Cadet Records was an American record label that began as Argo Records in 1955 as the jazz subsidiary of Chess Records. Argo changed its name in 1965 to Cadet to avoid confusion with the similarly named label in the UK. Cadet stopped releasing records around 1974, when its artists were moved to Chess.
Over its nearly 20-year lifespan, Cadet released more than 500 albums, establishing itself as a major force in soul-jazz and jazz-funk. The label's commercial peak came during 1965-1969, when pianist Ramsey Lewis became its most successful artist with hits like "Wade in the Water" (1966), while key producers and arrangers such as Esmond Edwards, Richard Evans, and Charles Stepney shaped its distinctive sound
There was also Cadet Concept Records, for rock and more adventurous music, such as the Rotary Connection, and the experimental psychedelic Electric Mud album by Muddy Waters. The label had a Top 20 hit in 1968 with the single "Pictures of Matchstick Men" by the British band Status Quo through a licensing arrangement with Pye Records in London. A St. Louis band known as The Truth a.k.a. The Acid Sette were signed and recorded for this label under the guidance of Abner Spector.
Notable Cadet releases included Dorothy Ashby's influential harp-jazz album Afro-Harping (1968), Etta James' Tell Mama (1967), and Terry Callier's soul-folk recordings Occasional Rain and What Color Is Love (1972). The label's parent company Chess Records was sold to GRT Corporation in 1969, which led to Cadet's gradual decline and eventual closure
The masters are now owned by Universal Music.
Discography (1965–1975) Continuation of the Argo 600 Jazz Series Cadet was established in 1965 following a name change of the Argo label. When the name was changed, a new logo of a chessman's horse was introduced to replace the previous chess piece logo. Cadet continued the Argo 600 Jazz series and the 4000 Blues series.Both Sides Now: Cadet Album Discography (1965-1971) accessed September 18, 2019 Catalog number Title Artist LPS-628But Not For MeAhmad Jamal TrioLPS-637Jug Turn From OverbrookJames MoodyLPS-646Jamal At The PenthouseAhmad JamalLPS-679Moody With StringsJames MoodyLPS-687Sound Of ChristmasRamsey Lewis TrioLPS-693Sound Of SpringRamsey Lewis TrioLPS-722The MessageLPS-723Barefoot Sunday BluesRamsey Lewis TrioLPS-741At The Bohemian CavernsRamsey Lewis TrioLPS-745More Sounds Of ChristmasRamsey Lewis Trio LPS-754 Spectrum LPS-755 Choice! The Best of the Ramsey Lewis Trio Trio LPS-756 Cookin' the Blues LPS-757 The In Crowd Trio LPS-758 Extensions LPS-759 Musty Rusty LPS-760 Inter-Action and Zoot Sims LPS-761 Hang On Ramsey! Trio LPS-762 The Knack LPS-763 Smoking with Willis LPS-764 Rhapsody with Strings LPS-765 The Wailer LPS-766 Playin' for Keeps LPS-767Gotta Travel On Trio LPS-768 Rough House Blues LPS-769 Man at Work - Reissue of Argo LP-655 LPS-770 Soul in the Night and Bunky Green LPS-771 Swingin' - Reissue of Argo LP-611. Trio LPS-772 The Tender Gender LPS-773 Go Power! LPS-774 Wade in the Water LPS-775 Raising the Roof and the Organ-izers LPS-776 Paint It Black LPS-777 Heat Wave LPS-778 Lonesome Traveler LPS-779 Have Yourself a Soulful Little Christmas LPS-780 The Latinization of Bunky Green LPS-781 Slow Freight LPS-782 The Movie Album LPS-783 Gene Ammons Makes it Happen - Reissue Of Chess LP 1442 LPS-784 Mood to Be WooedVarious Artists LPS-785 Jug and Sonny - Edited Reissue Of Chess LP 1445 and Sonny Stitt LPS-786 Standard Eyes LPS-787 Goin' Down Home LPS-788 Mellow Yellow and the Organ-izers LPS-789 Blowing in the Wind LPS-790 Goin' Latin LPS-791 Feature Spot and Red Holt LPS-792 