Org Music

Org Music is an American independent record label based in Los Angeles. Established in 2010 as an offshoot of Original Recordings Group, the label was created to broaden its parent group's activities beyond its principal emphasis on jazz and classical reissues into rock, pop, alternative rock, and other contemporary and archival genres. Its work combines specialist physical-format publishing with catalogue licensing, artist partnerships, and collaborations with record labels, archives, music publications, and Record Store Day. The label became known for carefully produced vinyl editions, including heavyweight pressings, remastered or newly sourced audio, alternate artwork, bonus material, and limited colored-vinyl variants. One of its early notable releases was a deluxe two-LP edition of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Damn the Torpedoes, which included bonus recordings and was mastered by Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering before pressing at Pallas in Germany. Early catalogue activity also included releases associated with Nirvana and Sonic Youth. Org Music has maintained an unusually broad genre remit for an independent label. Its catalogue includes jazz and avant-garde recordings associated with Black Lion Records and Freedom Records; historic blues, country, soul, and rock-and-roll recordings from Sun Records; punk and hardcore releases involving Bad Brains and Descendents; and new or reissued work by artists such as Mike Watt, Chuck Dukowski, Josh Klinghoffer, Tav Falco, and William Hooker. The label has also worked with Aquarium Drunkard on compilations and contemporary artist projects, including releases connected with Brazilian independent music and private-press recordings. A recurring part of Org Music's business is the custodianship or reintroduction of catalogues that have been unavailable or difficult to find on vinyl. Its partnerships have included Black Lion Records, Freedom Records, Sun Records, Brunswick Records, Westbound Records, Delicious Vinyl, and the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation. These projects have brought historically important but sometimes overlooked recordings back to specialist retailers and collectors, often through Record Store Day editions. Org Music also develops release programmes around artist catalogues. Its work with Bad Brains began a multi-year reissue campaign under the Bad Brains Records imprint, using remastering, recovered source materials, archival editorial content, and alternate Punk Note editions with covers inspired by classic jazz LP design. A similar multi-format campaign for Descendents began in 2025. In the same year, Org Music entered a worldwide distribution agreement with Secretly Distribution. The label remains positioned as a catalogue-focused, collector-oriented independent publisher that connects archival preservation with new music and limited-edition physical releases.

Org Music was founded in Los Angeles in 2010 as an offshoot of Original Recordings Group. The new label was intended to complement the parent company's jazz and classical orientation by concentrating more heavily on rock, pop, alternative rock, and related catalogue projects. Jeff Bowers was involved in the label's early operation, while Andrew Rossiter became general manager and later a partner. Eric Astor was also identified as a partner; he was additionally associated with Furnace Record Pressing. The label's early identity was shaped by premium vinyl reissues. Among its first prominent releases was a deluxe edition of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' Damn the Torpedoes, issued as a two-LP 180-gram set with bonus material. Org Music subsequently worked with catalogues connected with Nirvana and Sonic Youth, establishing a model that combined recognizable artists with collector-focused physical production. Org Music soon expanded into direct artist partnerships. Its relationship with Mike Watt and the clenchedwrench imprint produced solo, collaborative, and archival releases involving Watt's work with Dos, The Missingmen, Il Sogno del Marinaio, Unknown Instructors, FITTED, and other projects. The label also worked with Chuck Dukowski, issuing material by the Chuck Dukowski Sextet and archival and new recordings by Würm. Josh Klinghoffer became another important collaborator through Dot Hacker and his Pluralone solo work. Other long-running artist relationships included Tav Falco and William Hooker. A second major strand of the label's history has been catalogue custodianship. Beginning in 2012, Org Music worked with Black Lion Records to return jazz titles by artists including Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Dexter Gordon to vinyl. It later issued material connected with Freedom Records and the Black Lion catalogue, including recordings by Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. These releases frequently emphasized alternative formats, archival sourcing, bonus tracks, or limited Record Store Day availability. Org Music's partnership with Sun Records, announced in 2014, extended its catalogue work into rock and roll, blues, country, soul, and related traditions. The label issued releases associated with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Howlin' Wolf, Charlie Feathers, Doctor Ross, Johnny Adams, and The Ad Libs. Additional catalogue relationships involved Brunswick Records, Westbound Records, Delicious Vinyl, and the George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation. Record Store Day has been central to Org Music's release strategy. The label has used the event and its Black Friday edition for limited pressings, first-time vinyl issues, colored records, archival compilations, and collaborations. Its work with Aquarium Drunkard produced Lagniappe Sessions, Vol. 2, Jesus People Music, Vol. 1, and later compilations and contemporary projects related to Brazilian and Los Angeles independent music. In 2020, Org Music began a major Bad Brains reissue programme under the Bad Brains Records imprint. The label and engineer Dave Gardner worked to locate the best available sources, including tapes thought to be missing. The programme paired conventional reissues with Punk Note editions whose designs referenced classic Blue Note jazz sleeves and included a newsprint-style fanzine at selected independent retailers. In 2025, Org Music applied a related approach to a Descendents discography campaign. The same year, it signed a worldwide distribution agreement with Secretly Distribution, reinforcing its international distribution reach. Org Music's ongoing identity is therefore rooted in the intersection of archival preservation, independent artist development, vinyl craftsmanship, and enthusiast-oriented limited editions.

• 2025

  Secretly Distribution agreement and Descendents campaign

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Org Music signs a worldwide distribution deal with Secretly Distribution and launches a Descendents reissue campaign.

