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Birka Jazz Archive
Records we have bought and sold over the years - the rare and the beautiful!

Please note!
Birka Jazz record store is closed but Birka Jazz Archive is still available. Scroll down and use the links to browse this comprehensive archive of rare jazz album covers





AMERICAN LABELS

COLUMBIA RECORDS
The pioneers of album cover design

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (1)
David Stone Martin

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (2)
The photographic covers

BLUE NOTE  10" LPs
Searching for a modern jazz identity

BLUE NOTE  1500 series
Defining the hard bop style

BLUE NOTE  4000 series
Masterpieces of Reid Miles

PRESTIGE RECORDS
Images of East Coast jazz

RIVERSIDE RECORDS
Street cred with Thelonious Monk

PACIFIC JAZZ
Moods of Chet and Claxton

CONTEMPORARY
Cool West Coast, great Sound

SAVOY RECORDS
Masterworks by Charlie Parker

DIAL RECORDS
Small label, big Bird sound

ATLANTIC RECORDS
Bold and striking albums

EMARCY RECORDS
The classic drummer logo label

BETHLEHEM RECORDS
The beautiful design of Burt Goldblatt

DEBUT RECORDS
Artist-operated jazz label with Mingus & Roach

CANDID RECORDS
Legendary, early 1960s LPs

ESP-DISK
Free jazz and silk screened covers

IMPULSE RECORDS
Edgy, experimental, deluxe

RCA VICTOR
The high spirit of Jim Flora

VARIOUS US labels (1)
ABC-Paramount, Aladdin, Argo, Capitol, Coral, Dawn, Decca,
and more

VARIOUS US labels (2)
Epic, Fantasy, HiFi, Imperial, Jazzland, Jazz West, Jubilee, Mercury, Mode, and more

VARIOUS US labels (3)
Roost, Signal, Storyville, Tampa, Transition, United Artists, Vee Jay, and more



EUROPEAN LABELS

SWEDEN (1)
The EP era and Metronome Records in 1950s

SWEDEN (2)
The LPs in the 1950s, and Swedish jazz abroad

SWEDEN (3)
Changing times in the 1960s

SWEDEN (4)
New energy to Swedish jazz in the 1970s

DENMARK
Montmartre, Debut Records and the heydays in Danish jazz

NORWAY
Krog and Garbarek, greats in Norwegian jazz

FINLAND
Plenty of merged styles in Finnish jazz

FRANCE
Americans in Paris, force in French jazz

ENGLAND
Esquire and Tempo, classic labels in British jazz

GERMANY
Jazz labels with strong identity

ITALY
Rare Italian jazz covers

HOLLAND
From Diamonds to ICP in
Dutch jazz

POLAND
Unique series of Polish jazz on Muza


OTHER COUNTRIES
Jazz labels around the world






   David Stone Martin: Self Portrait
    Self Portrait, David Stone Martin 1983

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE

The genius
of David Stone Martin

DAVID STONE MARTIN made more than two hundred album covers during the 1950s for the Norman Granz labels, Clef, Norgran and Verve.

You can read more about the labels on the next page, and see many of the labels photography-based covers. The main part of Stone Martin's covers on this page are made for the Norman Granz labels, but we are also showing some of his early covers for other labels.

David Stone Martin is a true classic, a pioneer and the style force of the record album design. He is the most collected of all album designers and the initials DSM has beeen a household word among collectors over the world.

David Stone Martin was born in Chicago 1913. He graduated from the art school in 1935 and came to New York in the early 1940s. Always interested in jazz, he hade a close friendship with pianist Mary Lou Williams and when she recorded for the Asch label in 1944, she persuaded the owner, Moses Asch (later the founder of Folkways Records), to let Martin design the album cover. It was his very first record album. It is shown next top to the right.

      Asch Records: label

During the 1940s he continued to work for Asch and also for the company´s other labels, Disc and Stinson. But it was working with Norman Granz and his various impresario ventures, that he made his reputation.

David Stone Martin´s first commission for Granz was to design a logo for the "Jazz At The Philharmonic" concerts and tour. He created the famous Trumpeter logo, which Norman Granz featured on all his concert programs and record labels. It continues to be used today on reissues and is still perhaps the best recogniezed logo in jazz.

         David Stone Martin: Clef Records trumpet logo

In the 1940s, Norman Granz's recordings were pressed and distributed by Mercury Records. These records have the trumpeter logo on the label, that distinguished them from Mercury´s own recordings.

