History
Black Saint was established in 1975 by Giacomo Pelliciotti and devoted to recording avant-garde musicians who might not have an opportunity elsewhere. In 1979, a sister label, Soul Note, was established as a home for artists who, while being no less creative, might be considered slightly closer to the mainstream. Giovanni Bonandrini, owner of Black Saint since 1977, admits that the line between the two labels is somewhat nebulous.
The labels specialize in avant garde jazz stemming from the free jazz tradition. Its roster of artists includes many of the most illustrious jazz performers of the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Several of the performers had been members of the Chicago-based music association Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians and the St. Louis-based multidisciplinary arts collectives Black Artists Group and the Human Arts Ensemble.
The company was based in Tribiano, Italy. Many of the recordings were made in Milan, as the performers passed through the area on tour, although many leading Italian musicians, such as Giorgio Gaslini, have also recorded for the label. Giovanni Bonandrini's son Flavio ran the company until its sale in 2008, the elder Bonandrini having retired, and has supervised many recording sessions in New York.
Cam Jazz acquired the company in 2008.
Read more about this topic: Black Saint/Soul Note
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