• 2020

  Bad Brains reissue campaign announced

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Org Music and Bad Brains begin a multi-year catalogue restoration and reissue programme.

• 2019

  William Hooker vinyl programme begins

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Org Music issues the first vinyl edition of Hooker's Mindfulness and continues with further archival and contemporary titles.

• 2014

  Sun Records partnership expands

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  The label begins a continuing relationship with Sun Records for Record Store Day and catalogue releases.

• 2012

  Black Lion reissue series begins

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Org Music starts restoring and reissuing out-of-print Black Lion jazz titles.

• 2011

  Mike Watt partnership begins

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  Org Music releases Mike Watt projects through a relationship with Watt's clenchedwrench imprint.

• 2010

  Org Music is established

  [1]Org Musicen.wikipedia.org

  The Los Angeles label is founded as an offshoot of Original Recordings Group to expand into rock, pop, and alternative catalogue releases.

A collector-oriented independent label combining high-quality vinyl manufacture, archival catalogue restoration, limited-edition Record Store Day publishing, and partnerships with contemporary and historically significant artists.

• Hardcore punk reissues · 2021

  Bad Brains catalogue reissues

  A multi-year programme issued through the Bad Brains Records imprint. The series uses newly prepared or recovered audio sources, conventional and colored-vinyl formats, archival editorial material, and Punk Note editions with jazz-inspired alternate sleeve designs. Releases have included Bad Brains, I and I Survive, Rock for Light, The Youth Are Getting Restless, The Omega Sessions, and I Against I.

• Punk and pop-punk reissues · 2025

  Descendents catalogue reissues

  A 2025 campaign covering the influential punk band's discography in multiple editions and formats. Initial releases included Milo Goes to College and I Don't Want to Grow Up, alongside Punk Note versions using alternate artwork modeled on classic jazz-record presentation.

• Jazz reissues · 2012

  Black Lion Essential Reissue Series

  An archival vinyl series developed with Black Lion Records. It has drawn on recordings by Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and Dexter Gordon, using both standard and audiophile-oriented configurations, including selected 45-rpm double-LP editions.

• Free jazz and avant-garde jazz reissues · 2017

  Freedom Records reissues

  Org Music has restored and reissued titles associated with the Freedom Records catalogue, including works by Albert Ayler, Don Cherry, Cecil Taylor, and the Art Ensemble of Chicago. Releases have included limited colored vinyl, standard reissues, and expanded editions with bonus material.

• Contemporary alternative and punk releases · 2011

  Mike Watt and clenchedwrench releases

  This body of work includes Watt's solo recordings, collaborations, archival albums, and projects involving Dos, The Missingmen, Il Sogno del Marinaio, Unknown Instructors, FITTED, and other ensembles. Org Music has also issued 180-gram reissues of selected Watt albums from the 1990s.

• Rock, blues, country, and soul reissues · 2014

  Sun Records catalogue releases

  A continuing catalogue partnership covering historic Sun recordings and compilations associated with Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Howlin' Wolf, Charlie Feathers, Doctor Ross, Johnny Adams, and The Ad Libs. The programme has included Record Store Day editions and titles assembled for modern vinyl audiences.

• 2025Descendents discography reissue campaign

  United States · International

  Org Music and Descendents launched a multi-format reissue programme modeled in part on the label's Bad Brains presentation.

  Outcome. The first announced releases included Milo Goes to College and I Don't Want to Grow Up.

  Source
• 2020Bad Brains catalogue restoration campaign

  United States · International

  Org Music partnered with Bad Brains and engineer Dave Gardner to locate and prepare the strongest available sources for a broad catalogue reissue programme.

  Outcome. The campaign produced standard and Punk Note editions, archival inserts, and releases continuing through 2024.

  Source
• 2020Aquarium Drunkard collaboration

  United States · International

  Org Music collaborated with Aquarium Drunkard on Lagniappe Sessions, Vol. 2 and Jesus People Music, Vol. 1, later extending the relationship to contemporary artist albums and Brazilian music compilations.

  Outcome. The partnership continued with releases in 2022 and 2023.

  Source

• 2025

  Secure worldwide distribution through Secretly DistributionStrategy

  Background

  Org Music continued to expand a catalogue that included both collector editions and new artist releases.

  Action taken

  The label signed a worldwide distribution agreement with Secretly Distribution.

  Aftermath

  The agreement was intended to strengthen international distribution for Org Music releases; detailed commercial terms were not provided.

  Source

• 2020

  Adopt archival restoration and themed reissue campaignsStrategy

  Background

  Many historically important recordings were unavailable or lacked suitable contemporary vinyl editions.

  Action taken

  Org Music developed long-running catalogue programmes with Bad Brains, Black Lion, Sun Records, Freedom Records, and other rights holders.

  Aftermath

  The approach became a defining part of the label's identity and expanded its presence in specialist physical music retail.

  Source

• 2010

  Expand from jazz and classical into rock and contemporary catalogueStrategy

  Background

  Original Recordings Group was principally associated with jazz and classical reissues, while the new label was intended to address rock, pop, and alternative audiences.

  Action taken

  Org Music was created as a separate label focused on broader genre coverage and vinyl-led releases.

  Aftermath

  The label developed a catalogue spanning archival jazz, punk, rock, soul, blues, country, experimental music, and new recordings.

  Source

1. 1Org Musicen.wikipedia.org