impulse! (jazz label active during the 60s‐70s, now property of Universal Music Group, mainly used as a reissue label)

~ Label

Annotation

"The new wave of jazz is on impulse!"

One of the mythic names in the jazz industry, impulse! has been known as "the house that Trane built".
The first activity period under ABC is the glorious one - covering the 60s until 1974 - with an emphasis on free jazz.
New production eventually faded out during the late 70s, though ABC continued to print reissues.
Sold to MCA in 1979, it was almost silent until being folded in under GRP in 1990, which eventually became the Verve Music Group. It has since been mainly reissuing its own stuff only - with a few exceptions: a handful of remix releases and commercial jazz stuff, a few new releases by artists with ties to the former impulse!, and a serie of new compilations and anthology box sets.
This reissue campaign intensified starting 1995, with enhanced/remastered reissues, etc.

Sleeves have a distinctive black and orange design, and sparse liner notes.
Note the label name is correctly capped as "impulse!" (see logos for symetry between "i" and "!").
Catalog numbers were as follow:
* First period: A # (mono) AS # (stereo) AQ # (quadraphonic, not all releases) with # from 1 to 100, then appending a 9 (eg: 9101 up to 9361). Two discs sets used an additional /2. There is a promotional (AS 1974) as well, and a rare 29000 serie (29065 to 29073)
* 1980s: MCD, MCAD
* 1991-1995: prefix GRD optionally followed by one digit (number of discs in the set) followed by a three digit catalog number. Example: GRD2113 (3 discs set)
* 1995-1999: prefix IMPD optionally followed by one digit (number of discs in the set) followed by a three digit catalog number. Example: IMPD8280 (8 discs set)
* 1999-2003: used a subset of the barcode. Example 3145479582 for 731454795821
* 2003-*: prefix B, followed by three zeros, followed by a four digits cat #, followed by 02 for CD, 16 for SACD. Example: B000427002
* some rare Universal Japanese release used cat # like UCCI-####

For a more indepth history, you may consult The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse Records, Ashley Kahn, 2006, W.W. Norton.

Yet unconfirmed:
Note that there appear to exist 7" EP releases for some (?) of the 12".
Currently spotted: at ebay at discogs
Or even reel-2-reel EPs: at ebay
They don't seem to bear a distinctive cat #...
More:
at ebay
at ebay
Shirley Scott Everybody...

Notes:
Don't forget to sort out the Jasmine reissues.

Annotation last modified on 2007-07-12 11:19 UTC.