Cry Young with Voices LPS-793 The Ray Bryant Touch LPS-794 Dancing in the Street LPS-795 Ain't Doing Too B-A-D, Bad LPS-796 Groovin' with the Soulful Strings LPS-797 Involvement Quartet LPS-798 Ode to 52nd Street LPS-799 Up Pops Ramsey Lewis LPS-800 Ducky and the Organ-izers LPS-801 Take a Bryant Step LPS-802 Tell Mama LPS-803 Out of Different Bags LPS-804 There Is LPS-805 Another Exposure LPS-806 Brand New Morning LPS-807 The Bright, the Blue and the Beautiful with Voices LPS-808 And We Were Lovers Quartet with Strings LPS-809 Afro-Harping LPS-810 Her Point of View LPS-811 Maiden Voyage LPS-812 The Natural Thing LPS-813 The Peace-Maker Quintet LPS-814 The Magic of Christmas LPS-815 Lou Donaldson at His Best LPS-816 Yusef Lateef - Reissue of Argo LP 634 LPS-817 Getting Our Thing Together LPS-818 Up Above the Rock LPS-819 Light My Fire LPS-820 Back By Demand: The Soulful Strings in Concert LPS-821 Mother Nature's Son LPS-822 The Dells Musical Menu: Always Together LPS-823 Odell Brown Plays Otis Redding LPS-824 The Dells' Greatest Hits LPS-825 Dorothy's Harp LPS-826 Upchurch LPS-827 Another Voyage Trio LPS-828 The Third Cup LPS-829 Love Is Blue LPS-830 Sound Ray LPS-831 Gin and Orange LPS-832 Etta James Sings Funk LPS-833 The Spice Of Life LPS-834 String Fever LPS-835 Heavy Exposure LPS-836 The Piano Player LPS-837 Like It Is, Like It Was LPS-838 Free Delivery LPS-839 The Best of Ramsey Lewis LPS-840 The Way I Feel LPS-841 The Rubaiyat of Dorothy Ashby LPS-842 Fried Buzzard LPS-843 S.O.B.Shades of Brown LPS-844 Them Changes LPS-845 Woody LPS-846 Soulful Strings Play Gamble and Huff LPS-847 Losers Weepers LPS-848 Eddie Fisher & the Next Hundred Years
Continuation of the Argo 4000 Blues Series Catalog number Title Artist LPS-4025Top TenEtta JamesLPS-4036The Three SoulsDangerous 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 Cadet Concept was established by Marshall Chess in 1967 with the first album by Rotary Connection and issued five albums by the group out of the 18 albums released on the label up until 1970 as well as featuring British band Status Quo, saxophonist John Klemmer and blues legends Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf.Both Sides Now: Cadet Concept Album Discography accessed September 18, 2019 Catalog No. Album ArtistLPS-312Rotary ConnectionRotary ConnectionLPS-314Electric MudMuddy WatersLPS-315Messages from the Status QuoStatus QuoLPS-316Salloom, Sinclair and the Mother BearSalloom & SinclairLPS-317AladdinRotary ConnectionLPS-318PeaceRotary ConnectionLPS-319The Howlin' Wolf AlbumHowlin' WolfLPS-320After the RainMuddy WatersLPS-321Blowin' GoldLPS-322SongsRotary ConnectionLPS-323In Due Time...Aesop's FablesLPS-325What I Did on My VacationLPS-326All the Children CriedLPS-327Salloom and SinclairSalloom & SinclairLPS-328Dinner MusicRotary ConnectionLPS-329Archie WhitewaterLPS-330EruptionsLPS-331Aesop's FablesAesop's Fables
GRT consolidated Chess/Cadet album discography (1971–1975) Following the death of Leonard Chess in 1971, Chess Records was purchased by General Recorded Tape, GRT Records, which consolidated both the Chess and Cadet labels into a single labeling number sequence and used the artists and labels until 1975.Callahn, M. and Edwards, D. GRT Consolidated Chess/Cadet Album Discography (1971-1975), Both Sides Now Publications, accessed October 19, 2012 Catalog number Title Artist Chess CH-50001Another DimensionChess CH-50002Message to the YoungHowlin' WolfCadet CA-50004Freedom MeansCadet CH-50005Great Female Soul VocalistsVarious ArtistsCadet Concept CC-50006Hey LoveThe New Rotary ConnectionCadet CA-50007Occasional