Banana Records Logo

Where Yellow Turns To Gold!
in the great music city of Cleveland, Ohio

Banana Links:

About Banana 

About Mab Zab Ltd.  

Artists

Lyrics

Discography/Store

Mab Zab Publishing

Contact

Home

Welcome Discerning Music Fans!

To the World Wide Web home of Banana Records. Banana released its first record in 1982 - long before the debut of that entity known as the internet - but here we are!

Banana Records traces its history in Cleveland to as far back as 1973, when it emerged as a concept in the heads of a few music heads plying the scene in those long ago times. Please feel free to explore these pages. You'll find a concise history of Banana on the about page, you can explore the Banana stable of artists, and purchase their material. You can also check out Mab Zab Music publishing, which continues to be operational and can handle your music publishing needs. (Protect that intellectual property, folks!) And of course, there is the Banana Store, where you can buy select titles from archived and current Banana artists.

Thanks for visiting, and send us email with any questions/additions/subtractions.

*     *     *     *    *

What's New at Banana Records:

Mab Zab Best of 2023 Winners Announced!

 2023 zabby attendees
A selection of the 2023 Mabby Winners enjoy the Florida sun
at Jim Butterfield's luxurious Central Florida estate.

Best Guitar Player: Rick Christyson

Best Bassist: Bryant Zowie

Best Drummer: Rock Handsome

Best Keyboardist: Leen Hoban-Gallagher

Best Male Vocalist:  Les Vincent

Best Female Vocalist:  Jinni Fontana

Best Band:  Butterfield 8

Best Producer:  Paul Nickels

Best Album:  ”It’s Hardly Ever Just Black & White” – Les Vincent and MZ7

Best Song:  ”Point of No Return” (Butterfield 8)

Best Mansion:  Ryel Parma Mansion

Best Bar: Last Cast Lounge (Dewittville, NY)

Biggest Disappointment:  LNo Banana Artists Inducted into Rock Hall (again)

Comeback of the Year:  Joe Flacco

Best Couple:  KBill & Peggy Hayes

Handsomest Man:  Gage Surratt

Most Beautiful Girl in the World: Katie Butterfield

Most Extravagant Lifestyle:  Suzie McLaren

*     *     *

New Album from Butterfield 8

“Broken People” is the Group’s 3rd Album in 2 Years!

 Jim Butterfield and his friends (aka “Butterfield 8”) have just released a new 10-song album entitled “Broken People” on Banana Records.  Jim describes the disc as his “…third installment in the Comeback Trilogy” by his eponymous band. 

Once again, Paul Nickels performed the pivotal role of producer for this album.  He also plays drums on all the tracks (save “Rings of Saturn”, which features Jim on the Baby Rattle…a trick that Jim borrowed from Mick Ronson).  Speaking of Mr. Ronson, the sing-along anthem “Point of No Return” owes a major tip-of-the-hat to Mick’s work on Bowie’s “Starman”.  Jim asked longtime collaborator, Rick Christyson, to channel Mick’s Starman style for the ending guitar solo.  Christyson also lends his mandolin talents to the same tune.

Also prominently featured on the new album are the vocal stylings of long-time BU8 member Les Vincent.  Les was noticeably missing from the last trilogy album, “Another Day In Paradise” due to scheduling conflicts.  He makes up for that by appearing on half of the new tracks here.  In fact, Les is the only backing vocalist utilized, other than Jim.

The album is available on all streaming services, and the physical CD is also available direct from this website (Discography/Store page) for $12.00 including shipping and handling.  You can also listen to the album on bandcamp.com under the artist “butterfield81”.

There are also rumors that the band may be contemplating live performances.  That would be a pretty big deal considering the fact that the last time Butterfield 8 performed live was 1990!  We’ll keep you posted. 

*     *     *

Les Vincent Album

A New Album from Les Vincent
8-Song Disc Highlights Vincent’s
Past, Present and Future

Les Vincent (aka Tom Richissin) has finally released his long-awaited album “It’s Hardly Ever Just Black & White” on Banana Records.  The eight songs are available on all streaming services, and the physical CD is also available direct from this website (Discography/Store page) for $12.00 including shipping and handling.

This album was a long time in the making, as Les has been busy raising a family and “Taking Care of Business” in his beloved Boston, MA.  However, when he finally decided to get back to his passion of songwriting and singing, it was a very quick turn-around to produce his Freshman Foray into the world of recording.  As most Les Vincent fans are aware, he was the driving force behind numerous iterations of the wildly popular Les Vincent & The Tree Toads back in the day.  Les’ reputation for being the catalyst behind (and in front of) that legendary concept/party band left many a fan yearning for Mr. Vincent to release his music in recorded form for all to enjoy any time they felt the need for a “Tree Toad Fix.”

Les was assisted in the recording effort by his long-time friend, Jim Butterfield, and his newfound friend, producer Paul Nickels.  Les had worked with Jim and Paul as a backing vocalist on Butterfield 8’s recent releases.  Once Tom (as his family and close friends know him) was ready to record his own collection of tunes, he knew who he wanted to work with.  Most of the album was recorded remotely, with Les recording the basic tracks in his home studio in Boston, Jim adding instruments from his Florida studio, and Paul bringing it all together in Cleveland at his Bay Village Handsome Studio.  Paul also played drums on all of the tunes, and added guitars on select songs.  The billing for the album is actually “Les Vincent and MZ7” because Tom wanted to stress the fact that this was a “group effort”.

The eclectic collection of songs range from new compositions that address subjects very important to Tom, as well as select covers of songs by The Kinks and The Leisure Set.  As anyone who reads this website is aware, The Leisure Set was the brainchild of Jim Butterfield and Bob Burford.  Burford lends backing vocals here on his own composition, “There’s No Teardrops."

"It's Hardly Ever Just Black & White" is a welcome addition to the Banana Records catalog, and we hope this portends future releases from Les Vincent. Click on the store page if you'd like to get your own copy.

*     *     *

Banana Only Logo

All Contents © Mab Zab Ltd., 2023. Content may be reproduced or shared with permission only.