Ajax Records
| Company type | Record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Founder | H. S. Berliner |
| Defunct | 1925 |
| Headquarters | New York City (American office), Quebec City (corporate office) , United States, Canada |
Area served | United States, primarily northeastern and north-central regions |
Key people | H. S. Berliner, Joe Davis |
| Products | Jazz and blues records, race records, classical violin performances, popular songs, country music tracks |
| Parent | Compo Company |
Ajax Records was a record label and company established in 1921. Specializing in jazz and blues genres, it operated primarily out of New York City, with certain sessions recorded in Montreal, and its products were distributed through the Ajax Record Company based in Chicago.
History
Ajax functioned as a branch of the Compo Company located in Lachine, Quebec. Although the trademark for "Ajax" was registered in the United States in 1921, the label's debut release did not occur until October 1923. The company was led by H. S. Berliner, who was the son of Emile Berliner, a pioneer in disc recording technology. The main corporate office was situated in Quebec City, while the American releases identified Chicago as their headquarters, where Ajax maintained an office but no recording facilities. Recording sessions utilized Compo’s studios in Montreal and New York City. In addition to producing its own recordings, Ajax pressed records from masters leased from New York Recording Laboratories (Paramount Records) and Regal Record Company. The label discontinued issuing records by August 1925.
Recordings and marketing
Ajax branded its products as "The Superior Race Record" and "The Quality Race Record," pricing each disc at 75 cents. Manufactured in Quebec and sold exclusively within the United States, Ajax represented Compo’s only American market presence. Its distribution network was most effective across the northeastern and north-central regions of the U.S., with limited availability elsewhere. The catalog numbers ranged between 17000 and 17136. Prominent performers on the label included Rosa Henderson, Edna Hicks, Viola McCoy, Helen Gross, Monette Moore, Ethel Finnie, and Fletcher Henderson. Mamie Smith joined Ajax from Okeh Records in 1924 before transitioning to Victor Records following Ajax's closure. Joe Davis served as a crucial talent scout responsible for recruiting artists. While Ajax mainly focused on race records, it also released mainstream genres such as classical violin performances and popular songs by Arthur Fields and Arthur Hall, along with a selection of country music tracks.
Legacy
Following Ajax’s shutdown in 1925, some of its master recordings were reissued under the American Pathé label. The sound quality of Ajax releases was considered above average for that period; most recordings were acoustic, though some later discs were produced using electrical recording techniques. Due to their historical relevance, musical value, and superior audio fidelity, Ajax records remain highly prized among collectors.
See also
General references
- Komara, Edward (ed.) (2006), Encyclopedia of the Blues, Routledge
- Rye, Howard (2002), The new Grove dictionary of jazz, vol. 1, Grove's Dictionaries Inc., New York, 2nd edition, p. 21