         Mercury Records: label with trumpet lopo

The Mercury albums were soon, or even simultaneous, issued also on the Clef label itself - with the same cover. Most of them were designed by David Stone Martin.

David Stone Martin was at his best in the fifties. He was an illustrator with a rare gift for portraiture. He used a simple ink line technique and his drawings are delicate and often tinted in sympathetic pastels. They always reflect a subtle jazz atmosphere.

Martin also made covers for labels as Decca, Capitol and RCA. In the 70's and 80's he designed covers for Pablo, In-
terplay, Progressive and others. He died in 1993.


         David Stone Martin: Photo 1950s
         David Stone Martin in
         the 1950s


See also

The photographic covers
on Clef, Norgran and Verve

Billie Holiday, Clef 169, David Stone Martin  Billie Holiday   Label: Clef 169   10" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin

 David Stone Martin

Mary Lou Williams, 78 rpm album, Asch Records, David Stone Martin Mary Lou Williams Trio   Label: Asch Records   78 album 1944
Design: David Stone Martin.  His first album cover!
 
 

Ernestine Washington, 78 rpm album Disc Records, David Stone Martin  Ernestine Washington - Bunk Johnson   Label: Disc Records   78 album 1940s
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Meade Lux Lewis, 78 rpm album Disc Records, David Stone Martin  Meade Lux Lewis: Boogie   Label: Disc Records   78 album 1940s
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Coleman Hawkins, 78 rpm album Asch Records, David Stone Martin  Coleman Hawkins   Label: Asch Records   78 album 1940s
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Muggsy Spanier - Pee Wee Russell, 78 rpm album Disc Records, David Stone Martin  Muggsy Spanier and Pee Wee Russell   Label: Disc Records   78 album c.1947
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

John Kirby, 78 rpm album Asch Records, David Stone Martin  John Kirby and Orchestra   Label: Asch Records   78 album 1940s
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

James P. Johnson, New York Jazz, Stinson 21, David Stone Martin  James P. Johnson: New York Jazz   Label: Stinson SLP 21   10" LP 1950
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Baby Dodds, David Stone Martin  Baby Dodds   Label: Disc album 709   78 album 1946
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Charlie Parker with Strings, Clef/Mercury 101, David Stone Martin  Charlie Parker with Strings  Label: Mercury/Clef 101   78 album 1950
Also issued as 10" album   Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Charlie Parker with Strings, vol 2., Clef/Mercury 109, David Stone Martin  Charlie Parker with Strings, Vol. 2  Label: Mercury/Clef 109   78 album 1950
Also issued as 10" album   Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Flip Phillips, Mercury 25023, David Stone Martin  The Flip Phillips Quartet   Label: Mercury 25023   10" LP 1950
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

JATP vol 3, David Stone Martin  Jazz at the Philharmonic, vol. 2   Label: Mercury/Clef, JATP vol 2   10" LP 1951
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

JATP vol 3, David Stone Martin  Jazz at the Philharmonic, vol. 3   Label: Mercury/Clef, JATP vol 3   10" LP 1951
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

JATP vol 11, David Stone Martin  Jazz at the Philharmonic, vol. 11   Label: Mercury/Clef MG volume 11   10" LP 1951
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Bird and Diz, Mercury/Clef 512, David Stone Martin  Bird and Diz  Label: Mercury/Clef 512   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Charlie Parker, South of the Border, Mercury/Clef 513, David Stone Martin  Charlie Parker plays South of the Border  Label: Mercury/Clef 513   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Bud Powell, Mercury/Clef 513, David Stone Martin  Bud Powerll Trio  Label: Mercury/Clef 102   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lester Young Trio, Mercury/Clef 104, David Stone Martin  Lester Young Trio   Label: Mercury/Clef 104   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Oscar Peterson at Carnegie, Mercury/Clef 107, David Stone Martin  Oscar Peterson at Carnegie  Label: Mercury/Clef 107   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lester Young Collates, Mercury/Clef 108, David Stone Martin  Lester Young: Collates  Label: Mercury/Clef 108   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Roy Eldridge Collates, Mercury/Clef 113, David Stone Martin  Roy Eldridge: Collates  Label: Mercury/Clef 113   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Oscar Peterson Quartet, Clef/Mercury 116, David Stone Martin  The Oscar Peterson Quartet  Label: Clef/Mercury 116   10" LP 1952
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Charlie Ventura, Mercury/Clef 117, David Stone Martin  Charlie Ventura: Collates   Label: Mercury/Clef 117   10" LP 1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 

