Nashville, Jan 31, 2025 – Exceleration Music, the prominent global music company dedicated to advancing the future of independent music proudly announces the acquisition of Mack Avenue Music Group, the globally celebrated collection of jazz labels known for its exceptional roster of artists and award-winning catalogs.
This deal strengthens Exceleration Music’s commitment to both legacy and new jazz artists, as it already owns the legendary, multiple Grammy® award-winning, Candid Records. Post acquisition, Mack Avenue’s operations will be integrated with Candid Records to form Exceleration’s overall jazz group and will be led by current Mack Avenue President, Denny Stilwell. This collective jazz group will also feature a team of other key executives from both Mack Avenue and Candid Records.
Founded in 1999 by Gretchen Carhartt Valade, a passionate jazz fan and former chair of the American apparel brand Cathartt, Mack Avenue has been a driving force in the jazz world, delivering high-caliber releases from an esteemed lineup of artists. Key artists include Christian McBride, Cécile McLorin Salvant, and Kenny Garrett. Mack Avenue’s labels have earned several dozen Grammy® nominations and awards, making the company a hallmark of excellence within the music industry.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Denny, his team, and the incredible Mack Avenue artist roster into the Exceleration family,” said John Burk, Partner at Exceleration Music. “The combining of Mack Avenue and Candid Records represents an important step in our mission to build the ultimate independent label home for today’s greatest jazz artists. Together, we will continue to honor the labels’ remarkable heritages while providing the resources and expertise to help our artists reach new heights.”
“Joining forces with Glen, John and the like-minded team at Exceleration is a
transformative opportunity for Mack Avenue and our unique artist roster,” said Denny Stilwell, President of Mack Avenue Music Group. “With Exceleration’s support, knowledge and enthusiasm, we are confident our special brand as artist advocates will thrive as we continue to bring this fantastic music to the world.”
The acquisition includes Mack Avenue’s extensive catalog and its active roster of artists, ensuring their music reaches an even wider audience while retaining the unique essence that has made the label a standout in the industry. Exceleration Music plans to leverage its robust distribution, marketing, and technological resources to enhance Mack Avenue’s global impact.
This acquisition exemplifies Exceleration Music’s unwavering commitment to preserving and advancing independent music culture, ensuring that iconic labels like Mack Avenue continue to thrive in an ever-evolving industry.
About Mack Avenue:
Mack Avenue Music Group is a Detroit-based independent jazz label founded in 1999 by businesswoman and philanthropist Gretchen Valade. For over 25 years, Mack Avenue has been a leader in the global music community, committed to artistic excellence and innovation while expanding its family of imprints to include Rendezvous Music, Artistry Music, MaxJazz, Brother Mister Productions, and, most recently, the historic Strata-East Records. The label has also partnered with esteemed organizations, including the estate of Oscar Peterson/Two Lions Records and the Erroll Garner Project/Octave Music, to preserve and celebrate the legacy of music from the past 70 years.
Mack Avenue and its roster of world-class artists have received dozens of GRAMMY® Awards and nominations, reflecting the label’s commitment and dedication to pushing the boundaries of jazz and contemporary music with high-quality recordings, artistic integrity, and creative freedom, ensuring its artists’ voices are heard around the globe.
Learn more at http://www.mackavenue.com.
About Candid Records:
Candid Records was founded by arranger and bandleader Archie Bleyer as an offshoot of Cadence Records. Bleyer tapped the legendary Nat Hentoff as A&R man and producer of the first 30 records designed to capture the vibrant and creative jazz scene in New York in 1960 and ‘61. One cannot underestimate the breadth of these recordings - from bebop to the avant-garde, to blues. Candid then sat dormant for years until Black Lion Records founder and producer Alan Bates bought the label in 1989 and relaunched another highly successful era, recording another 300 titles and breaking stalwart artists such as Jamie Cullum and Stacey Kent. To continue the legacy, Bates sold the company to Glen Barros and Candid became the foundational label of the newly formed Exceleration Music Partners. Since its relaunch with Exceleration in 2021, the label has faithfully reissued its historic catalog and released a slate of highly celebrated new recordings from Eliane Elias, Wayne Shorter, Terri Lyne Carrington and more. The
Exceleration era of Candid has earned nine GRAMMY® nominations and five GRAMMY® awards to date.
Learn more at www.candidrecords.com
About Exceleration Music:
Exceleration Music is a company formed by global music industry leaders Glen Barros, John Burk, Amy Dietz, Charles Caldas, and Dave Hansen, to invest in the future of independent labels and artists. Established in 2020 with the core founding values of integrity, fairness, openness, humility and excellence, Exceleration offers personalized solutions to entrepreneurs seeking capital to achieve growth as well as those trying to achieve liquidity or an honorable exit. The company’s growing team of data, sales, and marketing experts, enhanced by the acquisition of leading digital and physical distribution and music services company Redeye Worldwide, works to preserve and enhance the legacies of both entrepreneurs and their artists alike. To date, Exceleration has acquired or formed strategic relationships with leading independents including:
+1 Records, Alligator, Azadi, Bloodshot, Candid, Down The Road, Heroic, Kill Rock Stars, Mom+Pop, SideOneDummy, The Ray Charles Foundation / Tangerine Records and Yep Roc Records. Learn more at www.excelerationmusic.com
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