About

Former US budget reissue label, also appears as Forum Records.
It was usually marketed in grocery store racks and similar non-record store outlets. It was founded in July 1959, and operated as Forum or Forum Circle until late 1964. Forum was always either a division of Roulette or not far out of their control. There are several different attributions on the various Forum labels, and there seem to be three distinct phases through which the label went.

The earliest series was the F/SF-7000 series, which was a classical music series reissuing material recorded in Europe. This lasted for 20 albums, the earliest issued in August, 1959, and the last issued in March, 1960. That month, Forum abandoned the classical series and announced a new 16000 pop series. This series lasted for 13 albums. The original labels for both the 70000 and 16000 series were black with gold print, the forum logo above the center hole. The attribution curving around the top of the label said, "Forum Records/A Division of " The Forum logo on the front cover also incorporates "A Division of " into the logo. This label was also used for the 32000 "Audio History" series, which had one album.

The 9000 series was next, starting in 1961, and was largely a vehicle for straight budget-price reissues of the Roulette and Tico albums previously available. Almost all the 9000 series items were reissues, with very little in the way of studio work required to compile new albums. In fact, the stampers used for these issues were the same ones used for the original Roulette, Tico, or Forum 16000 series albums, as they had the original master numbers scratched into the trailoff grooves. The 9000 series label was red with black print, the same design as the earlier black label, except "Forum Records/A Division of " around the top of the label replaced the previous designation as a Division of Roulette Records. All mention of Roulette was removed, including on the cover logos. Jaymo was probably another of Morris Levy's companies, and he was probably the "Mo" of the name. Later, second pressings of 9047 through 9057 replaced the "Jaymo" with "Roulette." Original labels for all 9000 series released up to 9057 were the red Jaymo labels. Starting with 9058 and running through 9077 in 1963, the original labels were deep red for mono and royal blue for stereo.

In the third phase, starting in early 1964, the label name was changed to Forum Circle, although the change in the logo was minor and it was obviously the same label. On the Forum Circle records, the notation of the jacket and label states, "Mfg. by , 160 Passaic Avenue, Kearny, New Jersey." The label colors changed to yellow for stereo and light blue for mono. Apparently Morris Levy leased his Roulette masters to Connoisseur Records on what appears to be a one-year deal. Connoisseur was owned by Banker's Life & Casualty, an insurance company headquartered in Chicago. Bankers owned a 100,000 square foot pressing plant in Kearny, New Jersey. Labels for Forum Circle varied, and can be seen via the link to bsnpubs.com, below.

Catalog

371 releases
The Count Basie Story Vol. 1
The Count Basie Story Vol. 1
Count Basie & His Orchestra* · 1964
Not Now, I'll Tell You When
Not Now, I'll Tell You When
Count Basie & His Orchestra* · 1963
Pearl Bailey Sings Porgy & Bess And Other Gershwin Melodies
Pearl Bailey Sings Porgy & Bess And Other Gershwin Melodies
Pearl Bailey
Lullabies Of Birdland
Lullabies Of Birdland
Various · 1963
Lullabies Of Birdland
Lullabies Of Birdland
Various · 1963
12 Million Sellers
12 Million Sellers
Various · 1963
12 Million Sellers
12 Million Sellers
Various · 1963
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Tomaso Albinoni, Johann Pachelbel, Luigi Boccherini, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan · 1976
Visit The West Indies
Visit The West Indies
Donny, Morey And Chic Playmates* · 1960
Visit The West Indies
Visit The West Indies
The Playmates
Let's Dance With Johnny Long & His Orch.
Let's Dance With Johnny Long & His Orch.
Johnny Long And His Orchestra · 1959
Let's All Sing With The Hugo & Luigi Family Singers
Let's All Sing With The Hugo & Luigi Family Singers
Hugo & Luigi Family Singers* · 1960
Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 In D Minor · No. 2 In E Major
Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 In D Minor · No. 2 In E Major
Lawrence Leonard, Goldsbrough Orchestra, Christopher Wood, Johann Sebastian Bach
Harpsichord Concertos Number 3 and Number 4
Harpsichord Concertos Number 3 and Number 4
Bach*, Goldsbrough Orchestra, Lawrence Leonard, Christopher Wood
Violin Concerto I D Major, Op. 61
Violin Concerto I D Major, Op. 61
Beethoven*, Alan Loveday, The Royal Danish Orchestra*, George Hurst · 1959
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54 / Carnaval, Op. 9
Piano Concerto In A Minor, Op. 54 / Carnaval, Op. 9
Schumann*, Sergio Fiorentino
Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished)
Symphony No. 8 (Unfinished)
Franz Schubert, The Royal Danish Orchestra*, George Hurst
Barrelhouse
Barrelhouse
Moe Wechsler
At The Embers With Dorothy Donegan
At The Embers With Dorothy Donegan
Dorothy Donegan
Songs My Mother Loved
Songs My Mother Loved
Milton Berle · 1963
Accordion In Hi-Fi
Accordion In Hi-Fi
Jo Ann Castle
Accordion In Hi-Fi
Accordion In Hi-Fi
Jo Ann Castle
Accordion In Hi-Fi
Accordion In Hi-Fi
Jo Ann Castle
Musical Themes Hollywood U.S.A.
Musical Themes Hollywood U.S.A.
Symphony Of The Air Conducted By Jack Shaindlin
Let's Dance With Tony Pastor
Let's Dance With Tony Pastor
Tony Pastor And His Orchestra
Oriental Delight
Oriental Delight
Hank Mardigian Sextet Featuring George Mgrdichian · 1960
Oriental Delight
Oriental Delight
Hank Mardigian Sextet Featuring George Mgrdichian · 1960
Dixieland At Carnegie Hall (25 Top Stars)
Dixieland At Carnegie Hall (25 Top Stars)
Jimmy McPartland, Wild Bill Davison / Pee Wee Russell, Vic Dickenson, George Wettling
At Play With The Playmates
At Play With The Playmates
The Playmates · 1958
At Play With The Playmates
At Play With The Playmates
The Playmates · 1960

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