I bought a Sam Gendel cd on bandcamp both download and on vinyl, because he was in a year-end LA Times story.
It looks like he got signed to Nonesuch — a supreme imprimateur — through a chance association and later touring duties with Joachim Cooder and Ry Cooder. His rubbery (their word) version of Mingus et al adds to the story.

My take, for your perusal — see also Adventures of Huckleberry Finn —

There are 225 artists listed on the Nonesuch website which includes catalog and front list current projects.

I wasn’t aware of ever booking a current Nonesuch act but there are five listed that I work with: bill Frisell, jimmie dale gilmore, jeff parker as a sideman in 3 different gropes, wayne horvitz, robin Holcomb though just in one of waynes project and only as a spec consultant; oliver lake solo (member of wsq);  nicholas payton only that he guested on a john ellis record i successfully shopped to a different label; mark morris or bad plus only that i booked an ethan iverson solo show — literally stealing him out of a mmdc bubble for a couple hours for a matinee. Don byron only that I interviewed him phoner for KZSU jewish music show within a show; natalie merchant only that allison miller was in her band; i met christian mcbride at iaje and daftly asked him something about stagger lee, plus took Aaron luis levinsons course at Philadelphia school of the arts extension — wait im confusing him with andy blackman ropeadope experiment; im discussing a site specific event concept with a composer i met at sea ranch a Kronos benefit; i managed a brian eno tribute or repertory band that won best cover band in the sf weekly; i announced a free blind boys show but they had to cancel (replaced by such acts as Henry Butler Basin street and femi kuti beng beng beng)