Diamond Records (Hong Kong)

Diamond Records was a record label for Hong Kong and the far East. It featured a good amount of Hong Kong's most popular recording acts and attractions in its catalogue.

Background

Diamond Records was an independent label which was established in or around 1960 by Portuguese merchant, Ren da Silva.[1][2] In the early 1960s, they produced a run of albums that featured original Mandarin and English compositions. Also English songs were sung in Mandarin and Mandarin songs were sung in English. Two recording artists that were an example of this were Kong Ling and Mona Fong.[3] Both Ling and Fong had Hong Kong's leading pianist Celso Carrillo as arranger on their early Diamond albums.[4][5][6]

Affiliations

In the early 1960s, Diamond was the only record pressing in the area at the time. It handled Mercury Record Corporation product on a licensing agreement basis. Taking a trip to the U.S., managing director da Silva visited the Chicago Mercury headquarters in August 1961 to discuss expansion in the area for manufacturing plant and distribution facilities. He also was in the U.S. to meet with Willem Langenberg the head of Philips group to discuss the coordination of a three way arrangement that would involve Mercury, Philips and Diamond.[7]

Artists

Rock bands

In the mid-1960s the label started taking on guitar driven bands such as Philip Chan and the Astronotes, Danny Diaz and the Checkmates, Teddy Robin and the Playboys, and The Anders Nelsson group. Later on, other bands such as the Sam Hui fronted Lotus, The Mystics, The Zoundcrackers, D’Topnotes, The Downbeats, Joe Jr. and the Side Effects, Mod East, Sons of Han, and The Menace had recordings issued on the label.

Arrangers and session musicians

Celso Carrillo

Celso Carrillo, a pianist from the Philippines[8] was born on January 9, 1924.[9][10] Along with Tony Carpio, Andy Hidalgo, and Nick Domingo, he was one of the many musicians from the Philippines that had made careers in Hong Kong.[11] He had worked as an arranger, backing musician on various recordings by artists on the Diamond label. For a period of time, he was Hong Kong's leading pianist[12] His band backed Kong Ling on her Hong Kong Presents ..... Off-Beat Cha Cha album. In addition to playing piano and handling the arrangements, he also played conga and cow bell on various tracks.[13] Another album for Diamond which he worked on, which was in the same vein as Kong Ling's was Mona Fong Meets Carding Cruz. The backing was by the Carding Cruz band and the arrangements were by Celso Carrillo.[14][15] Filipino singer Carmen Soriano, credits him with him with giving her the inspiration and training to sing when she was lacking in confidence and repertoire while in Hong Kong. At the time he was the band leader at the club and told her to give it a try just for the novelty of it.[16][17] The result was her singing for a few months at the Winner House club in Hong Kong.[18] Another singer that Carillo backed was Lita Mendoza.[19] He died on 26 December 1988.[20]

At one time he was also once president of the Philippine Musicians League.

Later years

In 1970, the label was acquired by Polydor.[21]

Releases (selective)

International artists

Singles

Hong Kong artists

Singles
EPs

References

  1. ↑ HK Pop History 1960s pt. 1
  2. ↑ LG 2012 A2 Monday, 17 September 2012 Polydor Records Polydor History
  3. ↑ HK Pop History 1960s pt. 1
  4. ↑ Discogs Kong Ling* – Hong Kong Presents Off-Beat Cha Cha
  5. ↑ Mabuhay jazz: jazz in postwar Philippines Richie C. Quirino Page 74
  6. ↑ Muzikland June 30, 2006 Mona Fong - Mona Fong Meets Carding Cruz
  7. ↑ Billboard Music Week August 14, 1961 Page 4 Mercury Preps Strong Far East Distribution
  8. ↑ The Philippine Star October 6, 2008 All this Jazz By Alfred A. Yuson
  9. ↑ jstor.org Minstrelsy and Mimesis in the South China Sea - JStor]
  10. ↑ Asian Music: Journal of the Society for Asian Music Page 99
  11. ↑ The Philippine Star October 6, 2008 All this Jazz By Alfred A. Yuson
  12. ↑ Mabuhay jazz: jazz in postwar Philippines Richie C. Quirino Page 74
  13. ↑ Discogs Kong Ling* – Hong Kong Presents Off-Beat Cha Cha
  14. ↑ Muzikland June 30, 2006 Mona Fong - Mona Fong Meets Carding Cruz
  15. ↑ Popsike MONA FONG-,FEMALE VOCAL HONG KONG DIAMOND RECORD
  16. ↑ "Yesterday, Songs of Carmen’s life By Bayani San Diego Jr.". Philippine Daily Inquirer. 10/09/2008. Check date values in: |date= (help)
  17. ↑ Philippine Daily Inquirer First Posted 22:10:00 10/09/2008 Showbiz & Style > Inquirer Entertainment, YESTERDAY, Songs of Carmen’s life By Bayani San Diego Jr.
  18. ↑ Philippine Entertainment Portal June 4, 2010 Carmen Soriano still sways to the rhythm by Nini Valera
  19. ↑ Balitang Konsulado Vol. IV No. 4 December 2005 Sixty Years of Filipino Musicians in Hong Kong Page 4
  20. ↑ Asian Music: Journal of the Society for Asian Music Page 99
  21. ↑ HK Pop History 1960s pt. 2
  22. ↑ 45Cat Diamond - Label Discography
  23. ↑
  24. ↑ 45Cat Diamond - Label Discography
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