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Fantasy Records is a United States based record label, which was was founded by Max and Sol Weiss in 1949 in San Francisco, California. The early years of the company were dedicated to issuing recordings by Dave Brubeck, Cal Tjader and others. The label was the first to record "in person" performances by Lenny Bruce. In the mid- 1950s Saul Zaentz joined the company and eventually instigated the companies major expansion. In 1967 he led a consortium which bought out the Weiss brothers. Zaentz, advised by the journalist Ralph J. Gleason and benefitting from royalties from the Creedence Clearwater Revival (which he managed), Fantasy pursued a policy of acquisition concentrating on independent Jazz labels. Zaentz had picked up Debut Records as a wedding present from Bassist Charles Mingus to which were added Prestige Records (in 1971), Riverside RecordsRiverside Records is a United States record label specializing in jazz. Riverside was founded by Bill Grauer and Orrin Keepnews in 1953 in New York City, Riverside was to be a major presence in the Jazz Record industry for a decade. Initially the company and Milestone RecordsMilestone Records is a United States based jazz record label, founded in 1966 by Orrin Keepnews and Dick Katz in New York City. The company was incorpotated in to Fantasy Records in 1972, since when it has been used as a reissue as well as for new recordi (both 19721972 is a leap year starting on Saturday (click link for calendar). Events January events January 2 the Pierre Hotel Heist Six men rob the safety deposit boxes of the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Loot is at least $4 million January 5 President of the Un), Contemporary RecordsContemporary Records was a record label which was purchased by Fantasy Records in 1984. See also List of record labels Record labels. ( 1984This page is about the year 1984. For other uses of 1984, see 1984 (disambiguation). 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday (link shows calendar). Events January January 1 Brunei becomes a fully independent state January 1 AT&T is broken up into 22 indepe), Pablo RecordsPablo Records was a record label which was acquired by Fantasy Records in 1987. Record labels. and Stax RecordsStax Records was a Memphis, Tennessee based record label that existed from 1959 to 1976. It is known as a major factor in the creation of the Southern soul and Memphis soul music styles, and as a frequent recorder of early funk and 1960s Chicago blues. (both 19871987 is a common year starting on Thursday. Events January January 1 Nunavut's capital changes it name to Iqaluit from Frobisher Bay. January 3 Aretha Franklin becomes the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. January 4 An Amtrak train).
Fantasy has long had a deserved reputation for keeping most of its catalog in print and this has continued in the CD era.
In 2004 Fantasy was sold to a consortium led by Norman Lear.
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