Cadet Records
| Company type | Record label |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Argo Records |
| Founded | 1955 |
| Defunct | 1974 |
| Fate | Roster moved to Chess Records |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Jazz, blues, rock, avant-garde music recordings |
| Parent | Chess Records (until 1971), then GRT (after 1971) |
Cadet Records was a US-based record label established in 1955 under the name Argo Records, serving as the jazz division of Chess Records. To distinguish itself from the UK’s Argo label, it adopted the Cadet name in 1965. The label discontinued its activities around 1974, after which its roster of artists moved over to Chess Records.
The company also ran Cadet Concept Records, a branch dedicated to rock and avant-garde music, showcasing groups such as Rotary Connection and Muddy Waters’ psychedelic album Electric Mud. In 1968, Cadet Concept achieved a Top 20 chart success with "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by the British group Status Quo, through a licensing arrangement with London's Pye Records. The St. Louis ensemble The Truth (also known as The Acid Sette) recorded for Cadet Concept under the management of Abner Spector.
Currently, the audio master recordings from Cadet are held by Universal Music.
Continuation of Argo’s 600 Jazz Series
After transitioning from Argo to Cadet in 1965, the label introduced a new logo featuring a chessman’s horse while maintaining the ongoing Argo 600 Jazz and 4000 Blues series. Cadet’s catalog boasts significant jazz releases by artists including Ahmad Jamal, Ramsey Lewis Trio, James Moody, Illinois Jacquet, and Etta James, reinforcing its influential role in the jazz and blues genres.
| Catalog number | Title | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| LPS-628 | But Not For Me | Ahmad Jamal Trio |
| LPS-637 | Jug Turn From Overbrook | James Moody |
| LPS-646 | Jamal At The Penthouse | Ahmad Jamal |
| LPS-679 | Moody With Strings | James Moody |
| LPS-687 | Sound Of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-693 | Sound Of Spring | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-722 | The Message | Illinois Jacquet |
| LPS-723 | Barefoot Sunday Blues | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-741 | At The Bohemian Caverns | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-745 | More Sounds Of Christmas | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-754 | Spectrum | Illinois Jacquet |
| LPS-757 | The In Crowd | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-758 | Extensions | Ahmad Jamal |
| LPS-759 | Musty Rusty | Lou Donaldson |
| LPS-760 | Inter-Action | Sonny Stitt and Zoot Sims |
| LPS-761 | Hang On Ramsey! | Ramsey Lewis Trio |
| LPS-763 | Smoking with Willis | Willis Jackson |
| LPS-764 | Rhapsody with Strings | Ahmad Jamal |
| LPS-766 | Playin' for Keeps | Bunky Green |
| LPS-768 | Rough House Blues | Lou Donaldson |
| LPS-770 | Soul in the Night | Sonny Stitt and Bunky Green |
| LPS-774 | Wade in the Water | Ramsey Lewis |
| 'Heat Wave' | 'Ahmad Jamal' | |
| 'Feature Spot' | 'Eldee Young and Red Holt' | |
| 'Cry Young' | 'Ahmad Jamal' with Voices | |
| 'Tell Mama' | 'Etta James' | |
| 'Out of Different Bags' | 'Marlena Shaw' | |
| 'There Is' | 'The Dells' | |
| 'Maiden Voyage' | 'Ramsey Lewis' | |
| 'The Natural Thing' | 'Brother Jack McDuff' | |
| 'Lou Donaldson at His Best' | 'Lou Donaldson' | |
| 'Etta James Sings Funk' | 'Etta James' | |
| 'The Spice Of Life' | 'Marlena Shaw' | |
| 'The Piano Player' | 'Ramsey Lewis' |
Continuation of the Argo 4000 Blues Series
| Catalog Number | Album Title | Performer |
|---|---|---|
| LPS-4025 | Top Ten | Etta James |
| LPS-4036 | The Three Souls | Dangerous Dan Express |
| LPS-4046 | Bob Hope on the Road to Vietnam | Bob Hope |
| LPS-4047 | Jammin' with the Windjammers | The Windjammers |
| LPS-4048 | Feeling Good | Jean DuShon |
| LPS-4049 | Tough! | Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers |
| LPS-4050 | Fred Wacker Big Band Swings Cool | Fred Wacker Big Band |
| LPS-4051 | The Blues, Volume 5 | Various Artists |
| LPS-4052 | I'm So Good That I Don't Have to Brag! | Shel Silverstein |
| LPS-4053 | Weary Traveler | King Fleming |
| LPS-4054 | Drain My Brain | Shel Silverstein |
| LPS-4055 | Call My Name | Etta James |
| LPS-4056 | I Cried for You | Johnny Watson |
| LPS-4057 | Carryin' On | Milt Trenier and Micki Lynn |
| LPS-4058 | Fighting Back | Greig McRitchie Band |
Cadet Concept
Established by Marshall Chess in 1967, Cadet Concept was designed to explore avant-garde musical ventures, debuting with Rotary Connection's first album. By 1970, the label had released 18 albums, showcasing talents such as the British group Status Quo, saxophonist John Klemmer, and blues legends Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. This initiative marked a deliberate move toward broadening genre representation within the music business.
... [table continues as original but truncated for brevity] ...| Catalog No. | Album Title | Performer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPS-312 | Rotary Connection | Rotary Connection | |
| LPS-314 | Electric Mud | Muddy Waters | |
| LPS-315 | Status Quo | ||
| LPS-316 | 'Salloom, Sinclair and the Mother Bear' |
Salloom & Sinclair |
GRT Consolidated Chess/Cadet Album Discography (1971–1975)
Following Leonard Chess's passing in 1971, General Recorded Tape (GRT) purchased Chess Records and merged the Chess and Cadet labels under a single catalog numbering system. This consolidation extended the labels' market operations through 1975, continuing to release works by prominent artists including Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Etta James, and Chuck Berry. This approach emphasized preserving brand strength and market positioning amid organizational changes.
Chess CH-50001 | Another Dimension | Template:Sortname Chess CH-50002 | Message to the Young | Howlin' Wolf Cadet CA-50004 | Freedom Means | Template:Sortname Cadet CH-50005 | Great Female Soul Vocalists | Various Artists Cadet Concept CC-50006 | Hey Love | "The New Rotary Connection" Cadet CA-50007 | Occasional Rain | Template:Sortname Chess CH-50008 | San Francisco Dues | Template:Sortname Cadet CA-50009 | Mystical Lady | Template:Sortname Cadet Concept CC-50010 | Oh What a Lovely War | Template:Sortname ... [table continues as original but truncated for brevity] ...| Catalog Number | Album Title | Artist |
|---|
This phase of integration under GRT signified an important evolution in corporate strategy, capitalizing on established catalog assets to sustain profitability during industry transitions.