Rain Chess CH-50008San Francisco DuesCadet CA-50009Mystical LadyCadet Concept CC-50010Oh What a Lovely WarCadet CA-50011Swahili Strut SextetChess CH-50012Live at Mr. Kelly'sMuddy WatersChess CH-50013Greatest HitsLittle Milton Chess CH-50014Power and LightPower & LightChess CH-50015Live and Cookin'Howlin' WolfChess CH-50016Where it All BeganCadet CA-50017The Dells Sing Dionne Warwick's Greatest HitsChess CH-50018Basic SoulCadet CA-50019What Color Is LoveCadet CA-50020The GrooverCadet CA-50021Sweet as Funk Can Be Cadet 2CA-50022The Best of the Soulful StringsChess CH-50023Can't Get No Grindin'Muddy WatersCadet CA-50024Check This OutCadet CA-50025Lean on MeCadet CA-50026Mr. BojanglesChess 2CH-50027This Is My StoryChess CH-50029The London Bo Diddley SessionsChess 2CH-50030The Golden Age of Rhythm and BluesVarious ArtistsChess CH-50031Love More Than PrideChess CH-50032Ghettos of the MindBama the Village PoetChess 2CH-50033Fathers and SonsMuddy WatersCadet CA-50034Teardrops in the RainCadet 2CA-50035InspirationCadet CA-50036SuperstitionCadet CA-50037Give Your Baby a Standing OvationCadet 2CA-50038It Was a Very Good YearCadet 2CA-50039I Cover the WaterfrontChess CH-50040Come and Get MeCadet CA-50041I Just Can't Help MyselfChess CH-50042Etta James a.k.a. Only a FoolChess CH-50043BioCadet CA-50044Songs for Ageing ChildrenChess CH-50045The Back Door WolfHowlin' WolfCadet CA-50046The DellsChess CH-50047Big Bad BoCadet CA-50048While My Guitar Gently WeepsCadet CA-50049AtlantisCadet CA-50051The Fourth DimensionCadet CA-50052In the CutChess CH-50053You Can All Join InCadet 2CA-50058 Solid IvoryCadet CH-50059Cross My HeartCadet CA-50060SatanChess 2CH-60000Laugh Time and Pigmeat MarkhamCadet CA-60001Back to the RootsCadet 2CA-60002Charlie Parker Memorial ConcertVarious ArtistsCadet 2CA-60003Rock BottomVarious ArtistsChess 2CH-60004PeachesChess 2CH-60005Got My Own Bag of TricksChess 2CH-60006McKinley Morganfield A.K.A. Muddy WatersMuddy WatersCadet 2CA-60007Ha' MercyChess CH-60008The London Howlin' Wolf SessionsHowlin' Wolf Chess 2CH-60009Moms and Pigmeat and Pigmeat MarkhamCadet 2CA-60010Everything 'Bout Sax and FluteChess 2CH-60011Mad Man's BluesChess 2CH-60012Chicago Blues AnthologyVarious Artists Chess CH-60013The London Muddy Waters SessionsMuddy WatersChess 2CH-60014Boss Blues HarmonicaLittle WalterChess 2CH-60015Blues Avalanche (Recorded Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival)Various Artists Chess 2CH-60016Chester Burnett A.K.A. Howlin' WolfHowlin' WolfCadet 2CA-60017The Heatin' SystemCadet 2CA-60018InsideCadet 2CA-60019Cool Cookin' Chess CH-60020The London Chuck Berry SessionsCadet CA-6002112 X 6 The Hard WayVarious ArtistsCadet CA-6002212 X 6 The Easy WayVarious Artists Chess 2CH-60023Chuck Berry's Golden Decade, Volume 2Cadet CA-6002412 X 6 Volume 3Various ArtistsCadet CA-6002512 X 6 Volume 4Various ArtistsChess 2CH-60026London RevisitedHowlin' Wolf / Muddy WatersCadet CA-60027The Dells vs. The Dramatics / The DramaticsChess 2CH-60028Chuck Berry's Golden Decade, Volume 3 Chess CH-60029Come a Little Closer Cadet CA-60030The Mighty, Mighty Dells Chess CH-60031"Unk" in FunkMuddy WatersChess CH-60032Chuck Berry Cadet CA-60033Got to Get Your OwnChess CH-60034American GypsyAmerican GypsyChess CH-60035The Muddy Waters Woodstock AlbumMuddy WatersChess CH-60036The Dells Greatest Hits, Volume 2 Chess CH-60037Black Caucus ConcertVarious ArtistsCadet 2CA-60038Early VisionsCadet CA-60039Magnetic Feel Cadet CA-60040Never Can Say GoodbyeChess CH-60042Music to Make Love ByCadet CA-60044We Got to Get Our Thing Together
See also List of record labels
References