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Contemporary RecordsContemporary Records

Los Angeles, CA

Near

Los Angeles 60 Irvine 40

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Founded in 1951 by Lester Koenig (December 3, 1917 – November 21, 1977), Contemporary Records is a uniquely Hollywood story. An intellectual who loved the arts, Les Koenig (pronounced Kay-nig) fell in love with jazz as an adolescent in New York, where he grew up, the son of a judge. Record collecting led to a lifelong friendship with future music industry icon John Hammond, seven years his senior, who took the young Koenig along to recording sessions he, Hammond, was producing, sparking in Koenig the passion to own a jazz record company one day. In fact, Koenig might not have devoted himself to music as a career had he not, years later, been targeted by political persecution.

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Year established: 1951

Page views: 3,716

Genesis of Genius: The Contemporary Albums

Ornette Coleman
published: April 25, 2022 | views: 4,885

Everybody Likes Hampton Hawes

Hampton Hawes
published: September 02, 2004 | views: 13,231

Latinsville!

Victor Feldman
published: February 25, 2004 | views: 13,986

Sail Away

Tom Harrell
published: February 02, 2004 | views: 28,476

Plays For Lovers

Barney Kessel
published: November 22, 2003 | views: 16,671

Burning Spirits

Sonny Simmons
published: August 25, 2003 | views: 12,554

Art Pepper + Eleven: Modern Jazz Classics

Art Pepper
published: January 17, 2003 | views: 22,179

Checkmate

Shelly Manne & His Men
published: December 02, 2002 | views: 10,871

One More Time

The Terry Gibbs Dream Band
published: August 02, 2002 | views: 10,859

Sail Away

Tom Harrell
published: August 01, 2002 | views: 12,001

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