Fantasy

Fantasy on vinyl: West Coast jazz, Latin jazz and the Bay Area

In short: Fantasy was founded in San Francisco in 1949 and recorded Dave Brubeck early on. In the fifties and sixties came Latin jazz from Cal Tjader, Vince Guaraldi and comedy records, later Creedence Clearwater Revival. Fantasy gradually bought the catalogues of Prestige, Riverside and Contemporary – which led to the Original Jazz Classics series. The Vinyl Room currently has 76 Fantasy records.

From our stock

Fantasy first pressings

Cool jazz & swing

Latin jazz

New in

→ Original Jazz Classics · Cool jazz · Latin jazz · Jazz on vinyl

What makes Fantasy special?

Fantasy’s early years belong to Dave Brubeck: his early recordings and the live records with Paul Desmond – in our stock “Jazz At Storyville” – made the small label known. Then came Cal Tjader, who combined vibraphone and Latin rhythms, for example on “Tjader Goes Latin” and “Los Ritmos Calientes”. With Vince Guaraldi and comedy records from San Francisco’s clubs, Fantasy became the sound of the Bay Area.

In the late sixties Fantasy grew big with Creedence Clearwater Revival and then bought famous jazz catalogues. In the seventies and eighties new albums came out here by Bill Evans (“Eloquence”), Freddie Hubbard (“Keystone Bop”), Stanley Turrentine and Woody Herman – and with Pleasure even funk.

FAQ

When was Fantasy Records founded? In San Francisco in 1949.

What does Fantasy have to do with Original Jazz Classics? Fantasy bought the catalogues of Prestige, Riverside, Contemporary and others and reissued the albums from 1982 in the Original Jazz Classics series.

Which jazz musicians were on Fantasy? Among others Dave Brubeck, Paul Desmond, Cal Tjader and Vince Guaraldi, later Bill Evans, Freddie Hubbard and Stanley Turrentine.

What music do you have on Fantasy? Mostly jazz – cool jazz, Latin jazz, swing and big band –, plus funk and comedy, 76 records in all.