Among the host of record companies launched in recent years, Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings has surged to the forefront, with its strong musical focus and unique personality serving as a blueprint for success. In less than a decade, this "rising star" label has established itself as a leader in the popular genre of adult alternative music, encompassing recordings by worldbeat, jazz, contemporary jazz, and pop/rock artists. A favorite with radio programmers, Mesa/Bluemoon has captured the Gavin Award for Jazz/Adult Alternative Indy Label of the Year five times in the past seven years (1991, '92, '93, '95 and '96). MBM has also received two nominations as Adult Album Alternative Indy Label of the Year (1994 and '95) and R & R Smooth Jazz Label of the Year for '98. These accolades come as no surprise, since the founders of Mesa/Bluemoon had a history of success in the marketing of adult music long before the company's birth in May, 1989.

After George Nauful and partner Jim Snowden left Passport Records in '89 with major successes with the creation of Passport Jazz, they gained the support of Rhino Records and created a new label that would focus exclusively on the burgeoning markets for adult alternative music.

The company's first release from guitarist John Scofield went to #2 on the Billboard jazz chart, and other successes soon followed, including #1 Billboard world music hits from reggae group Black Uhuru and guitar duo Strunz & Farah (whose first Mesa release, Primal Magic, was named Billboard's 1991 "World Music Album of the Year"). Also in 1991, Mesa/Bluemoon and its associated labels garnered four Grammy nominations and captured the Grammy for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Performance" with Dizzy Gillespie's Live At The Royal Festival Hall (Enja).

The following year, Mesa/Bluemoon delivered a string of #1 adult alternative radio hits by guitarists Strunz & Farah, Grant Geissman and Brian Hughes. On the World Music scene, Mesa's guitar and violin duo Willie and Lobo made a major splash on Billboard's world music chart. Rocketing to the #2 slot they remained on the chart for more than 30 weeks with Gypsy Boogaloo (1993), the first of four critically-acclaimed Mesa albums. Two Mesa artists captured 1993 Grammy nominations: The Bulgarian Women's Choir (for two projects, From Bulgaria With Love and Melody, Rhythm and Harmony) and Black Uhuru (for Mystical Truth). British reggae band Aswad's Rise and Shine and Black Uhuru's Strongg also picked up Grammy nominations in 1994.

After joining the Atlantic family in October, 1994, Mesa/Bluemoon continued to build on its impressive track record. The Mesa catalog includes an eclectic mix of recordings from guitarist Scott Henderson whose first foray into blues won Guitar Player magazine's annual readers' poll as "Best Blues Album of the Year", jazz guitar legend, Al DiMeola, who also showcases some of his greatest works and many others. The other Mesa additions include juju master King Sunny Ade who garnered rave reviews with his first studio album in the U.S. in a decade, and Wole Alade who transends traditional West African music with a fresh new western style jazz influence. Mesa was also at the forefront of the world of reggae music with some thirty titles including Black Uhuru, Steel Pulse and Aswad that rounded out it's musical diversity.

On the jazz front, Bluemoon has delivered several popular albums from trumpeter/flugelhornist Rick Braun and keyboardist Brian Culbertson, who captured the #1 and #2 slots, respectively, on 1995's national smooth jazz radio airplay charts. Trade magazine Gavin lauded Braun as "Adult Alternative Artist of 1995 and 1997," and his album Beat Street, which remained on the charts for an unprecedented 13 months, was named "Adult Alternative Album of the Year." R&B/jazz singer Randy Crawford's Naked and True maintained a Top 10 spot on Billboard's contemporary jazz chart for several months to become one of that genre's top-selling albums of 1996. Four releases from soulful guitarist Jeff Golub's Avenue Blue band have also landed top chart positions on national radio playlists. In addition, multi-award-winning guitarist Al Di Meola, fusion rebels Tribal Tech (Pulse! magazine's "Fusion Band of the Year" in 1994), and hip-hop jazz sensation The Jazzhole have all garnered critical acclaim for their Bluemoon releases.

In 1997, George Nauful went to work exclusively for Atlantic Records fashioning Mesa/Bluemoon as an important component in the Jazz and Classics Division of Atlantic Records. Nauful continued to garner several more accolades while overseeing his label imprint including two Grammy nominations in '97 for the reggae acts Aswad and Steel Pulse. In 1998, he began to focus his attention on World Music and Smooth Jazz and received two Grammy nominations for both King Sunny Ade and Gilberto Gil. Gil won the Grammy for "World Music" album of the year. In addition, new artists such as Steve Cole hit the airwaves with his debut release "Stay Awhile" and immediately impacted with a #1 single "When I Think Of You". Having achieved this #1 chart single for seven weeks straight, this success added to a list of four #1 singles in '98 for Mesa/Bluemoon at Smooth Jazz radio. These accomplishments were recognized in the year-end chart reflected in R & R with the # 1 NAC/Smooth Jazz label being Atlantic (Mesa/Bluemoon) ranked at an 11% chart share.

MesaBluemoon is now distributed by Universal Distribution through a Joint Venture with AgU/Pyramid Records.  New releases will be announced and made available through the MesaBluemoon website.

Mesa/Bluemoon Recordings
1612 W. Olive Avenue

Suite 300
Burbank, CA 91506