Blue Note 85

Blue Note 85
Blue Note Tone Poet
  
Blue Note Classic Vinyl


Blue Note Indie Exclusive Blue

Explore 85 years of music history with Blue Note Records, the legendary jazz label
behind icons like John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Norah Jones. 

Celebrate this milestone with a curated selection of vinyl, including the
Tone Poet Reissues, Classic Vinyl Reissue Series, and Indie Exclusive Blue Vinyl Series from today’s Blue Note stars. 

Timeless sounds reimagined for your collection.

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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. The Three Sounds were one of the most prolific Blue Note acts. Led by pianist Gene Harris, the trio's sound had evolved by 1970, with a new line-up featuring bassist Henry Franklin and drummer Carl Burnett. The blues and gospel roots were still there but the rhythm had a funkier edge as heard on the rousing Live At The 'It Club' recording. This Blue Note Classic Series (stereo edition) is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.
Gene Harris  And The Three Sounds - Live At The 'it Club' (Blue Note Classics Series)
$27.98
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. German jazz pianist Jutta Hipp is one of the most intriguing yet little-known figures in Blue Note history. Shortly after moving to NYC in 1956, she recorded the charming live trio album, At The Hickory House, with bassist Peter Ind and drummer Ed Thigpen. Volume 1 presents a set of standards and bebop themes that showcases her hip, lightly-swinging style. This Blue Note Classic Series (mono edition) is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.
Jutta Hipp - At The Hickory House, Volume 1 (Blue Note Classic)
$27.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. Recorded in the wee hours of Good Friday 1960, this charming and impromptu Pacific Jazz session captured the easygoing alchemy of The Modest Jazz Trio featuring Jim Hall on guitar, Red Mitchell on piano, and Red Kelly on bass. Good Friday Blues would be the trio's sole album, a sublimely swinging date that did indeed begin with the modest expectations of capturing a single track for a blues anthology that Richard Bock was producing. But the vibe was right, the trio was inspired, the music flowed, and by morning they had laid down six tracks including a pair of originals by Mitchell and renditions of songbook standards including "Willow Weep For Me," "I Remember You," and "I Was Doin' Alright." The drum-less setting allows Hall's gorgeous, subtle tone and melodic flow to shine while Mitchell-who was primarily known as a bassist-surprises with his impressive piano chops, and Kelly provides a sturdy base.
Modest Jazz Trio - Good Friday Blues (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98
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Jackie McLean’s 1962 album Let Freedom Ring reflected the change in the air of the early ‘60s: both the musical freedoms being explored by the emergent avant-garde movement and the social freedoms sought by the ascendent civil rights movement. This four-song set featuring the alto saxophonist with Walter Davis Jr. on piano, Herbie Lewis on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums melds the bluesy language of hard bop with the bristling energy of The New Thing. McLean’s emotive horn wails, shrieks, and soothes as the quartet moves through three striking McLean originals: “Melody For Melonae” (dedicated to his daughter), “Rene” (dedicated to his son), and “Omega” (dedicated to his mother). A plaintive rendition of the Bud Powell ballad “I’ll Keep Loving You” rounds out the date.

