The Pulse of Entertainment: Take ‘A Walk on the Wild Side…’ From Shanachie Entertainment

Dr. Eunice Moseley Interviews Randall Grass, V.P. of A&R at Shanachie Entertainment about the New Album ‘A Walk on the Wild Side …’

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Oct. 20, 2026 – PRLog — By Dr. Eunice Moseley(www.ThePulseofEntertainment.com)

“It’s 50 years old. Started with Irish Traditional (Folk). I started in the 80s and it had…Reggae, African World Music and…Smooth Jazz,” stated Randall Grassthe basic supervisor and vice president of A&R at Shanachie Entertainment, throughout my interview with him about the release of “A Walk on the Wild Side: Classic Tracks from L.A.’s Legendary Central Ave. Scene (1944-1955)” (Shanachie Entertainment)

The “A Walk on the Wild Side…” task provides 12 tracks from that period, and I asked Randall, the manufacturer, how the tracks were chosen and he stated, “When I selected the tracks, I wanted them all to be in the same direction or mood. You can put it on and stay in the same mood.”

“It was a very special time in the Black community,” Turf described about the “mood” of the task as we continued to speak about the tracks on the album. “The L.A. culture is why (music from this era). It was a great period. The Harlem of the west.”

“In the early 20s there was a migration of Black folks out the South. A lot of musicians went to Los Angeles,” he continued. “As the Black population grew, they were confined to a certain area…South Central L.A. There was lots of discrimination, but lots more opportunities than in the South. Lots of Black entrepreneurs…theatres and hotels. When World War II broke out there was a labor shortage…Blacks had lots of opportunities…this put money into the Black community (in the 40s-50s). It spawned…Jazz, R&B, and Blues (also in Chicago and New Orleans). It had a vibe….a good time…not edgy.”

That is what is used on the “A Walk on the Wild Side…” album, 12 tracks of R&B, Blues and Jazz from the 1940s to the 1950s.

“The music of that era was shaped by the experiences of the people…an interchange between Blues and Jazz. Charlie Parker went there. The bands  in L.A. were playing Bebop. Los Angeles is where television and films were created…great opportunities for Blacks.”

Shanachie Entertainment is everything about uplifting, supplying chances and highlighting the very best in music of all categories.

I ended up being satisfied with the history of Shanachie as Randall Grass talked. I understand I have actually been interviewing their artists and artists given that the 90s (or earlier) and I have actually seen the shift to the various categories. They appear to welcome categories simply as that market required an increase. Seeing those tactical relocations impressed me a lot I make certain to support their artists and artists whenever I see that e-mail from their promotion department in my inbox.

The label ended up being established in Smooth Jazz at one point, a lot so that Smooth Jazz became its determining category. The label actually took Smooth Jazz to a Contemporary mainstream level. I observed how they just recently began to welcome R&B, Country and Rock artists. With the general public having access to streaming music, which has actually eliminated a huge revenue quantity from those artists and artists, research studies reveal the Rock and Country categories are growing in earnings regardless of this. When I began to see Rock and Country artists on the label, I presumed that possibly it was a tactical relocation.

I have actually likewise been impressed with the professionalism and commitment from the personnel at Shanachie, as a journalism it’s like fresh air coming through a simply opened door when I handle them. In speaking to their artists/musicians I can inform they have actually treated them the very same, since I get absolutely nothing however great feedback. Artists who have actually been launched from Shanachie Entertainment throughout the years total up to numerous. From the Smooth Jazz category there is Grammy Award chose Najee and Richard Elliott; multi-platinum selling Kim Waters; Billboard’s “Top Indie Contemporary Jazz Artist of the Year” (1996) Keiko Matsui; two-time Grammy winning Paul Brown; Canadian group Incognito, and Pieces of a Dream. From the Gospel category the label has actually signed on seven-time Grammy chose Vanessa Bell Armstrong; Stellar Award winning Earnest Pugh; Cissy Houston, and Stellar Award winning Kim Burrell. From the Blues category they have the famous Chuck Jackson. From the R&B category there is three-time Grammy chose Angie Stone, two-time Grammy Award winning Jennifer Holliday and Keke Wyatt, and from the Reggae/World Music category they have Grammy Award winning Soweto Gospel Choir, Grammy chose Rita Marley, and Hil St. Soul.

At the end of September, the “A Walk on the Wild Side: Classic Tracks from L.A.’s Legendary Central Ave. Scene (1944-1955)” was launched as a vinyl with the digital copy to be release before completion of the year. Artists who have their product on the brand-new Shanachie job consist of Charles Mingus, Wardell Gray, Jimmy Witherspoon, Dexter Gordon, Percy Mayfield and Helen Humes. Of the 12 tracks on “A Walk on the Wild Side…” I can state that I recognize with 2 of the 12: “Ain’t Nobody’s Business (If I Do)” by Witherspoon and “These Foolish Things” by Charles Mingus. www.Shanachie.com