Arkadia Records

Arkadia Records is an independent record label that was founded in 1996.[1]

The label was founded in New York City by Bob Karcy,[1][2] who had been a manager for musicians and an independent record producer.[3] The first release was Billy Taylor's Music Keeps Us Young, in 1997.[3] From the first releases, the session leaders were allowed to select the other musicians and the material.[3] Writers of early liner notes included Stanley Crouch, Ira Gitler, and Nat Hentoff.[4] Arkadia acquired the catalog of Postcards Records in 1999.[1]

The original label was Arkadia Jazz,[5] on which 20 albums had been released by early 2000.[2] The sub-label Arkadia Chansons is used for licensed re-releases of French recordings by performers such as Josephine Baker and Edith Piaf.[3] By 2022, Arkadia had released more than 100 albums.[1] This included sessions led by Joanne Brackeen, Benny Golson, Dave Liebman, and T. K. Blue.[3]

Several releases have been by the Arkadia Jazz Allstars.[1][3] These led to three Grammy Award nominations for Best Jazz Instrumental Solo: for Liebman on Thank You, John! Our Tribute to John Coltrane;[6][7] for Golson on The Stars of Jazz, Vol.1;[6][8] and for Randy Brecker on Thank You, Gerry![9][10]

In 2022, the label announced plans to make all of its recordings available for streaming, the establishment of Arkadia Concerts as a video-on-demand channel,[1] and its first releases of new material for several years.[11]