Collection: CTI

Founded by producer Creed Taylor in 1967, CTI Records (Creed Taylor Incorporated) defined the sophisticated jazz fusion sound of the 1970s. Starting as a subsidiary of A&M before going independent in 1970, CTI bridged the gap between straight-ahead jazz and popular music without compromising artistic integrity. The label's first release, Wes Montgomery's "A Day in the Life", set the tone for what would become one of jazz's most commercially successful yet musically respected catalogues.

Recorded almost exclusively at Van Gelder Studio with legendary engineer Rudy Van Gelder, CTI albums featured top-tier musicians including George Benson, Freddie Hubbard, Bob James, Hubert Laws, Stanley Turrentine and Ron Carter. Arranger Don Sebesky crafted the label's distinctive sound: lush, sophisticated and unmistakably modern. Major successes included Eumir Deodato's "Prelude", which reached number three on the US Billboard chart in 1973.

Just as important as the music was the visual identity. Photographer Pete Turner's colour-saturated cover images became as collectible as the records themselves, featuring exotic wildlife and abstract scenes rather than traditional artist portraits. These iconic gatefold designs helped establish CTI as a brand where every element, from engineering to artwork, represented quality.

The catalogue was acquired by Sony Music following CTI's 1978 bankruptcy, with albums reissued through various series including the Original Jazz Classics line. Whether you're after the smooth sophistication of Bob James, the fiery trumpet of Freddie Hubbard, or the soul-jazz grooves from sister label Kudu Records, CTI represents 1970s jazz at its most refined and accessible.