QRS Records

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QRS Records was a United States record label, which produced three different groups of records 1928-1930, including some notable jazz and blues recordings.

The QRS company began in 1900 as a manufacturer of piano rolls and were one of the leading makers throughout the 20th Century.

Gennett QRS

The earliest known QRS record not only drew from the Gennett catalog but even used the Gennett catalog number and label color-scheme. One of these rare and short lived QRS records is identical to Gennett 5271.

Black label record series

They established their second QRS label in 1928 which was run by Arthur Satherly, who had been an executive at Paramount Records. Their studio was located in Long Island City, New York using the New York Gennett recording studio (who pressed their records), Clarence Williams was involved with them as Musical Director during this period. There was a 7000 series for jazz and blues, as well as a 9000 series for country and rural folk. Among the artists who recorded for QRS were Ed Bell, Clarence Williams, Clifford Gibson, South Street Ramblers, Earl Hines, James "Stump" Johnson, Sara Martin, Anna Bell and Edith North Johnson, as well as the preacher Missionary Josephine Miles.

The audio quality of the 1928 QRS records is average for independent record labels of the period. As they were produced at Gennett's New York studio and were pressed by Gennett, they were identical in quality to 1928 Gennett records. There were no QRS records produced after about April, 1929.

Red label (Cova) record series

In early 1930, a new QRS series was started (by the Cova Record Company), which lasted a short time into (possibly) 1931. Carl Fenton was apparently involved with this series. Where the 1928 QRS records were jazz, blues and gospel, this second series was bland commercial pop bands, all performing standard stock versions featuring little, if any, solo work.

The audio quality for this short-lived second series is also below average for the period, and the pressing quality is below the quality of the 1928 series. This second series was probably created to compete with the new crop of cheap, short-lived labels (Crown and Hit of the Week).

Is it not known where either of these separate QRS series were sold, but judging by their short existence, one might assume that they were intended as a store-specific type record label. This has never been substantiated. The 1930 red label series is rarer.

The QRS company continues as a manufacturer of piano rolls and music software to this day.

See also

• List of record labels

References

• The American Record Label Book by Brian Rust (Arlington House Publishers), 1978

External links

• QRS Music official website