Impulse Records - Definition

Impulse! Records is a United States based jazz record label, originally launched in the early 1960s by Creed Taylor as a subsidiary of ABC-Paramount Records in New York City. Most Impulse albums were produced by Bob Thiele who joined the company after Taylor left to head Verve Records.

Impulse! releases are known for their distictive design, dominated by black and orange on the sleeve spine and record label. The company is perhaps best known as a free jazz label, releasing works by Albert Ayler, John Coltrane, Charles Mingus and others. Impulse! is also known for its recordings by more mainstream musicians too. At one time or another during the sixties Coleman Hawkins, Milt Jackson and Shirley Scott all recorded for the label. New recordings on the label ceased during the 1970s.

More recently, the name has been revived for short periods, only to fall dormant again. The catalog is now controlled by the Universal conglomerate.

See also

• List of record labels