Also known as Mike Dion Genres Jazz | Name Michael Dion | |
Occupation(s) Record producer, Record executive Years active 1980s, late 90s to present Labels ITI Records
Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
Valley Vue Records | ||
Michael Dion is notable as a record producer in jazz music and the owner of the ITI Records, a California-based record label. He also was the owner of Startup Marketing and has been connected with Valley Vue Records.
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Background
In the music business, he has worked for Texas-based wholesaler Music Distributors Inc. He was the founder of Startup Marketing, a San Diego music label representation and distribution firm. It was later acquired by Paulstarr. In the early 1980s, he founded ITI Records, a Jazz record label. He also expressed interest in releasing other genres. One of them was classical. Dion also worked for well-known audiophile record label, Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab in Chatsworth, California as national sales director. In December 1980, it was announced that he was made director of international sales and marketing. Towards the end of 1981 he had been promoted to the position of vice-president of international sales. In April 1985, he became vice-president of Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab, replacing Mark Wexler who relocated to the East Coast. He was vice-president and general manager of a small Californian record label Valley Vue Records, which was founded by Hillery Johnson.
In 1998, Dion had a break from the industry having been recalled to military service as a result of the Bosnian and Middle East wars. After he retired from military service, returned to the music industry and his record label ITI records became active again.
Production
Some of the albums he has produced are Blackberry Winter by Mike Campbell & Tom Garvin, Blue Sud by Marc Devine and Art Johnson. He was the executive producer for Cozzetti & Gemmill's album Soft Flower in Spring which was released in 1983.
By the time his record label ITI records had 15 albums in its catalogue, he arranged a deal for a different genre, Dance! The act was Zone Patrol and the labels first venture into that genre.
Acts produced (selective)
Recent activity
In January 2015, he attended the Jazz Connect Conference that was held at Saint Peter's Church, New York City, located at 54th and Lexington. But because of the amount of attendees, the usual venue being the Hilton New York was changed to the Church.
Dion taught a Seventh Grade Civics class in the 2015-16 school year and remains a substitute teacher across his county.