Best Blue Note Album in the World Ever

Read About This Recording

Ever since its birth in 1939, the Blue Note label (which was run for decades by Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff) has been the pacesetter among jazz record companies. Originally Blue Note documented New Orleans jazz and swing players, but starting in 1947 with its historic Thelonious Monk recordings, Blue Note became much more modern, along the way releasing scores of classic albums by bebop, hard bop and soul jazz artists. After it gradually faded out in the 1970s, Blue Note was extinct for a time, but it was revived in 1985 and has since reclaimed its position as jazz's top label.

This double-CD serves as an excellent introduction to Blue Note during two of its periods: 1957-67 and 1985 to the present. The first disc has one classic after another including Horace Silver's Song For My Father, John Coltrane's Blue Train, Art Blakey's Moanin', Lee Morgan's The Sidewinder and Herbie Hancock's Watermelon Man in addition to numbers featuring Lou Donaldson, Cannonball Adderley, Miles Davis, Kenny Burrell, Donald Byrd and Grant Green. The second CD has a few additional vintage tracks, including Jimmy Smith's Back At The Chicken Shack and songs from Big John Patton and Dexter Gordon. It also has more recent performances including Us3's hip-hop hit Cantaloop and numbers from Charlie Hunter, Eliane Elias, Bobby McFerrin, Cassandra Wilson, Lou Rawls (singing At Last with Dianne Reeves) and pop-saxophonist Richard Elliot.

Although it is impossible to sum up all of Blue Note's legacy on a two-CD set, this reissue is an excellent introduction both to the label and to modern jazz in general. Veteran collectors and beginners will both be equally impressed by this set's diversity, depth and quality.

-Scott Yanow

Contents

Song for My Father; Blue Train; Moanin'; Blues Walk; Autumn Leaves; Midnight Blue; The Sidewinders; Watermelon Man; Amen; Born to be Blue; Cantaloop; The Turnaround; Greasy Granny; Back at the Chicken Shack; Soy Califa; Girl From Ipanema; Thinkin' About Your Body; Tupelo Honey; At Last; Because I Love You.

Horace Silver, Piano; Art Blakey, Drums; Lou Donaldson, Cannonball Adderley, Richard Elliot, Saxes; Miles Davis, Lee Morgan, Donald Byrd, Trumpets; Herbie Hancock, Keyboards; Grant Green, Kenny Burrell, Guitars; Big John Patton, Jimmy Smith, Organs; Stanley Turrentine, Dexter Gordon, John Coltrane, Ike Quebec, Tenor Saxes; Eliane Elias, Keyboards/Vocals; Bobby McFerrin, Cassandra Wilson, Lou Rawls, Dianne Reeves, Vocals; US3; Charlie Hunter Trio.