美國 PUTUMAYO 官方網站
Putumayo 世界音樂先鋒部隊 只做讓你舒服的好音樂
成立於美國Putumayo World Music唱片公司，就如同公司的名稱一樣，是一家專門以出版世界音樂的唱片公司廠牌。在1975年時，Putumayo原本是由丹˙史多坡（Dan Storper）所創立的一家經營布料的公司，而在1993年的時候，才開始了唱片公司的經營。而在這九年多來的辛苦耕耘下，慢慢地成長茁壯，已經成為全球重要的世界音樂廠牌之一。
Putumayo是一個非常懂得經營形象的公司，從一開始便設定要介紹各國不同的文化於世人，並在傳統音樂與流行文化做好最佳的橋樑，創造出屬於Putumayo式的歡樂節奏。為了使廠牌擁有更高的辨識度，Putumayo的專輯封面都是由知名的兒童插畫家尼可拉˙海戴爾（Nicola Heindl）所親筆繪畫，他運用的色彩大膽豐富並且具有民族味，正好符合Putumayo公司所帶給人們的一貫熱情溫暖的感覺。
Putumayo是少數能兼顧「質」與「量」的獨立廠牌公司，一直不斷地有新的作品，並且屢次獲得大獎，像是「繞著地球跑第一集」就曾經在1999年獲得幼教類父母票選銀牌獎及幼教出版公司金牌獎；在2001年時米瑞安˙馬卡貝（Miriam Makeba）的「我的家鄉」專輯也首次獲得葛萊美的提名，無疑的是對Putumayo最大的鼓勵。Putumayo一直被視為非傳統樂類的先鋒，她也確實在世界各國掀起了一陣不小的旋風，不同於傳統經營理念，Putumayo開發了許多新的經銷商，像是服飾店、咖啡館、書店等都有其展示、播放及販售的空間，而她獨樹一格的封面設計，也為商店中增添了許多美麗的色彩。
Putumayo在丹˙史多坡經營下，目前已經出版了將近兩百種的不同主題的專輯，並在大力的推廣之下，已經成為了一個全球性的音樂品牌，目前在50多個國家都有代理商，在台灣則是由牌子老信用好的上揚唱片作代理，希望大家都來聽聽看全世界最沒有壓力的聲音。
Putumayo World Music was established in 1993 to introduce people to the music of the world’s cultures. The label grew out of the Putumayo clothing company, founded by Dan Storperin 1975 and sold in 1997. Co-founder Michael Kraus joined Storper to help launch Putumayo World Music. In the past eighteen years, the record label has become known primarily for its upbeat and melodic compilations of great international music characterized by the company’s motto: “guaranteed to make you feel good!”
Putumayo’s CD covers feature the distinctive art of British illustrator Nicola Heindl, whose colorful, folkloric style represents one of the company’s goals: to connect the traditional and the contemporary. By combining appealing music and visuals with creative retail marketing, Putumayo has developed a unique brand identity, a rarity in today’s artist-based music industry.
Putumayo is considered a pioneer and leader in developing the non-traditional market. A large portion of its target audience consists of “Cultural Creatives,” a sociological term for 50 million North Americans and millions more around the world with an interest in culture, travel and the arts. To reach these consumers, Putumayo has built a proprietary network of more than 3,000 book, gift, clothing, coffee and other specialty retailers in the US and thousands more internationally that play and sell its CDs, in addition to maintaining a strong presence in record stores.
Dan Storper’s vision of establishing a global company and lifestyle brand is being furthered by CD distribution in more than 80 countries. The opening of Putumayo in the Netherlands in 2000 enabled the company to connect with the European music and retail scene. The expansion of Putumayo International has also extended the label’s presence in South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. The company now has offices in 10 countries around the world.
The Putumayo Kids division was created to introduce children to other cultures through fun, upbeat world music. Since the release of the best-selling World Playground CD in 1999, Putumayo Kids has become one of the world’s leading children’s record labels, winning critical acclaim and honors from Parents’ Choice Awards and many others. The division is expanding its globally-themed product offerings in 2011 with three fun, educational coloring books and sticker collections with African, Latin American and European themes. With its growing collection of children’s albums and other cultural products, Putumayo Kids endeavors to inspire children’s curiosity about the world.
Putumayo launched the Putumayo World Music Hour in 2000. The first commercially-syndicated world music radio show, it is now heard internationally on more than 150 commercial and non-commercial stations. Periodically, Putumayo presents thematic tours in conjunction with its CD releases. Acoustic Africa, a CD and successful international tour in 2006, returns to 32 cities in North America in 2011. Putumayo Kids has also produced several thematic tours.
The company’s commitment to helping communities in the countries where the music originates has led to the label contributing more than one million dollars to worthwhile non-profit organizations around the world. Charitable recipients include Amnesty International, whose 50th anniversary Putumayo is commemorating via a partnership on the new Kids World Party CD, Coffee Kids, Oxfam, Mercy Corps and many more.
As international markets and consumer awareness of world music grow, Putumayo continues to develop creative ways to present exciting, underexposed global music and engaging cultural products.