Releases

ReleaseArtistFormatTracksCountry/DateCatalog#Barcode
The Golden FluteYusef LateefCD9
  • US2004-03-09
B000143502602498610497
Spanish RiceClark Terry & Chico O’FarrillCD12
  • US2004-03-09
B000143602602498610503
The Cry of My PeopleArchie SheppCD8
  • US2004-03-09
B000179002602498614884
ImpressionsJohn ColtraneCD4
  • JP2004-06-30
UCCU-52024988005364371
Live at BirdlandJohn ColtraneCD5
  • JP2004-06-30
UCCU-52164988005364517
Love ScenesDiana KrallHybrid SACD (CD layer) + Hybrid SACD (SACD layer, 2 channels) + Hybrid SACD (SACD layer, multichannel)12 + 12 + 12
  • US2004-08-17
B0002841-36602498627891
You Better Know It!!!Lionel HamptonDigital Media9
602465445428
Lord of LordsAlice ColtraneCD5
  • JP2004-09-22
AS-9224, UCCI-91104988005372109
Journey in SatchidanandaAlice ColtraneCD5
  • JP2004-09-22
UCCI 91074988005372079
A Monastic TrioAlice ColtraneCD6
  • JP2004-09-22
UCCI-91044988005372048
Ptah, the El DaoudAlice ColtraneCD4
  • JP2004-09-22
UCCI-91064988005372062
World GalaxyAlice Coltrane With StringsCD5
  • JP2004-09-22
UCCI-91094988005372093
Lord of LordsAlice ColtraneCD5
  • JP2004-09-22
UCCI-91104988005372109
Translinear LightAlice ColtraneCD11
  • US2004-09-28
B0002191-02602498619292
Alexandria the GreatLorez AlexandriaCD10
  • US2004-09-28
B000268602602498625774
Let It GoStanley TurrentineCD11
  • US2004-11-09
001110501042
John Coltrane and Johnny HartmanJohn Coltrane and Johnny HartmanSACD12
  • US2004-11-16
B0001126-16602498607787
Huntington Ashram MonasteryAlice ColtraneCD6
  • JP2004-11-22
AS-9185, UCCI-91054988005372055
Translinear LightAlice ColtraneCD11
0602498619292602498619292
The Cry of My PeopleArchie SheppCD8
AS-9231
Alexandria the GreatLorez AlexandriaCD10
UCCI-9062
Live Your Life With VerveVarious ArtistsCD11
VERR-01339-2602498624494
On This NightArchie SheppDigital Media10
  • US2005-02-15
001110501252
Oliver Nelson Plays MichelleOliver NelsonDigital Media12
  • US2005-02-15
Today and TomorrowMcCoy TynerDigital Media6
  • JP2005-02-15
All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole TrioDiana KrallCD13
  • JP2005-02-23
UCCV‐30264988005384645
Translinear LightAlice ColtraneDigital Media12
  • US2005-04-18
Gypsy '66Gábor SzabóDigital Media9
  • US2005-05-03
602465451726
New GrassAlbert AylerCD7
  • US2005-09-13
B000426902602498802724
PsychicemotusYusef LateefCD8
  • US2005-09-13
B0004270-02602498802731
After the Lights Go Down Low and Much More!!!Freda PayneCD12
  • US2005-09-13
B000427102602498802748
SpellbinderGábor SzabóCD9
  • US2005-09-13
B000427202602498802755
Chapter Four: Alive in New YorkGato BarbieriCD7
  • US2005-09-27
B000427402602498802779
Live From Los AngelesOliver NelsonCD7
  • US2005-09-27
B000427502602498802786
ElevationPharoah SandersCD5
  • US2005-09-27
B000427602602498802793
The Land of Spirit and LightMichael WhiteCD7
  • US2005-09-27
B000427702602498802809
Live At The Village Vanguard Again!John ColtraneCD3
  • JP2005-09-28
UCCI-91214988005403896
One Down, One Up: Live at the Half NoteJohn Coltrane2×CD4 + 4
  • US2005-10-11
B0002380-02602498621431
Village of the PharoahsPharoah SandersCD7
  • JP2005-10-12
UCCI-3008
Jewels of ThoughtPharoah SandersCD3
  • JP2005-10-12
UCCI-30114988005405951
For LosersArchie SheppCD5
  • JP2005-10-24
AS-9188
Impulsive! Revolutionary Jazz ReworkedVarious ArtistsCD11
  • US2005-10-25
B000496602602498831571
One Down, One Up (Live At The Half Note)John Coltrane2×CD4 + 4
0602498621431602498621431
Impulsive! Revolutionary Jazz ReworkedVarious ArtistsCD11
0602498831571602498831571
Further DefinitionsBenny Carter and His OrchestraCD16
0602498840153602498840153
All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole TrioDiana KrallCD13
0602498840160602498840160
New GrassAlbert AylerCD7
06024988421950602498842195
SpellbinderGábor SzabóCD9
0602498842232602498842232
A Love SupremeJohn ColtraneCD4
602498840139602498840139
Live From Los AngelesOliver NelsonCD7
A-9153, AS-9153, B0004275-02602498802786
Live From Los Angeles (BMG club edition)Oliver NelsonCD7
