The Great Jazz Label
When it comes to jazz, there is one label that you have to keep in mind. It is the label known as Blue Note and if you don’t know it and have an interest in jazz, you really need to know it. Here’s a great article about the label available at Wikipedia, but I just wanted to post about this label again.
I realized that when I was talking about some of the great classic jazz albums that I have loved, how many of them are on Blue Note. That Cannonball Adderly album “Somethin’ Else” is a Blue Note release. All of the greats of the jazz era recorded with Blue Note at one time or another.
Blue Note was known for “hard bop” as their mainstay. They also were the voice of some of the avante gard jazz, like Eric Dolphy and Ornette Coleman. Neither of those two were ever my cup of tea, but I know people who do like them.
Blue Note started to lose sales during the 70s when jazz itself seemed to fall on hard times. Heck,with the coming of disco, it seems like all of music fell on hard times there. Still, it was eventuall bought by a larger label and came back in the 80s to do reissues. Eventually, it started to sign and release new artists. Nora Jones’ first album was a Blue Note release.
I strongly recomend that if you have the means, find a record player and listen to some of those classic jazz albums on vinyl. I am glad I had the chance at the radio station I worked at in college. I know some of you digital audiophiles will blanch at that idea, but many of the jazz recording artists knew the medium they were recording in. Therefore, their sound was geared to be listened to on vinyl. There is a warmth to those records that you can’t get with the harsh digital media.
So, find a good needle, learn how to cue up a record, listen and enjoy.
If you want to start a classic jazz collection, one of your first stops needs to be the Blue Note website and record label. It really was the label of choice during jazz’s greatest moments.
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