Bethlehem Records was a 1950s New York jazz label founded in 1953 by Swiss émigré Gus Wildi, celebrated for its high‑fidelity sound, striking Burt Goldblatt cover art, and its role in launching major artists like Chris Connor, Nina Simone (Little Girl Blue, 1958), and Mel Tormé. It became known for giving musicians unusual creative freedom and for capturing the modern jazz scene with clarity and style. The label shifted ownership several times—partnering with King Records in 1958 and being fully absorbed by them in 1962—before later revivals and reissues kept its influential catalogue alive into the 21st century.
