulation on the trombone as well as his ultra fast and melodic solos. He currently teaches in the music department ...

Rafael Méndez Rafael Méndez (March 26, 1906 – September 15, 1981) was a Mexican virtuoso solo trumpeter. He is known as the " Heifetz of the Trumpet." Early life Méndez was born in Jiquilpan, Michoacán, Mexico to a musical family. As a child, he perform ...

* Fred Mills *

Tony Monaco Anthony M. "Tony" Monaco (born August 14, 1959) is an American jazz organist. at The Hammond Jazz Inventory Biography Monaco played accordion from childhood and was heavily influenced by Jimmy Smith in his youth. In 1971, he switched to organ ...

Vaughn Nark Vaughn Nark is a trumpeter, flugelhornist, trombonist and exclusive Yamaha clinician from Washington, DC. With a career that includes nearly two decades as a member of the United States Air Force's Airmen of Note, Nark has performed with many of ...

New West Guitar Group New West Guitar Group is a guitar trio that was formed in 2003. The three group members—Perry Smith of New York City, John Storie of Los Angeles, and Jeffrey Stein of New York City—met while they were students at the University of Southern Cal ...

Gene Pokorny Gene Pokorny (born May 15, 1953) is an American tubist. He has played with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra since his appointment by Georg Solti in 1988. He has also played with the Israel Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, the Saint Louis Symphony Or ...

River City Brass Band The River City Brass Band (River City Brass, RCB) is a modified British-style brass band based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The 28-piece ensemble tours extensively throughout the United States and performs more than 35 concerts each year as part ...

Scott Routenberg Scott Routenberg (born 1978) is an American composer, jazz pianist, arranger and orchestrator. Currently Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, he has published both full-length compositions for jazz ensemb ...

Carl Saunders Carl Saunders (August 2, 1942 – February 25, 2023) was an American jazz trumpeter, composer, and educator who performed with such luminaries as Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Bill Holman, Clare Fischer, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Mel Tormé, a ...

Bobby Shew Bobby Shew (born March 4, 1941) is an American jazz trumpet and flugelhorn player. Biography He was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. After leaving college in 1960, Shew was drafted into the U.S. Army and played trumpet and toured ...

Phil Smith Philip or Phil Smith may refer to: In sport *Phil Smith (Australian footballer) (1946–2010), Australian rules player *Phil Smith (basketball) (1952–2002), American basketball player *Philip Smith (footballer, born 1885) (1885–1918), English f ...

Clark Terry Clark Virgil Terry Jr. (December 14, 1920 – February 21, 2015) was an American swing and bebop trumpeter, a pioneer of the flugelhorn in jazz, and a composer and educator. He played with Charlie Barnet (1947), Count Basie (1948–51), Duke ...

* Robert Vernon *

Allen Vizzutti Allen Vizzutti (born September 13, 1952) is an American trumpeter, composer and music educator. Biography Born and raised in Missoula, Montana, Vizzutti learned the trumpet from his father, Lido Vizzutti. At age 16, Vizzutti won the concerto c ...

George Walker George Walker may refer to: Arts and letters *George Walker (chess player) (1803–1879), English chess player and writer *George Walker (composer) (1922–2018), American composer *George Walker (illustrator) (1781–1856), author of ''The Cost ...

* B.J. Ward *

Harry Watters Harry Watters (born in Huntsville, Alabama, U.S.) is a noted jazz trombonist. He has performed across the United States with many jazz artists including Al Hirt, Pete Fountain, Shirley Jones, and many others. He has performed as a featured trom ...

Ken Watters Ken Watters is an American jazz trumpeter residing in Huntsville, Alabama. He is the brother of noted jazz trombonist, Harry Watters. Ken has performed and/or recorded with Frank Sinatra, Tabou Combo Jason Isbell, Marc Anthony, Wyclef Jean, Nat ...

Jiggs Whigham Jiggs Whigham (born Oliver Haydn Whigham III; August 20, 1943) is an American jazz trombonist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, he began his professional career at the age of 17, joining the Glenn Miller/Ray McKinley orchestra ...

* Anthony Wilson *

Gerald Wilson Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. In addition to being a ...

Michele Zukovsky Michele Zukovsky (''née'' Bloch) is an American clarinetist and longest serving female woodwind player in the history of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, serving from 1961 at the age of 18 until her retirement on December 20, 2015. Backgro ...

External links

Official site

Interview

MVD Entertainment Group
{{Authority control American record labels Jazz record labels Music companies of the United States Companies established in 1988