Fantasy Records

Fantasy Records started as a jazz label in the early 1950 having being formed by Sol and Max Weiss, originally as a record manufacturing company, in the late 1940s. Throughout the 1950s and early 1960s the company released a wide range of primarily jazz and comedy records. Fantasy changed ownership toward the end of the 1960's and expanded into rock and later soul music. During the 1970's Fantasy also acquired a number of smaller jazz labels and much of it's production since has been in reissues of albums from these labels, for example; Prestige, Blue Note and Riverside. The company continues to distribute both new and reissued titles.

Galaxy Records was a subsidiary of Fantasy.

Merl Saunders albums up until 1976 were released on Fantasy. This includes the Fire Up and Heavy Turbulence albums that feature Jerry Garcia, and the Garcia / Saunders Live At Keystone release. The Tom Fogerty album, Excalibur, which featured the same Garcia / Saunders group, was also on the label.

Country Joe McDonald recordings from the mid-1970's through to the mid 1980's were released on Fantasy.


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