Verve Folkways

Verve Folkways was a short-lived American record-label imprint established in 1964 through a collaboration between Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve Records and Moe Asch of Folkways Records. The imprint was created during a period when folk music had become commercially prominent and was intended to give Verve a stronger presence in that market. Its name reflected the relationship between the two participating label operations and its initial emphasis on folk-oriented repertoire. The imprint was not limited to traditional folk. Its roster and catalog developed across folk, blues, rock, and adjacent popular styles, including recordings associated with artists such as Tim Hardin, Richie Havens, Odetta, John Lee Hooker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Lead Belly, Janis Ian, Laura Nyro, Bob Lind, The New Lost City Ramblers, Dave Van Ronk, and The Blues Project. This breadth helped position the imprint as a home for singer-songwriters, roots performers, blues musicians, and emerging rock acts rather than as a narrowly defined traditional-folk label. In 1967, the name was changed from Verve Folkways to Verve Forecast as the operation broadened its appeal. Jerry Schoenbaum served as president during the label's early period. He left in 1969, and MGM, the parent company at the time, closed the imprint in 1970. Following PolyGram's acquisition of MGM Records, the Verve Forecast catalog was absorbed into Polydor along with the wider MGM Records catalog. The Verve Forecast name was later revived in the 1990s for releases in smooth jazz, including work by Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, and Will Downing. After PolyGram combined with MCA Records to form Universal, the imprint was deactivated again and its roster was transferred to GRP. In 2004, Verve Forecast was revived once more, replacing Blue Thumb Records as an imprint for artists operating outside Verve's core jazz focus. The later roster included Blues Traveler, Jamie Cullum, Dion, Jesse Harris, Katharine McPhee, Mandy Moore, Peter One, Tank and the Bangas, Susan Tedeschi, Teddy Thompson, Trombone Shorty, and Lizz Wright. Verve Folkways itself is therefore best understood as the original 1964 identity of an imprint whose commercial and catalog history continued under the Verve Forecast name. Its significance lies in the way it connected Verve's jazz-oriented corporate environment with folk, blues, rock, and other non-jazz recordings, while its later incarnations served changing genre and roster strategies within the MGM, PolyGram, and Universal label systems.

Verve Folkways was formed in 1964 by Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve Records and Moe Asch of Folkways Records. The venture responded to the rising popularity of folk music and gave Verve a dedicated imprint for folk-oriented material. Its catalog soon extended beyond traditional folk to include blues, rock, singer-songwriters, and roots performers. The imprint was renamed Verve Forecast in 1967 as its intended audience and repertoire broadened. Schoenbaum was its president during the early period. He departed in 1969, and MGM closed the imprint in 1970. After PolyGram acquired MGM Records, the Verve Forecast catalog became part of Polydor's holdings together with the broader MGM catalog. The imprint name returned in the 1990s, when it was used for smooth-jazz releases by artists including Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, and Will Downing. Following the merger of PolyGram and MCA Records into Universal, Verve Forecast was deactivated and its roster moved to GRP. The imprint was revived again in 2004, replacing Blue Thumb Records and taking on artists outside the jazz-centered focus traditionally associated with Verve. Later associated acts included Blues Traveler, Jamie Cullum, Dion, Jesse Harris, Katharine McPhee, Mandy Moore, Peter One, Tank and the Bangas, Susan Tedeschi, Teddy Thompson, Trombone Shorty, and Lizz Wright.

• 2004

  The imprint is revived for non-jazz repertoire

  [1]Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Verve Forecast returns to replace Blue Thumb Records and handle artists outside the label group's core jazz activities.

• 1990

  Verve Forecast is revived for smooth jazz

  [1]Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The name is brought back for smooth-jazz releases, including recordings by Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, and Will Downing.

• 1970

  MGM closes the imprint

  [1]Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  MGM shuts down Verve Forecast after its initial operating period.

• 1969

  Jerry Schoenbaum leaves

  [1]Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Schoenbaum departs from the label's leadership near the end of its original period.

• 1967

  The imprint becomes Verve Forecast

  [1]Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  The name changes as the label broadens beyond its original folk emphasis and seeks a wider popular-music audience.

• 1964

  Verve Folkways is founded

  [1]Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org

  Jerry Schoenbaum of Verve and Moe Asch of Folkways create the imprint to pursue the expanding commercial audience for folk music.

A genre-expanding record-label imprint associated first with the commercial folk boom and later with folk, blues, rock, smooth jazz, and other music outside Verve's central jazz repertoire.

• Folk recordings · 1964

  Verve Folkways folk catalog

  The original imprint focused on recorded folk music during the genre's growing commercial importance in the 1960s. Its associated artists included Richie Havens, Tim Hardin, Odetta, Lead Belly, The New Lost City Ramblers, Janis Ian, Jim and Jean, and Dave Van Ronk. The catalog represented both contemporary performers and established roots-oriented repertoire.

• Rock, blues, and popular recordings · 1967

  Verve Forecast roots and popular-music catalog

  After the 1967 renaming, the imprint operated across a wider group of genres. Its roster included blues figures such as John Lee Hooker and Lightnin' Hopkins, rock and pop acts including The Blues Project, The Hombres, Friend & Lover, Street, and Laura Nyro, and other artists whose work did not fit a narrow jazz classification.

• Smooth jazz recordings · 1990

  Verve Forecast smooth-jazz releases

  During its 1990s revival, Verve Forecast was used for smooth-jazz projects. The cited roster includes Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, and Will Downing, reflecting a move toward accessible contemporary jazz-oriented releases.

• Contemporary popular music · 2004

  Verve Forecast contemporary non-jazz roster

  The 2004 revival broadened the imprint's role to artists outside Verve's principal jazz focus. Associated acts included Blues Traveler, Jamie Cullum, Dion, Jesse Harris, Katharine McPhee, Mandy Moore, Peter One, Tank and the Bangas, Susan Tedeschi, Teddy Thompson, Trombone Shorty, and Lizz Wright.

• 2004

  Re-establish Verve Forecast for non-jazz artistsStrategy

  Background

  The label group needed an imprint for acts outside the principal Verve jazz repertoire, following the role previously associated with Blue Thumb Records.

  Action taken

  Verve Forecast was revived to release and represent a broader contemporary roster.

  Aftermath

  The roster included artists from rock, pop, blues, soul, and other non-jazz or crossover categories.

  Source

• 1990

  Revive Verve Forecast for smooth jazzStrategy

  Background

  The dormant imprint name was reused for a new group of contemporary smooth-jazz releases.

  Action taken

  Verve Forecast was relaunched with releases associated with artists such as Chris Botti, Jeff Lorber, and Will Downing.

  Aftermath

  The imprint was later deactivated after the PolyGram–MCA combination and transfer of its roster to GRP.

  Source

• 1970

  Close the original imprintStrategy

  Background

  Jerry Schoenbaum had left in 1969, and MGM subsequently discontinued the Verve Forecast operation.

  Action taken

  MGM closed the imprint.

  Aftermath

  Its catalog later entered Polydor after PolyGram acquired MGM Records.

  Source

• 1967

  Rename the imprint Verve ForecastStrategy

  Background

  The original Verve Folkways name was closely associated with folk music, while the roster and commercial ambition were expanding into broader popular genres.

  Action taken

  The label changed its name to Verve Forecast.

  Aftermath

  Verve Forecast became the continuing identity under which the catalog and later revivals were known.

  Source

1. 1Verve Forecast Recordsen.wikipedia.org