Posted by chicagomedia.org on August 19, 2008 at 10:29:35:
Mack Avenue Acquires Rendezvous
Mack Avenue Records has acquired the assets of Rendezvous Entertainment, the recording company launched in 2003 by musician and radio host Dave Koz, veteran radio executive Frank Cody and respected music industry executive Hyman Katz. The acquisition, effective immediately, was announced by Mack Avenue Records president Denny Stilwell. Mack Avenue was founded in the late '90s by Detroit businesswoman Gretchen Valade and businessman Tom Robinson.
Under the new agreement, Mack Avenue will add Rendezvous artists Wayman Tisdale, Brian Simpson, Kirk Whalum, and Jonathan Butler to its roster. The company will assume all promotion and marketing efforts under its Artistry Music Group imprint for Tisdale's brand-new CD, "Rebound," which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Contemporary Jazz Albums chart after its June release.
The acquisition also transfers to Mack Avenue the Rendezvous Entertainment catalog, which includes contemporary jazz releases by popular artists like guitarist Marc Antoine, saxophonist Michael Lington, bassist Kyle Eastwood and vocalist Patti Austin's Grammy-winning 2007 CD, "Avant Gershwin." Also in the catalog are popular "Rendezvous Lounge" and other chill and lounge compilations, as well as the all-star "Golden Slumbers" series spearheaded by Koz.
Stilwell tells R&R, "We couldn't be happier taking on the Rendezvous artists and catalog. We have been working with Dave, Frank and Hyman now for the last few months, and, as we all know, they are terrific people and created a great imprint. It's our job to carry that forward, and our team is excited about that."
Mack Avenue Records expanded in 2007 with its acquisition of Artistry Music; last year, the label released noted bassist and producer Brian Bromberg's "Downright Upright," which garnered a Grammy nomination, and neo-soul artist Rahsaan Patterson's "Wines & Spirits. Patterson's first holiday recording, "The Ultimate Gift," drops next month.
Mack Avenue's roster includes esteemed guitarist Stanley Jordan, trumpeter Sean Jones, vocalist Sachal Vasandani and six-time Grammy nominee Gerald Wilson. Additionally, the label recently signed critically acclaimed saxophonist Kenny Garrett, whose CD "Sketches of MD, Live at the Iridium" is slated for a Sept. 23 release.
(R&R)