Tone-Cool Records
In 1985, blues harpist Richard “Rosy” Rosenblatt set up a basement recording studio and started Tone-Cool Records, named in reference to a rather obscene French pun. For the next two decades, he ran the label as president and CEO with a staff including Chris Axworthy, Michael Dunford, Greg Reisch, Tabitha Kahlhamer, Jenny Reynolds, Matt Cornell and David Bartlett, who became the company’s president when Rosenblatt moved to CEO.
The label’s first releases were albums by Rosenblatt’s own 11th Hour Band, T. Blade & The Esquires (Steve Berkowitz’s group), Dennis Brennan’s Push Push, Paul Rishell, “Earring” George Merriweather and a compilation called Boston Blues Blast.
ARTISTS, AWARDS/ACCOLADES, V2/ARTEMIS ACQUISITION, VIZZTONE
Tone-Cool released more than 50 records in total, including ones by Sean Costello, Susan Tedeschi, The North Mississippi All-Stars, Hubert Sumlin, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Alvin Youngblood Hart. One of the label’s acts earned a certified gold record, several were nominated for Grammy Awards and many won W.C. Handy Awards for blues, but in 2004, due to the changing realities of the record business, Tone-Cool became a division of v2/Artemis Records; Rosenblat stayed on as the company’s president until 2006.
In 2007, with Muddy Waters band vet Bob Margolin and publishing magnate Chip Eagle, he started the Vizztone Label Group. Based on the principle that artists should own their own masters and publishing, the company works with musicians and small labels on a cooperative basis and started with releases by Bob Margolin, Pinetop Perkins, Dave Gross, Gina Sicilia, “Monster” Mike Welch and Super Chikan. The label’s records have won a variety of nominations and awards, the high point coming at the 2011 Blues Music Awards, held by the Blues Foundation in Memphis. Out of all the blues labels in the world, Vizztone received three out of the five nominations for Best New Artist Debut (Chris O’Leary, Peter Parcek and eventual winner Matt Hill).
Since Vizztone’s founding, the label has released more than 80 albums by artists including Debbie Davies, David Maxwell, Louisiana Red, Trampled Underfoot, Sean Costello, Erin Harpe & The Delta Swingers, Mac Arnold, Mitch Woods, Doug Deming, Dennis Gruenling, Pete Anderson, The Phantom Blues Band, James Montgomery, Candye Kane, Little G Weevil, Brandon Santini, Robin Mckelle, Mighty Mike Schermer and Lara Price, among others.
(by A.J. Wachtel)
