Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 1
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 2
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 3
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 4
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 5
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 6
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 7
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 8
Columbia Records: 16 documents signed - photo 9

Columbia Records: 16 documents signed

Lot 484
29.09.2023 11:00UTC +00:00
Classic
Sold
£ 1 260
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUnited Kingdom, London
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ID 1029135
Lot 484 | Columbia Records: 16 documents signed
Estimate value
£ 1 200 – 1 800
COLUMBIA RECORDS

A collection of signed contractual documents between various artists and Columbia Records, 1941-1979, comprising:

i. Sidney Bechet, dated 2 May 1947, an agreement to record exclusively for Columbia for a twelve month period, recording a minimum of eight sides ‘at the rate of $100 per side… for each satisfactory record side’, the contract allowing him to continue recording with Milton “Mezz” Mezzrow’s King Jazz label, two pages on Columbia letterhead, signed on the second page in black ink by Bechet, together with an attached memo dated 9 June 1947 from King Jazz Inc.;

ii. Dinah Washington, dated 4 October 1951, terminating a prior recording contract that Washington had signed with Columbia on 21 July 1950, one page on Columbia letterhead;

iii. Hoagy Carmichael, dated 6 October 1941, a modification of his agreement with Columbia, clarifying a new scale of royalty payments for the songs Hong Kong Blues, Riverboat Shuffle, Two Sleepy People, and New Orleans, two pages on Columbia letterhead, signed by Carmichael in black ink on the second page;

iv. Lotte Lenya, dated 4 February 1957, grants permission for the use of an unnamed recording by her for a Philips ‘promotion film’ with the assurance that ‘the animated puppets which will be on the screen during that portion of the film will in no way bear any likeness to you’, one page on Columbia letterhead;

v. Jimmy Rushing, dated 28 January 1958, an extension of contract, one page on Columbia letterhead;

vi. Freddie Hubbard, dated 20 April 1977, an agreement for the release of a live album of a ‘concert at the CBS Records Convention in Atlanta, Georgia… tentatively entitled the All-Star Jazz Album’, one page facsimile;

vii. Dexter Gordon, dated 16 February 1979, an agreement for the release of a live album of an upcoming performance in Havana, released as CBS Jazz All-Stars At Havana Jam, one page on Columbia letterhead;

[With:] a group of signed letters from various artists to Columbia Records, 1940 to 1956, comprising:

i. Ahmad Jamal, autograph letter signed, dated 26 November 1951, writing to enclose signed contracts and a money order (not present), one page;

ii. Horace Silver, autograph letter signed, dated 24 May 1956, requesting record producer George Avakian’s written consent to his signing a one-year recording contract with Signal Record Corp., one page;

iii. Gene Krupa, typed letter signed, dated 16 December 1940, advising Columbia that ‘the Charles Schribman [sic] office will represent my orchestra until further notice’, one page on Hotel Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, Illinois letterhead;

iv. Tony Williams, typed letter signed, dated 1 June 1979, authorising a change of contract address, one page;

v. Wayne Shorter and Joe Zawinul, typed letter signed, dated 1 December 1978, notifying a change of address, one page;

vi. Marlene Dietrich, typed letter signed, dated 17 April 1952, authorising payments and accountings to her manager, one page;

vii. Béla Bartok, typed letter signed, dated 29 January 1941, an extension of contract, one page;

viii. Maybelle “Big Maybelle” Smith, typed letter signed, dated 15 April 1954, informs Columbia ‘I have severed all my business connection and relationship with Mr. Fred Mendelsohn’ and notes that a remittance addressed to him has not found its way to her, one page;

ix. Chick Corea, typed letter signed, dated 17 September 1979, authorising CBS to forward communications to him or his band Return to Forever, one page on Artists International letterhead.
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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