Jackie Mclean - Let Freedom Ring (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Following the runaway success of The Sidewinder in 1964, Alfred Lion continued to record trumpeter Lee Morgan frequently in the hopes of capturing another funky boogaloo hit. While his subsequent albums may not have scaled the same commercial heights, Morgan certainly delivered the musical goods on his 1965 albums The Rumproller, The Gigolo, and Cornbread, all of which stand among the finest outings in his formidable discography. Recorded over two dates that Summer, The Gigolo featured Morgan with a dynamic quintet comprised of Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Harold Mabern on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. A supremely confident set of swaggering hard bop, the album kicks off with the groovy opener "Yes I Can, No You Can't," one of four Morgan originals featured here along with the up-tempo gems "Trapped" and "Speedball," and stirring explorations of the 11-minute "The Gigolo." The album closes with an exceptional arrangement of the ballad "You Go To My Head" which sways with sensual movement.
Lee Morgan - Gigolo (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)
$27.98
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. 1964 was a momentous year in the musical life of Wayne Shorter. At the start of the year the saxophonist was still a member of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, appearing on classic Blue Note albums like Free for All and Indestructible. Shorter made his own auspicious label debut that spring with Night Dreamer and that summer he joined the Miles Davis Quintet cementing a line-up that would become one of the seminal bands in jazz history. When he returned to the studio for Blue Note in August it was in the company of three musicians with strong ties to John Coltrane: pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Reggie Workman, and drummer Elvin Jones. The resulting album JuJu is a marvel in Shorter's formidable discography which presents six of his evocative original compositions including the churning title track, the mesmerizing "House of Jade," and the brightly swinging "Yes Or No."
Wayne Shorter - Juju (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition)
$27.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. The late-1960s and early-1970s were a wildly creative period for Bobby Hutcherson with the vibraphonist freely exploring a wide range of stylistic possibilities from post-bop and the avant-garde to fusion and Latin Jazz. The cutting-edge 1969 session Medina-which wouldn't be first released until 1980 as part of the LT Series-documented one of Hutcherson's most remarkable band line-ups featuring two of his frequent collaborators-Harold Land on tenor saxophone and flute and Joe Chambers on drums-along with Stanley Cowell on piano and Reggie Johnson on bass. The set presented a pair of original compositions each by Hutcherson, Cowell, and Chambers that explored a variety of moods from the churning rhythms of "Avis" and "Medina" to the more atmospheric realms of "Comes Spring" and "Orientale."
Bobby Hutcherson - Medina (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Lee Morgan's 1968 album Taru found the trumpeter at a crossroads exploring a variety of styles from modal jazz and post-bop to beautiful balladry and funky boogaloos. The band here is notable for the elevating presence of guitarist George Benson and the addition of tenor saxophonist Bennie Maupin. This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes.
Lee Morgan - Taru (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. Alfred Lion's inspired idea to pair tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine with The Three Sounds-the trio featuring pianist Gene Harris, bassist Andrew Simpkins, and drummer Bill Dowdy-on 1960's Blue Hour produced one of most deeply soulful hard bop outings in the Blue Note catalog. Both Turrentine and The Three Sounds were in the early days of their lengthy associations with the label at the time, the saxophonist having just recorded his leader debut Look Out a few months prior and the trio having debuted in 1958 with Introducing The 3 Sounds. Blue Hour is a smoldering late-night affair highlighted by seductive ballad performances of four standards: "I Want A Little Girl," "Gee Baby, Ain't I Good To You," "Since I Fell For You," and "Willow Weep For Me." At the album's center is Harris' spunky "Blue Riff," the sole uptempo number on this otherwise laid-back classic.
Stanley Turrentine  / Three Sounds - Blue Hour (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)
$27.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. The Magnificent Thad Jones is widely regarded as the greatest small group recording of the trumpeter and composer's career. Following his Blue Note debut Detroit - New York Junction in March 1956, Jones returned to the studio in July to record this supremely swinging date with Billy Mitchell on tenor saxophone, Barry Harris on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Max Roach on drums. The album opens with an iconic performance of "April In Paris," a reprise of the famous version featuring Jones that the Count Basie Orchestra had cut the previous year, complete with the trumpeter's sly "Pop Goes The Weasel" quote. Other highlights of the set include two Jones originals-the laid-back "Billie-Doo" and lightly swinging "Thedia"-as well as the stunning ballad "If Someone Had Told Me."
Thad Jones - Magnificent Thad Jones (Blue Note Classic Vinyl)
$27.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. Tenor saxophonist Clifford Jordan blew in from Chicago in 1957 and put the NYC jazz scene on notice with a trio of excellent Blue Note sessions including Blowing in from Chicago co-led with John Gilmore, the self-title Cliff Jordan, and Cliff Craft. This third album featured Jordan at the helm of first-rate hard bop quintet with Art Farmer on trumpet, Sonny Clark on piano, George Tucker on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Side 1 presented three Jordan originals including the sublime "Laconia," "Soul-Lo Blues," and the hard-swinging title track. Side 2 found Jordan playing well-known tunes by Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Duke Ellington including "Confirmation," "Anthropology," and a show-stopping version of the ballad "Sophisticated Lady."
Cliff Jordan - Cliff Craft (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)
