Embryo Album Discography
By David Edwards, Patrice Eyries, and Mike Callahan
Last update: September 21, 2005





The Embryo Label was owned by Herbie Mann and distributed by the Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion. The 520 series was a jazz series, the 730 series was FM-rock, and the label issued one original cast album in the 1000 series.

The jazz series understandably lasted the longest, from 1970 to 1977. The 730 rock series lasted less than a year and issued only five albums. Two of these, however, are connected to a minor 1969 hit on the vanguard Apostolic label, "Witchi Tai-To" by a group called Everything Is Everything. Based on an old Native American chant, "Witchi Tai-To" was penned by Jim Pepper, who performed on the hit version. Everything Is Everything was a loose conglomeration of musicians led by Chris Hills and Danny Weiss, with keyboards by Lee Reinoehl. Both Jim Pepper and Chris Hills (with Reinoehl) had albums on Embryo in 1971, but neither sold well. In fact, it was Chris Hills' album that "put the plug in the jug" on the Embryo Rock series.

The first Embryo label was tan with black printing. "EMBRYO" in black above the center hole. Around the perimeter of the label are 8 green and orange circles. At the bottom of the label is "DIST. BY COTILLION DIV. OF ATLANTIC RECORDING CORP. 1841 B'WAY, N.Y., N.Y." After the long hiatus in the 520 jazz series, by 1977 the label had changed colors to a blue background, with a similar design. The promotional labels were white with black print.

We would appreciate any additions or corrections to this discography. Just send them to us via e-mail. Both Sides Now Publications is an information web page. We are not a catalog, nor can we provide the records listed below. We have no association with Atlantic Records. Should you be interested in acquiring albums listed in this discography (which are all out of print), we suggest you see our Frequently Asked Questions page and follow the instructions found there. This story and discography are copyright 2000 by Mike Callahan.



EMBRYO ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

Number - Title - Artist [Release Date] (Chart) Contents

Embryo 520 Jazz Series:

*SD 520 - Stone Flute - Herbie Mann [1970] (3-70, #184) Don't You Know The Way (How I Feel About You)/Flying/In Tangier/Miss Free Spirit/Paradise Beach/Pendulum/Waltz For My Son

SD-521 - Uptown Conversation - Ron Carter [1970]

SD-522 - Brute Force - Brute Force [1970]

SD-523 - Gypsy Cry - Attila Zoller [1970?]

SD-524 - Infinite Search - Miroslav Vitous [1969]

SD-525 - Inside An Hour Glass - Arnie Lawrence and Children of All Ages [1970]

SD-526 - Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty - Herbie Mann [1970] Muscle Shoals Nitty Gritty/Claudia Pie/Can You Dig It//Blind Willy/Come Together/Panama Red's Panama Hat

SD-527 - The Fifth Word - Jerry Novac [1970] Fifth Word/First Word/Present 2nd Avenue//I Am - Classified Freed Speak - I Am - Saturday Night Approval/Beyond The Look

SD-528 - Just Guitar - Sandy Nassan [8/70]

SD-529 - Circles - William S. Fischer [1971]

SD-530 - Phil Woods and his European Rhythm Machine at the Frankfurt Jazz Festival - Phil Woods [1971]

SD 531 - Memphis Two-Step - Herbie Mann [1971] (4-71, #137) Soul Man/The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down/Memphis Two Step/Down On The Corner//Guinnevere/Acapulco Rain/Kabuki Rock

*SD 532 - Push Push - Herbie Mann [1971] (10-71, #119) Guitar solos by Duane Allman. If/Man's Hope/Never Can Say Goodbye/Push Push/Spirit In The Dark/What'd I Say/What's Going On

SD-533 - '71 - Herbie Mann [1971]

SD-534 -

SD-535 - First Serve - Danny Toan [1977] Double Fault/Killian/Mighty Max/Come Into My Life//Kunta Kinte/Flightus/Snapper City

SD-536 - Up - Dick Morrissey and Jim Mullen [1977] Footloose/Sing Me Softly Of The Blues/Everything Must Change/Philip Phuling//What A Way To Go/You'll Know What I Mean/Busted Fender


Embryo 730 Series:

SD 730 - The Floating Opera - The Floating Opera [1971] Song Of The Suicides/The Vision/Midnight/Buckwheat Gal/Fever Day//Age Of Onan/Crack On The Wall/Back On The Street Again/Angelfood Cake Song/Soulful Feeling

SD-731 - Pepper's Pow Wow - Jim Pepper [1971] Witchitai-To (Chant)/Witchitai-To (Song)/Squaw Song/Rock Stomp Indian Style/Senecas (As Long as the Grass Shall Grow)/Yon a Ho//Slow War Dance/Nommie-Nommie (When the Roll is Called Up Yonder)/Newly-Weds Song/Fast War Dance/Now War Dance/Drums

SD-732 - Zero Time - Tonto's Expanding Headband [1971] Cybernaut/Jetsex/Timewhys//Aurora/Riversong/Tama

SD-733 - Air - Air [1971] Realize/Mr. Man/Baby I Don't Know Where Love/In Our Time/Martin//Man Is Free/Sister Bessie/Lipstick/Man's Got Syle/Jail Cell/I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free

SD-734 - Comin' Outta the Ghetto - Chris Hills & Everything Is Everything [1971] Comin' Outta The Ghetto/My Baby Said She Loved Me This Morning/Sweet Joanne/If You Were Mine/Six Of One//I Call Out Your Name/Mean Old Love/Sure As Shootin'/Talkin' 'Bout Soul/Qualified/Let Me Say This About That


Embryo Original Cast Series:

SD-1001 - Saturday's Warrior (Original Cast) - Various Artists [1974]


Thanks to Anders Pedersen and David G. Fredrickson.



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