Vocalion was established in 1997 and is for CDs of light music, big bands/dance bands, jazz, easy listening, vocalists and 1950s/60s pop. Vocalion first made its name with a celebrated and ongoing series of CDs featuring the recordings of famous 1930s and 40s British dance bands, including those led by
Ambrose,
Geraldo,
Oscar Rabin and
Maurice Winnick. Vocalion later expanded into re-issuing music from the vinyl LP golden era of the 1950s to the late 1970s. The '2 LPs on 1 CD' CDLK series was launched in 2000, alongside later Vocalion series such as CDLF and CDSML, and feature recordings of a diverse array of artistes. These range from orchestra leaders such as
Robert Farnon,
Mantovani and
Stanley Black to singers including Lita Roza and Anthony Newley, and from 1950s/60s rock 'n' roll stars
Lord Rockingham and
Terry Dene right through to modern British jazz musicians and composers like
Michael Garrick,
John Surman and
Alan Skidmore. Vocalion have also started issuing
surround sound recordings on hybrid
SACD. ==CDSA series==