Founded by Norman Granz in 1973, some ten years after he had sold his jazz labels (including the world-famous Verve Records) to MGM Records.

Pablo initially featured recordings by artists including Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson and Joe Pass. Later recordings by Count Basie, John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan were added.

In 1987 the label was acquired by Fantasy Records, who continued to release previously unissued recordings using the Pablo name.