Welcome to the world of Consolidated Artists Productions (CAP).

You are about to experience something new and different in the field of recorded music. We call ourselves Consolidated Artists because we are owned and operated by the same artists who record for the label. All of our productions represent exactly what the artists want you to hear, and we think you will find the results fascinating.

Founded by pianist, composer, and producer Mike Longo, CAP is dedicated to allowing artists to pursue the types of projects that are in line with their career objectives, and all of the artists represented by CAP are extraordinarily talented, both as composers and performers. Mike Longo comes from the distinguished alumni of former sidemen of Dizzy Gillespie, working with Dizzy for more than nine years as pianist and musical director. Mike founded the CAP label on his vision of a world unified by the common language of jazz, and he continues to perform today before audiences worldwide, bringing the universal joy of jazz to people just like you.

Producer Dave Usher was also closely associated with Dizzy in the early 1950s, when Dizzy and Dave formed DG Records, an independent label and a true pioneer of its time. Dizzy's and Dave's desire was to bring the jazz experience to a broader audience, and they had terrific success with hits such as "Ou-sho-be-do-be," "The Champ," "Lady Be Good," "School Days," "Tin Tin Dao," "Birks Works," and many others. The label produced wonderful recordings of Dizzy's band, featuring the "newly discovered" John Coltrane, Milt Jackson, and other phenomenal budding talents of the day. Dave formed the Modern Jazz Quartet with Milt and later moved on to Chess Records' Argo label to produce some of jazz history's true evergreens, such as Ahmad Jamal and Ramsey Lewis.

Today the tradition continues, with Dave Usher producing for CAP several projects that were "in the can" from some of Dizzy's world tours in the mid 1950s. In addition to these never-before-released rare performances, Dave also produces other projects he feels strongly about and believes are worthy of exposure.

Consolidated Artists looks forward to continuing its association with Jeff Brown, jazz fan and insatiable collector, whose vision coincides with the philosophy of this label and whose efforts made it possible for Mike Longo  to release "New York 78."

I met Mike studying piano and composition with him and came to be involved in the development of this exciting label in 1995. Gaining the support of Consolidated Artists gave me the impetus to complete my first date as a leader, on an album entitled "New York Calling." I have been involved with jazz for the past twenty-five years as saxophonist, arranger, and composer. I am now building on the experience I have had for the past six years working with Chesky Records. While there, I did all of the domestic sales and marketing and worked closely with legendary artists such as Red Rodney, Tom Harrell, Paquito D'Rivera, Fred Hersch, Monty Alexander, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, and many others.

Our goal now is simply to bring the jazz tradition with its many facets to people like you.

Happy Listening!
Lee Greene

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