Nabel was founded in 1980 by Rainer Wiedensohler in Aachen, Germany. From the beginning Nabel has released only jazz and improvised music from Europe. This means that most of our artists and groups are European or international bands with European artists as leaders or co-leaders. The reason for this concept is that we want to produce improvised music with a focus on European music and ethnic roots in contrast to the American mainstream of today’s jazz.
Up until 1986 running Nabel was a part-time business. Since 1987 Nabel expanded and grew continuously, not only personally. After some changes, Nabel became a team which took care of music production, the pre-mastering in its own small studio, the graphic design, the promotion, etc.
Nabel releases between 4 to 6 new recordings a year; additionally we re-release some of our old productions on CD. A large portion of our catalogue is still available on vinyl – some recordings are accessible in a special 180gr virgin vinyl pressing.
Our bestsellig projects/artists in the past were a.o.: Choralconcert, Maria Joao, Ballstars, Gershwin Songs, Monika Linges, Wolfgang Engstfeld with Randy Brecker and John Thomas.
We are regularly publishing productions with young bands whose fresh musical approach and vividness seems promising. Even though it´s not always easy to establish them on the market by now we can look back on some success: Nabel discovered Maria Joao in the 1980s and built up her reputation outside of Portugal.
For some years our Latin Jazz branch with artists like John Thomas and Monika Linges has been succesful in the international Dance Jazz and Club Scene.
The reissues of Andy Lumpps piano solo recordings from 1982 – approaching an audience similar to the one of Keith Jarrett´s Köln Konzert – received internationally critical acclaim.