(And let’s give a hand to the incredible album art by Reid Miles.) It went through numerous phases, first releasing 78 RPM records, then expanding into cohesive full-lengths during the jazz Renaissance in the 1950s and ’60s. Founded in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, Blue Note began as an imprint that specialized in pressing swing and boogie woogie records, and later began to build a reputation for releasing bold new sounds in jazz from hard bop to post-bop, and avant-garde and free jazz. Art Blakey Art Blakeys Jazz Messengers With Thelonious Monk (Deluxe Edition).The album's a real feather in the mid-60s cap of Art Blakey and features an expanded sound from the quintet era of his group with a sublime horn lineup that features Wayne Shorter on tenor, Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, and Curtis Fuller on trombone all gliding along these soaring piano lines from Cedar Walton Reggie Workman works.If you need to find 75 of the greatest Blue Note records, it’s not that hard to find ’em. We could have made it a much longer list, of course. Out of stock.On its 75th anniversary — for which the label has launched a new vinyl reissue initiative (!) — Treble is honoring the legendary label by selecting a list of 25 Blue Note essential albums. 'S Make It (Vinyl) Art Blakey. It relaunched in 1985 with both legacy acts and new performers on its roster, and since, it’s expanded to include soul, hip-hop, pop and electronic acts alongside its roster of jazz performers.The Complete Columbia & RCA Albums Collection (8-CD Box Set) Art Blakey.Dorham’s eight-piece combo — which includes the likes of fellow Blue Note alums pianist Horace Silver, drummer Art Blakey and saxophonist Hank Mobley (!) — has a big-band feel, and the arrangements burst with energy and verve. It’s a rousing and lively set, both of its time (Latin jazz having gotten big in the ’50s thanks to standards like Dizzy Gillespie’s “Manteca”) and unquestionably timeless. Bossenger (ATB)Trumpeter Kenny Dorham made an impressive enough debut with 1954’s Kenny Dorham Quintet, but with his take on Afro-Cuban jazz, titled simply Afro-Cuban, he solidified his place in jazz’s hall of fame. So take a trip back through jazz history with us as we drop the needle on our 25 favorites.Words by Jeff Terich (JT), Adam Blyweiss (AB), and A.T.
![]() Yet in honoring a verbal agreement with label founder Alfred Lion he ended up doing the right thing for Blue Note’s reputation, for his own legacy, and for jazz history. – JTFor being such a scion of jazz, it seems a little weird that this is ‘Trane’s only Blue Note album guided by his own hand from start to finish. Looking for a place to start with Afro-Cuban jazz? Pick up the one that’s actually called Afro-Cuban. And yet, there’s a lot more personality and character here than on a lot of the cool jazz records that came out before it. Right on the cusp between hard bop and cool jazz, Cool Struttin’ lives up to its name, never hitting so hard that the players ever sound like they’re breaking a sweat. But it’s a strong enough indication that the album you’re about to hear is stylish and sleek. It’s not exactly a true Vinyl Vixen cover — too little straight-up kitsch, and too much urban cool for that. – ABLift those gams! If you don’t know Sonny Clark’s classic album Cool Struttin’, you almost certainly know the cover, which depicts a pair of shapely legs, “struttin'” on the sidewalk. And yet here he is, center stage on the title cut and fleshing out “Lazy Bird,” making hard bop sound easy and raising blues up to the level of joy. It’s the pensive “Dancing in the Dark,” though, that drives home just what kind of secret weapon jazz had in Julian “Cannonball” Adderley. Their version of Cole Porter’s “Love for Sale” has a bit of unlikely pep, understated even in the drums of the normally dramatic Art Blakey, and the titular blues number manages to wander off in intriguing directions. But make no mistake, Adderley’s quintet take this music out for leisurely strolls, not quite caring which man is actually in charge. Adderley was a sidekick on either side of this release—part of Miles’ sextet formed in 1957, and heard on his stone classic Columbia album Kind of Blue in 1959—and it sometimes even feels as such on this album, where Davis’ solos and duets are prominent and early. – JTSomethin’ else, indeed: Despite the alto sax man’s name at the top of the marquee this is a Miles Davis album by proxy, which is kind of a miracle since not only is this is one of the last albums to list Davis as a sideman, but it’s part of a surprising short history he had with Blue Note. Cool Struttin’ is one nifty number. Sony slog lutsBlakey and his band, The Jazz Messengers, brought us dynamic hard bop jazz for a 30-year run of rotating members. On top of all that, he’s one of the earliest drummers to take lead of a band (of any genre) from behind a trap set. His rhythm was spot on, his energy was at full volume, and his technique was engaging, creative and invigoratingly playful. The other four arrangements follow suit, giving the listener a steady dose of blues-tinged jams. It’s a bluesy, soulful romp with a hard bop edge, full of aggressive horn leads, as well as satisfying, top-notch solos by Blakey himself. Originally dubbed a self-titled album, the record quickly took the name of its popular leading track, and for good reason. Sandwiched between two standards, Mobley delivers four originals, the best of the bunch being “ Dig Dis” and the title track, which showcase just how much soul this record carries. Sticking with a laid-back mood, leaning more on the mellower side of hard bop — not that a tendency toward the chill was ever a problem in jazz. Soul Station primarily finds Mobley & Co. A brief sideman for Miles Davis, Mobley more than proved his strengths as a leader during the 1960s, and a great deal of that comes from his sheer listenability. A testament to the prolific nature of jazz musicians of the 1950s and ’60s, Soul Station is saxophonist Hank Mobley’s 14th Blue Note recording since 1955 (!) and a pretty strong case for his best (with honorable mentions going to Roll Call and No Room For Squares). – ATBHop aboard the Blue Train and it’s just a short ride on down to Soul Station. ![]() And, with double bass, tenor sax, drums and conga supporting each distinctive piece, it sure is a smooth set of tunes. Effectively, he’s the Chet Atkins of jazz. – JTOn Midnight Blue, Kenny Burrell’s guitar arrangements swell with blues energy while maintaining a cool jazz atmosphere. It’ll leave you feeling as good as it sounds. Civ 6 dev toolsWhen you spin this disc, you’re not just getting a beautiful dose of jazz greatness, you’re hearing a piece of musical history. While the label originally issued only 4,000 copies, the pop chart success of “ The Sidewinder” helped to blast the record into overwhelming popularly. The Sidewinder is important in an altogether different perspective too, since it helped launch the popularity of Lee Morgan and Blue Note’s soulful jazz. The title track even gets quite a bit of funk on. The bluesy arrangements on Lee Morgan’s The Sidewinder took on the heart of 1960s soul sounds and encapsulated them in a hard bop feel. – ATBIf you want a definitive example of early soul-jazz, this is it.
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