JSR

JSR (Jazz Station Records) is a label founded by the Los Angeles-based Brazilian producer Arnaldo DeSouteiro in 1991, as a division of Jazz Station Marketing & Consulting. JSR was voted #5 Best Jazz Label on the DownBeat Readers Poll in 2005, and remained among the top 10 labels for six years, according to the DB magazine. Artists on the label: Dom Um Romao, Luiz Bonfá, Mario Castro Neves, Thiago de Mello, Fabio Fonseca Trio, Palmyra & Levita with João Donato, Jorge Pescara, Pingarilho, Eumir Deodato, Paula Faour, Marcelo Salazar, Claudio Roditi, Ithamara Koorax et al. Patricia Balaban, a former executive of Paramount Pictures, joined JSR as Vice-President and Director of International Affairs in 2003. Mrs. Balaban also became a partner on a parent company, LaCalifUSA Pictures. JSR has also operated as a production company for other labels such as IRMA, BMG, Sony and Verve, releasing CD reissues by Sergio Mendes, Eumir Deodato, João Donato, Raul de Souza, and countless jazz artists such as Stanley Turrentine, Eric Gale, Hank Crawford, Ron Carter, Idris Muhammad, Grant Green, Esther Phillips, and Joe Beck. During its heyday, in the mid-2000s, JSR had distribution deals with companies in 35 countries. Among them: Milestone/Fantasy (USA and Canada), King Records (Japan), Rambling (Japan), Huks (Korea), Irma (Italy), Blue Moon (Spain), Sonet (Sweden), Zyx (Germany), Warner (France). JSR releases its titles on CD, SACD, DVD, DVD-Audio and Blu-ray formats. Inspired by Creed Taylor's CTI All-Stars, a group called JSR All Stars (featuring Dom Um Romão, Fábio Fonseca and Ithamara Koorax) toured Europe in 1998 and 2001. "My goal is to promote Brazilian jazz artists all over the world," Mr. DeSouteiro once told Swing Journal magazine. The artists signed to JSR formed a loose "repertory company" of musicians, playing in each other's albums, and inspiring each other to achieve the highest musical level.