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Fantasy Records

Fantasy Records
Fantasy logo original.tif
Parent company Concord Bicycle Music
Founded 1949 (1949)
Founder Max Weiss
Sol Weiss
Distributor(s) Concord Records
(in the U.S.)
Universal Music Group
Genre Various
Country of origin U.S.
Location San Francisco, California
Official website concordmusicgroup.com

Fantasy Records is an American record company and label founded by brothers Max and Sol Weiss in 1949. The early years of the company were dedicated to issuing recordings by jazz pianist Dave Brubeck, who was also one of its investors, but the label is known more for its recordings of comedian Lenny Bruce and the rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival.

In 1949, Jack Sheedy, the owner of a San Francisco-based record label called Coronet, was talked into making the first recording of an octet and a trio featuring Dave Brubeck (This Coronet Records should not be confused with either the Australian Coronet Records or the Coronet Records of the late 1950s that was based in New York City). Sheedy's Coronet Records had recorded area Dixieland bands. But he was unable to pay his bills, and in 1949 he turned his masters over to a pressing company, the Circle Record Company, which was owned by Max and Sol Weiss. The Weiss brothers changed the name of their business to Fantasy Records and met an increasing demand for Brubeck's music by recording and issuing new records. Soon the company was shipping 40,000 to 50,000 copies of Brubeck records per quarter.

When Brubeck signed with Fantasy, he thought he had 50 percent interest in the company. He worked as an unofficial artists and repertoire (A&R) assistant, encouraging the Weiss brothers to sign jazz performers such as Gerry Mulligan, Chet Baker, and Red Norvo. When he discovered that all he owned was 50 percent in his own recordings, he signed to Columbia Records.

In 1955, Saul Zaentz joined the company. Jazz musician Charles Mingus gave Debut Records to Zaentz as a wedding gift; at the time, Zaentz was marrying Mingus's ex-wife, Celia, who had helped found Debut with Mingus and musician Max Roach. Zaentz became president in 1967. He and a group of investors bought Fantasy from the Weiss brothers. He then acquired Prestige Records (1971), Riverside (1972), and Milestone (1973).


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