Billie Holiday, Mercury/Clef 124, David Stone Martin  Billie Holiday Sings   Label: Mercury/Clef 118   10" LP 1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 

Lester Young Collates, Mercury/Clef 124, David Stone Martin  Lester Young: Collates No.2   Label: Mercury/Clef 124   10" LP 1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Flip Phillips Collates, Mercury/Clef 133, David Stone Martin  Flip Phillips: Collates, No. 2   Label: Mercury/Clef 133   10" LP 1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Benny Carter, Clef 141  Benny Carter: Cosmopolite   Label: Clef 141   10" LP 1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Count Basie Big Band, Clef 148, David Stone Martin  Count Basie Big Band   Label: Clef 148   10" LP 1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Illinois Jacquet, Clef EP 374, David Stone Martin  Illinois Jacquet   Label: Clef EP C-374   7" EP c.1953
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Kenny Drew, Norgran 29, David Stone Martin  The Ideation of Kenny Drew   Label: Norgran 29   10" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Bud Powell, Mercury 507, David Stone Martin  Bud Powell Piano Solos   Label: Mercury 507   10" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Oscar Peterson plays Irving Berlin, Clef 148, David Stone Martin  Oscar Peterson plays Irving Berlin   Label: Mercury/Clef 604   12" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Dizzy Gillespie Afro, Norgran 1003, David Stone Martin  Dizzy Gillespie: Afro   Label: Norgran 1003   12" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Art Tatum, Clef 614, David Stone Martin  The Genius of Art Tatum, vol. 3  Label: Clef 614   12" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Count Basie, Dance Session, Clef 626, David Stone Martin  Count Basie: Dance Session   Label: Clef 626   12" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

JATP, vol 11, David Stone Martin  Jazz At The Philharmonic, vol 11   Label: Clef vol 11   12" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Charlie Ventura, David Stone Martin  Another Evening with Charlie Ventura and Mary Ann McCall   Label: Norgran 1013   12" LP 1954
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Stan Getz at the Shrine, Norgran 2000, David Stone Martin  Stan Getz at The Shrine   Label: Norgran 2000-2   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 

JATP vol 7, David Stone Martin  Jazz At The Philharmonic, vol 7  Label: Clef New vol 7   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lester Young, Norgran 1022, David Stone Martin  Lester Young   Label: Norgran 1022   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Dizzy Gillespie and Strings, Norgran 1023, David Stone Martin  Dizzy Gillespie: Dizzy and Strings   Label: Norgran 1023   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Stan Getz Interpretations, Norgran 1029, David Stone Martin  Stan Getz: Interpretations, vol. 3   Label: Norgran 1029   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

A Recital by Tal Farlow, Norgran 1030, David Stone Martin  
A Recital by Tal Farlow   Label: Norgran 1030   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Buddy Rich, Norgran 1031, David Stone Martin  
Sing and Swing with Buddy Rich   Label: Norgran 1031   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Stan Getz, West Coast Jazz, Norgran 1032, David Stone Martin  Stan Getz: West Coast Jazz   Label: Norgran 1032   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Swing Guitars, Norgran 1033, David Stone Martin  Swing Guitars   Label: Norgran 1033   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Alto Saxes, Norgran 1035, David Stone Martin  AltoSaxes   Label: Norgran 1035   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Johnny Hodges, Dance Bash, Norgran EPN-117, David Stone Martin  Johnny Hodges: Dance Bash, vol. 1   Label: Norgran EPN-117   7" EP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Charlie Barnet, Clef 638, David Stone Martin  Charlie Barnet: One Night Stand   Label: Clef 638   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lionel Hampton Quintet, Clef 642, David Stone Martin  Lionel Hampton Quintet   Label: Clef 642   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Artie Shaw, Clef 645, David Stone Martin  Artie Shae and his Gramercy Five, vol.  Label: Clef 645   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

