ABSTRACT
EmArcy was established as a jazz imprint by Chicago-based Mercury Records in 1954. Headed at different times by producers Bob Shad and Jack Tracy, the label released LPs by such notables as Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, Clifford Brown,
Maynard Ferguson, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Helen Merrill, and Buddy Rich. In the late 1960s the label was inactive, with Limelight Records taking its place within
the Mercury family. Polygram revived EmArcy in the 1980s, focusing on classic reissues (e.g., sessions featuring Django Reinhardt, Lionel Hampton, and Chet Baker), the distribution of previously unreleased materials by artists like Erroll Garner, and new recordings of bop-styled performances. The company’s catalog is now owned by the Universal Music Group.
