Sacramento record label Dig Music is best known for releasing records by hometown favorites Jackie Greene, Bucho and Kate Gaffney, as well as classic rock artists Sal Valentino and Cold Blood.

But right now, the label's best-selling artist, with an album at No.3 on the Jazzweek chart, is a release by another label, Unity, in a genre Dig Music has had very little experience with: Jazz.

Jazz trumpeter Scotty Barnhart is signed with Unity Records, but his solo debut, Say It Plain, was released and distributed in May by Dig Music.

Barnhart is doing business in Northern California, although he spends his time either at home in Los Angeles or Tallahassee where he teaches part-time at Florida State University. Barnhart signed with Unity after recording on an album by Jamie Davis, a former vocalist for the Count Basie Orchestra.

"Jamie signed with them and I played on his record," Barnhart said. "Unity liked the record we did, and they wanted to sign me. They said, 'We loved your play, we like you as a person'."

Of Dig's relationship with Unity, Dig Music CEO Marty DeAnda said, "As their friend and business partner, we are able to do a much better job for them as it relates to prioritizing their needs." Dig manufactures in Sacramento, but distributes nationally. DeAnda remarked that the only difference he perceived between basing a label in Sacramento versus New York or Los Angeles is the competition among talent trying to get signed onto a label.

"Jazz has been a traditional 'under the radar' musical form and has even less presence in Northern California with the exception of the Bay Area," said DeAnda. "This is kind of sad since jazz is the only pure American form of music. There are some very good players in Sacramento and of course Sacramento is famous for its annual Jazz Festival."

"With the industry currently in the greatest downturn in history, we actually have a better chance of survival, financially, because our overhead is so much less and our size allows us to change more quickly as the market changes," added DeAnda.

However, with a growing reputation for making discerning choices about which artists to sign, and with the production and distribution deal with Dig, Unity is looking forward to a bright future in the industry.

Said DeAnda of Dig, "We have built a solid reputation as a quality indie label. Having the presence of Scotty Barnhart, and Jackie Green, among others, does help. We have been approached by many famous performers including Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), Ian McLagen (Faces) Elvin Bishop, Eddie Money, Peter and Gordon, Jim Messina (Loggins and Messina), the Sons of Champlin. We hope to continue to draw attention to ourselves and are proud that others across the country have heard of us."

Scotty Barnhart will be performing in Northern California at the Monterey Jazz Festival in September.