Label news: Decca upgrades the bosses
NewsTom Lewis and Laura Monks have been promoted to co-Presidents of the legendary Decca Records Group.
Press release:
Tom and Laura have led Decca for the past 19 months as co-MDs, a hugely successful period which saw the label broaden its creative output, something best exemplified by the breakthrough success of Jacob Collier who made Grammy history by becoming the only artist in the show’s history to win an award for each of his first four albums, and the emergence of Norwegian singer-songwriter Aurora whose hit single Runaway is making waves across the globe.
Decca has continued to excel in the classic, jazz, soundtracks and adult contemporary genres, playing a pivotal role in the ongoing success of Gregory Porter, Ludovico Einaudi, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and Andrea Bocelli, amongst others. The label was instrumental in Bocelli’s record-breaking Music For Hope concert from the Duomo in Milan, one of the most celebrated cultural moments of 2020’s global lockdown.
David Joseph, Universal Music UK Chairman and CEO, says, “Laura and Tom are exceptional leaders who complement each other brilliantly. They are perfectly placed to steer the legendary label into this exciting new chapter with both their creative vision and fearlessness to do things differently.”
For me the classical CD release of the year was of a rather unexpected kind, and far, far away from big labels and their Bocellis, Einaudis & Lang-Langs:
Johannes Brahms: Complete Symphonies for Piano 4-Hands, Vol. 1. Corrado Greco & Massimiliano Baggio, piano duo. Da Vinci Classics, 2021.
Anticipative of the next volumes,
🙂 Pff
Decca feels like the latest legacy classical music label that’s vanishing. Its releases are mostly soloists driven — meaning, few orchestral and chamber recordings — and most are lieder or solo instrument. Chailly is their only conductor who regularly cranks out orchestral recordings.
I would agree with Monsoon. The ‘creative vision’ as such at Decca appears to be all about big names and how to market them. Less so about music. Not so much interests me there any more but there are some honourable exceptions like Benjamin Grosvenor or Nicola Benedetti – her ‘Baroque’ album is one of my highlights of the year.
DECCA LPs have always been of better quality that DGG(for instance).
Back in the seventies ,a LP DECCA was thicker,heavier more minutes on each side .
The sound was of extreme quality.
I still have the Katchen Brahms box set and more of Katchen’s recordings…all on DECCA.
Evidently less than professional attire is required at a legendary label.