Jamal sues MCA Records for $25 million over unauthorized reissues

Jet, Sept 28, 1998

Noted jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal recently filed a lawsuit in New York federal court against MCA Records and its jazz label, GRP Records, alleging that the companies have issued unauthorized releases of his songs on so-called compilation albums and compact-disc box sets, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The suit, reported the newspaper, seeks a total of $25 million in compensatory and punitive damages and also charges that MCA licensed Jamal's recordings to Time Warner Inc.'s Warner Bros. for use in the soundtrack for The Bridges of Madison County without the pianist's permission.

Jamal's complaint, according to the newspaper, charges that the re-release of his music violates two 40-year-old contracts he signed with Chess Producing Corp. and sister company Aristocrat Record Corp.

MCA Records and GRP Records are now owned by University Studies Inc. Both companies acquired the master recordings and publishing copyrights of Chess and Aristocrat in 1985. Universal Studios is controlled by Seagram Co.