SABA/MPS Records Listing

Part of the Jazz Label Listings Project

This is not a catalog. This is a discographical tool for researchers. I have no idea how to obtain these records.

Note: This records listing covers jazz productions only. Other genres, like classical, dance, and folklore are not included.

The list of SABA/MPS productions is divided into several parts:

1. Original SABA and MPS productions
   • SABA/MPS catalog numbers (15000)
   • MPS/BASF CRM catalog numbers (CRM 600)
   • MPS/BASF long catalog numbers (21 20000-0)
   • MPS/Metronome catalog numbers (68000, 88000)
   • Polydor catalog numbers (821 000-0)
   • British MPS Series (BAP 5000)
   • French MPS Series (15000)
   • Spanish MPS Releases (JS)
   • US MPS Series (MB 20000)
   • Japanese MPS releases (POCJ, ULS, ULX, UPS, UXP, YS, KUX)
   • MPS/EMI catalog numbers (064D-60000)
   • MPS/VERVE catalog numbers (821 000-0)
   • PAUSA (PR 7000)
   • PRESTIGE (PR 7000)
   • Encore! Reissue Series
   • CRYSTAL reissues (066 CRY 45000)
   • Speakers Corner reissues
   • All catalog numbers for SABA and MPS productions
   • Alphabetical listing by title
2. MPS Parallel Series
   • MPS catalog numbers (11000, 12000, 13000, 14000, 52000)
   • All catalog numbers for MPS Parallel Series
   • Alphabetical listing by title
3. CENTER and SESSION Series
   • CENTER and SESSION productions
   • All catalog numbers for CENTER and SESSION
4. MPS Variation '71-'83

All tables compiled by Karl-Michael Schneider from data collected from Klaus-Gotthard Fischer: Jazzin' The Black Forest: The Complete Guide To MPS/Saba Recordings. Crippled Dick Hot Wax! / Crippled Library, 1999.

A short history of SABA/MPS Records:

• 1835: The "Schwarzwälder Apparatebauanstalt" (SABA) is founded by Joseph Benedikt Schwer in Triberg in the Black Forest.
• 1927: Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer (HGBS) is born.
• Around 1962: The first SABA records are available on the German market.
• 1968: The SABA company is sold to General Telephone & Electronics International Inc. (GTE), New York.
• April 1, 1968: Musikproduktion Schwarzwald (MPS) is founded by HGBS.
• April 1, 1971: BASF takes over the distribution of MPS Records.
• April 1, 1974: Metronome Musik GmbH, Hamburg, takes over the distribution of MPS Records for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
• June 1, 1983: The MPS jazz repertoire is sold to Polydor International Inc., London.
• 1993: Motor Music, a subsidary of Polydor, starts reissuing the SABA/MPS repertoire on CD.
• 1999: The reissue programme of the MPS jazz repertoire is taken over by Universal Jazz.
• 1999: Klaus-Gotthard Fischer: "Jazzin' The Black Forest: The Complete Guide To MPS/Saba Recordings" is published by Black Forest record label Crippled Dick Hot Wax! and Crippled Library.
• 2000: Speakers Corner Records starts reissuing selected and much sought-after titles from the SABA/MPS repertoire on 180g vinyl with original cover art.

(Klaus-Gotthard Fischer: Jazzin' The Black Forest: The Complete Guide To MPS/Saba Recordings. Crippled Dick Hot Wax! / Crippled Library, 1999)

On October 14, 2004, Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer died in a road accident at a crosswalk in his home town Villingen while taking his daily evening walk. He was 77 years old.

Thanks for contributions:

• Klaus-Gotthard Fischer
• Dr. Michael Frohne
• Katsuhiro Imai
• Steven Kelly
• Walter Lohner
• Ed Maurer
• Chuck Naffier
• Risto Nevanlinna
• François Ziegler

Comments, corrections, additions via the jazzlabels mailing list.

piezoelektric.org Discographies | Jazz Record Label Listings