Mode Records

Mode Records on vinyl: West Coast jazz from 1957

In short: Mode Records was a small jazz label from Los Angeles, founded in 1957 and short-lived. In that time it recorded the musicians of the Californian scene – quartets, quintets and sextets in the West Coast jazz style. The Vinyl Room currently has 15 records on Mode Records.

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Marked as first pressings

Cool jazz

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→ Cool jazz · Bop · Contemporary Records · Jazz on vinyl

What makes Mode Records special?

Typical of Mode: the record simply carries the band’s name – here for example the Richie Kamuca Quartet, the Frank Rosolino Quintet, the Conte Candoli Quartet, the Stan Levey Quintet, the Mel Lewis Sextet and the Eddie Costa Quintet. Don Fagerquist’s octet plays “Music To Fill A Void”, Warne Marsh “Music For Prancing”.

Plus vocals with “Joy Bryan Sings” and Bobby Troup’s “Bobby Swings Tenderly”, guitarist Al Viola with “Solo Guitar” and Harry Babasin And The Jazz Pickers. Mode records are also recognisable by their covers with painted portraits of the musicians.

FAQ

Where does Mode Records come from? From Los Angeles; the label was founded in 1957.

What music is on Mode? Mainly West Coast jazz and cool jazz in small groups.

Are there originals and reissues? Yes – besides editions from the fifties there are reissues from the eighties. Which edition you get is noted with each copy.

What do you have on Mode Records? Records from the fifties and eighties – 15 records in all.