Delta Groove Productions is an American blues record label in Van Nuys, California, United States. The label was founded by Randy Chortkoff ( Rand Jay Chortkoff; 1949–2015), a producer, concert promoter, and harmonica player.

Chortkoff's biography

Chortkoff died on May 5, 2015, while awaiting a liver transplant and sentencing on multiple criminal felony fraud charges, including cheating investors of over $1,400,000 in a phony movie investment scam. In 2016, Chortkoff's co-defendant Sam Braslau was sentenced to seven years in federal prison in Lompoc, California. Co-defendant Stuart Rawitt previously pled guilty and was sentenced to five years in federal prison. Both co-defendants were ordered by the US Court to pay restitution of $1,600,000. In February 2017, the Chortkoff Estate was ordered by the US Court to pay $153,400 in disgorgement and $12,615 in prejudgment interest in the civil matter with the SEC.

Overview and history

The label started with blues by musicians from Los Angeles. Its first release was That Represent Man (2004), the debut album by The Mannish Boys. The label then expanded to other genres. Jackie Payne Steve Edmonson Band's Master of the Game released in 2006 was the label's first release in soul/R&B. The label's releases are newly recorded materials for the most part, but it has also released some albums that were produced by Chortkoff as independent productions and released by the German record label CrossCut (Kirk Fletcher's Shades of Blue and Frank "Paris Slim" Goldwasser's bluju). Apart from its own releases, Delta Groove Productions produced Roy Gaines' The First TB Album, released by Black Gold in 2003. In 2007, Delta Groove started a new record label, Eclecto Groove Records, as a home and showcase for other musical styles. In June, 2007, Chortkoff hired industry veteran Robert Fitzpatrick (who died in 2010) to become president of Delta Groove Music and Eclecto Groove Records.

Selected artists

Delta Groove releases

Eclecto Groove releases