AS-9153, B0004275-02[none]
Anthology 1959-1967John ColtraneCD11
UCCI-30064988005403773
Kyoto Jazz Classics Presents Succession Of Spirit (A Collection Of Spiritual Jazz Jams From Impulse!)Various ArtistsCD8
UICO-4029
The Impulse StoryPharoah SandersCD4
  • US2006-06-06
B0006 571-02602498551158
The Impulse StorySonny RollinsCD8
  • US2006-06-06
B000655902602498551028
The Impulse StoryAlbert AylerCD10
  • US2006-06-06
B000656002602498551035
The Impulse StoryGato BarbieriCD10
  • US2006-06-06
B000656102602498551042
The Impulse StoryAlice ColtraneCD8
  • US2006-06-06
B000656202602498551059
The Impulse StoryJohn ColtraneCD9
  • US2006-06-06
B000656302602498551066
The Impulse StoryKeith JarrettCD11
  • US2006-06-06
B000656402602498551073
The Impulse StoryCharles MingusCD11
  • US2006-06-06
B000657002602498551141
The Impulse StoryArchie SheppCD10
  • US2006-06-06
B000657202602498551165
The Impulse StoryMcCoy TynerCD11
  • US2006-06-06
B000657302602498551172
The House That Trane Built: The Story of Impulse RecordsVarious Artists4×CD12 + 10 + 10 + 6
  • US2006-06-06
B000668002602498562833
The House That Trane Built: The Best of Impulse RecordsVarious ArtistsCD9
  • US2006-06-06
B0006744-02602498783917
The Impulse StoryAlice ColtraneDigital Media8
  • XW2006-06-06
602498551059
PneumaMichael WhiteCD8
  • US2006-06-13
3010
World GalaxyAlice ColtraneDigital Media5
  • XW2006-06-13
AS-9218602465452822
KwanzaArchie SheppCD5
  • US2006-10-31
B000740402602517050396
Chicken FatMel BrownDigital Media9
  • XW2006-10-31
602498610473
The Magic of Ju-JuArchie SheppCD4
  • JP2006-11-15
UCCU-92974988005452030
The Impulse StoryCharles MingusCD11
06024985511410602498551141
Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus (Verve "Classics" collection)Charles MingusCD8
0602517036963602517036963
The Blues And The Abstract TruthOliver NelsonCD6
0602517046566602517046566
Pure Fire! A Gilles Peterson Impulse! CollectionGilles PetersonCD10
B0007373-02602517044371
Gypsy '66Gábor SzabóCD9
UCCU-5271
My Favorite Things: Coltrane at NewportJohn ColtraneCD6
  • XE2007-07-03
0602517350540602517350540
TauhidPharoah SandersCD3
  • JP2007-07-25
AS-9138, UCCI-91264988005480576
KarmaPharoah SandersCD2
  • JP2007-07-25
AS-9181, UCCI-91274988005480583
Live at the EastPharoah SandersCD3
  • JP2007-07-25
AS-9227, UCCI-91334988005480644
Wisdom Through MusicPharoah SandersCD5
  • JP2007-07-25
UCCI-91364988005480996
Journey To BlissEmil Richards & The Microtonal Blues BandCD9
  • JP2007-08-03
PROA-1594988005481566
Love in Us All (Pharoah Sanders Collection)Pharoah SandersCD2
  • JP2007-08-06
UCCI-9134
Out of the CoolThe Gil Evans OrchestraCD5
  • GB2007-10-09
0602517448186602517448186
I Just Dropped by to Say Hello (reissue, remastered)Johnny HartmanCD11
  • US2007-10-09
AS-57, B0009784-02602517448193
I Just Dropped By to Say HelloJohnny HartmanDigital Media11
  • XW2007-10-09
602517448193
John Coltrane and Johnny HartmanJohn Coltrane and Johnny Hartman12" Vinyl6
  • JP2007-10-10
A-404988005480750
A Love SupremeJohn ColtraneSHM-CD3
  • JP2007-11-07
UCCU-94104988005495631
Translinear LightAlice ColtraneDigital Media11
  • XW2007-12-13
602498619292
My Favorite Things: Coltrane at NewportJohn ColtraneDigital Media6
00602517350540602517350540
The Impulse StoryAlice ColtraneCD8
0602498551059602498551059
I Just Dropped By to Say HelloJohnny HartmanCD11
0602517448193602517448193
BalladsJohn ColtraneCD8
0602517486201602517486201
Africa/BrassJohn Coltrane QuartetCD3
0602517486225602517486225
The Impulse! Albums: Volume OneJohn Coltrane5×CD3 + 3 + 5 + 7 + 8
B0010 135-02602517488328
Africa/BrassJohn Coltrane QuartetCD3
B0010116-02 DG02602517486225
BalladsJohn Coltrane QuartetCD8
  • XE2008-02-19
0602517486201602517486201
"Live" at the Village VanguardJohn ColtraneCD3
  • XE2008-02-19
0602517486256602517486256
Duke Ellington & John ColtraneDuke Ellington & John ColtraneCD7
  • XE2008-02-19
0602517486270602517486270
ColtraneJohn Coltrane QuartetCD5
  • XE2008-02-19
0602517486287602517486287