The Magnificent Charlie Parker, Clef 646, David Stone Martin  The Magnificent Charlie Parker   Label: Clef 646   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Jam Session, vol. 5, Clef 655, David Stone Martin  Various Artists: Jam Session, vol. 5   Label: Clef 655   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Jam Session, vol. 6, Clef 656, David Stone Martin  Various Artists: Jam Session, vol. 6   Label: Clef 656   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lionel Hampton, Clef 667, David Stone Martin  The Lionel Hampton Quartet and Quintet   Label: Clef 667   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Billie Holiday, Music for Torching, Clef 669, David Stone Martin  Billie Holiday: Music for Torching   Label: Clef 669   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lionel Hampton, Clef 670, David Stone Martin  Lionel Hampton Big Band   Label: Clef 670   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Roy Eldridge and Dizzy Gillespie, Clef 671, David Stone Martin  Roy Eldridge - Dizzy Gillespie   Label: Clef 671   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Billie Holiday, Clef 671, David Stone Martin  Recital by Billie Holiday   Label: Clef 686   12" LP 1955
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Stan Getz and Lionel Hampton, Norgran 1037, David Stone Martin  Stan Getz - Lionel Hampton: Hamp and Getz  Label: Norgran 1037   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

John Lewis, Norgran 1040, David Stone Martin  John Lewis: The Modern Jazz Society  Label: Norgran 1040   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lester Young and Harry Edison, Norgran 1043, David Stone Martin  Lester Young - Harry Edison: Pres and Sweets  Label: Norgran 1043   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Johnny Hodges, Creamy, Norgran 1045, David Stone Martin  Johnny Hodges: Creamy   Label: Norgran 1045   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Anita O'Day Sings Jazz, Norgran 1049, David Stone Martin  Anita O´Day Sings Jazz   Label: Norgran 1049   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Bud Powell, Jazz Giant, Norgran 1063, David Stone Martin  Bud Powell: Jazz Giant   Label: Norgran 1063   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Modern Jazz Sextet, Norgran 1076, David Stone Martin  The Modern Jazz Sextet   Label: Norgran 1076   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Bud Powell, Piano Interpretations, Norgran 1077, David Stone Martin  Bud Powell: Piano Interpretations  Label: Norgran 1077   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Illinois Jacquet, Clef 676, David Stone Martin  Illinois Jacquet   Label: Clef 676   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Count Basie Swings Joe Williams Sings, Clef 678, David Stone Martin  Count Basie Swings - Joe Williams Sings   Label: Clef 678   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Roy Eldridge and Art Tatum, Clef 679, David Stone Martin  Roy Eldridge - Art Tatum   Label: Clef 679   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Flip Phillips, Flip Wails, Clef 691, David Stone Martin  Flip Phillips: Flip Wails  Label: Clef 691   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Flip Phillips, Flip Wails, Clef 691, David Stone Martin  Flip Phillips: Swinging with Flip  Label: Clef 692   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Hank Jones, Clef 707, David Stone Martin  Hank Jones: Uranity  Label: Clef 707   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Jam Session, vol. 8, Clef 711, David Stone Martin  Various Artists: Jam Session, vol. 8   Label: Clef 711   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Art Tatum, Clef 8095, David Stone Martin  The Genius of Art Tatum, No. 11   Label: Clef 8095   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Lu Watters, Verve 1005, David Stone Martin
 Lu Watters and his Yerba Buena Jass Band   Label: Verve 1005   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Roy Eldridge, Verve 1010, David Stone Martin  Roy Eldridge: Swing Goes Dixie   Label: Verve 1010   12" LP 1956
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Don Byas, Verve 8119, David Stone Martin  Don Byas: Jazz at Saint-Germain Des Pres   Label: Verve 8119   12" LP 1957
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Billie Holiday, Verve 8329, David Stone Martin  Billie Holiday: All Or Nothing At All  Label: Verve 8329   12" LP 1957
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

George Lewis, Verve 6064, David Stone Martin  George Lewis: Oh, Didn't He Ramble  Label: Verve 6064   12" LP 1959
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Kid Ory plays W.C. Handy, Verve 1017, David Stone Martin  Kid Ory plays W.C. Handy   Label: Verve 1017   12" LP 1959
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Harry Edison, Mr. Swing, Verve 8353, David Stone Martin  Harry Edison: Mr. Swing   Label: Verve 8353   12" LP 1959
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 

Sam Jones, Interplay 7726, David Stone Martin  Sam Jones: Something New  Label: Interplay 7726   12" LP 1979
 Design: David Stone Martin
 
 
 
      
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