$27.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. The winds of change were blowing through Wayne Shorter's life and career in 1970. The saxophonist had just left Miles Davis' group and was soon to form his collective fusion band Weather Report. His music was evolving too as he began to delve into his own unique fusion explorations on his previous two Blue Note recordings Super Nova and Moto Grosso Feio. Recorded in August 1970, the mesmerizing Odyssey of Iska would be the last release of Shorter's early Blue Note period. The album was a tribute to his daughter Iska-who had been born the year before with severe brain damage-with four immersive Shorter compositions portraying a variety of moods: "Wind," "Storm," "Calm," and "Joy." The album's centerpiece is an extended version of Bobby Thomas' Brazilian influenced piece "De Pois do Amor, o Vazio" (After Love, Emptiness), foreshadowing Shorter's growing interest in Brazilian music which he would explore further in the years to come. Shorter's soprano and tenor saxophones are the lone horns heard on the album which featured Gene Bertoncini on guitar, David Friedman on vibraphone and marimba, Ron Carter and Cecil McBee on bass, and Alphonse Mouzon, Billy Hart, and Frank Cuomo contributing drums and percussion.
Wayne Shorter - Odyssey Of Iska (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98
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Vinyl LP pressing. Recorded in 1956 for producer Tom Wilson's short-lived Boston-based label Transition Records, Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill presented trumpeter Donald Byrd in a relaxed and intimate quartet setting with his frequent collaborator Doug Watkins on bass along with Boston area musicians Ray Santisi on piano and Jim Zitano on drums. The standards heavy set was captured on a rainy Spring afternoon in the Beacon Hill home of engineer Steve Fassett which provided a casual atmosphere that gave the album both it's title and it's easy-going charm. Byrd is at his lyrical best on Joe Sullivan's tune "Little Rock Getaway" as well versions of "Polka Dots and Moonbeams," "If I Love Again," and "Stella by Starlight." The trumpeter lays out to let the trio shine on "People Will Say We're in Love" and "What's New."
Donald Byrd - Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98
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After emerging from Terence Blanchard's band, pianist Aaron Parks made his own Blue Note debut in 2008 with Invisible Cinema, a striking album that has only grown in it's influence of the modern jazz landscape since it's release. Featuring a quartet with guitarist Mike Moreno, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Eric Harland, the music drew inspiration from Wayne Shorter, Radiohead, and more. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition was mastered by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.
Aaron Parks - Invisible Cinema (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)
$37.99
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Double vinyl LP pressing. In 1999, the same year that Jason Moran released his debut recording Soundtrack To Human Motion, the pianist and composer also joined New Directions, a band made up of young stars from the Blue Note roster. At the core of New Directions was the genesis of a rhythm section-with Moran, bassist Tarus Mateen, and drummer Nasheet Waits-that would go on to become one of the most enduringly creative and acclaimed piano trios in jazz. The Bandwagon made their first recording as a trio with Facing Left in 2000 and has been the foundation of the majority of Moran's artistic statements since. On his 2010 album Ten, Moran celebrated the 10th anniversary of The Bandwagon with an assured album that was a snapshot of a mature band with a decade of shared musical experience from which to draw. In addition to provocative originals the album presented singular interpretations of pieces by Thelonious Monk, Jaki Byard, Leonard Bernstein, and Conlon Nancarrow. This first-time vinyl release includes the bonus track "Thelonious" previously only available in Japan.
Jason Moran - Ten (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series)
$37.99
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Vinyl LP pressing. Recorded in 1955 for producer Tom Wilson's short-lived Boston-based label Transition Records, Byrd's Eye View was trumpeter Donald Byrd's first issued recording as a leader. The date presented Byrd at the helm of what was then the current line-up of The Jazz Messengers with tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Horace Silver, bassist Doug Watkins, and drummer Art Blakey. Local Boston area trumpeter Joe Gordon joins the band for some friendly brass sparring with Byrd on several numbers, further adding to the album's jovial air of a blowing session. Everyone is in fine form on this 5-song set with Side A consisting of an extended stroll through Watkins' laid-back original "Doug's Blues" followed by some inspired trading between Byrd and Gordon on "El Sino." A beautiful rendition of the ballad "Everything Happens To Me" and two swinging Mobley pieces comprise Side B, bringing this highly-enjoyable date to a close.
$38.98
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Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing housed in gatefold tip-on jacket. Bobby Hutcherson's 1968 album Total Eclipse was the vibraphonist's first recording to feature saxophonist Harold Land who would become a key collaborator for years to come. Rounding out the band were pianist Chick Corea, bassist Reggie Johnson, and drummer Joe Chambers on this impassioned post-bop set. This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes.
Bobby Hutcherson - Total Eclipse (Blue Note Tone Poet Vinyl Series)
$38.98
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Recorded in 1956 for producer Tom Wilson’s short-lived Boston-based label Transition Records, Watkins At Large was the first of only two albums that the great bassist Doug Watkins would make as a leader. The Detroit native had moved to New York and begun to garner recognition for his contributions to the Art Blakey-Horace Silver co-led iteration of the Jazz Messengers as well as Bud Powell’s trio when Wilson decided to give him the opportunity to front his own recording date. Along with a first-rate ensemble featuring trumpeter Donald Byrd, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Kenny Burrell, pianist Duke Jordan, and drummer Art Taylor, Watkins swings through a stellar set of blues, ballads, and more including originals written by Jordan, Burrell, and Thad Jones.

Doug Watkins - Watkins At Large (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)
$38.98

        
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