Label Guide: MPS
MPS Records (Musik Produktion Schwarzwald / Music Production Black Forest) was the successor label to SABA Records, founded by Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer, known as 'HGBS', in April 1968. It was the first German record label to produce only Jazz music and ranks among the most important and influential European jazz labels.
Within its first year the label already released 142 albums. MPS releases were distributed from April 1971 onwards by BASF, and from April 1974 onwards by Metronome. In June 1983, HGBS sold the rights to Philips, which then transferred it to Polydor.
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1. Label Variation
first MPS label (April 1968 - April 1971)
The first MPS label is very simple and similar in style to the early SABA label. It was used from the beginning until 1971 when BASF started to handle distribution.
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2. Label Variation (I)
second MPS label (April 1971 - April 1974)
The second MPS label saw the introduction of the MPS Logo, and the tree symbol known from SABA was added again. Next to it the BASF Logo was printed, as BASF was distributing all MPS releases between 1971 and 1974.
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2. Label Variation (II)
second MPS label (1972)
The Stern Musik variation of the second MPS label design.
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3. Label Variation
third MPS label (April 1974 - 1983)
In April 1974 Metronome took over the distribution of MPS Records for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The label colours were changed to black but the MPS Tree Logo was still present on the label.
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U.S. Label
U.S. MPS label