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| Private Music | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 (1984) |
| Founder | Peter Baumann |
| Defunct | 1996 (1996) |
| Status | Defunct |
| Distributor(s) | BMG |
| Genre | New age,jazz,blues |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | New York City, Los Angeles |
Private Music was an Americanindependent record label founded in 1984 by musicianPeter Baumann as a "home for instrumental music". Baumann signedRavi Shankar,Yanni,Suzanne Ciani,Andy Summers,Patrick O'Hearn,Leo Kottke, and his former bandmates,Tangerine Dream. The label specialized inNew age music[1] but made a sharp turn to the mainstream by signingTaj Mahal,Ringo Starr,Etta James, andA. J. Croce. Its albums were distributed by BMG (the label's earliest recordings having been distributed by RCA), which bought Private Music in 1996.
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In 1989, Baumann hired veteran music executive Ron Goldstein ofWarner Bros. Records as Private Music's president and CEO. Goldstein moved the offices from New York City to Los Angeles, hiring Karen Johnson to expand the label's image. Baumann recruited the well-respected, mainstreamA&R executive Jamie Cohen. Visual image was important to Goldstein, who handpicked art director Melanie Penny, previously ofVirgin Records and Warner Bros., as VP, Creative Services, through the life of Private Music.
Private Music emphasized its "artist re-development" efforts, supporting such eclectic veteran artists as Taj Mahal, Ringo Starr, Etta James,Jennifer Warnes,The Fabulous Thunderbirds,Toots Thielemans,Jimmy Witherspoon,Kate & Anna McGarrigle,Eliza Gilkyson,Joy Askew,The Pahinui Brothers, andKenny Rankin, while expanding the catalogs ofYanni,Leo Kottke,Andy Summers, andRavi Shankar, with strong "debut support" forA. J. Croce andSusan Werner. An international marketing department was added, led by longtimeSony Music executive J.P. Bommel.
Private Music's recordings earned multipleGrammy Awards and nominations, including Etta James's first career win, in 1994, for best jazz vocal performance onMystery Lady: Songs of Billie Holiday, her debut of three albums on the label. Private's roster achieved high recognition on national television. Numerous artist appearances included interviews and performances on late-night talk shows and morning shows, MTV, and VH1.
Private's Grammy winner Taj Mahal spawned the Grammy-winning Phantom Blues Band. With its increasing influence in blues and roots music, and at the peak of its performance in record sales, Private Music entered into a joint venture withHouse of Blues' record label, featuring such artists asCissy Houston andJohn Mooney.
In 2001, Private Music became part of the short-livedArista Associated Labels, which also includedWindham Hill Records. By 2004, afterSony andBMG merged, the label's releases switched toRCA. Following his Private Music tenure, Goldstein served as president and CEO of theVerve Music Group label atUniversal Music Group, in New York City.
Private Music has released a number of notable albums:[2]
