Elaine Martone and Bob Woods

Awarded: 2024
Born: Cleveland, OH

"When I work with musicians, I am there to serve the music and their vision of the music.”

- Elaine Martone, Telarc Recording Studio

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Having already established itself as one of the world’s premier classical music recording studios, Cleveland’s own Telarc Recording was ready to embark on a new challenge: achieve equal prominence in the world of jazz recording.

It was Telarc co-founder and Executive Producer Bob Woods who boldly approached classical conductor/jazz pianist Andre Previn with the possibility. Previn simply requested the best sidemen for the session: Telarc delivered Ray Brown (bass) and Joe Pass (guitar) and “After Hours” was recorded, auspiciously launching the Telarc Jazz Label.

Starting in 1989, Woods and his wife, Telarc’s Vice President of Production Elaine Martone, grew Telarc Jazz into a Grammy®-winning, highly sought-after recording label for a galaxy of jazz greats, including Oscar Peterson, Dave Brubeck and Dizzy Gillespie, among other legendary performers. The division produced 400 jazz albums before Telarc was sold in 2005.