Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue notes of jazz and the blues. Originally dedicated to recording traditional jazz and small group swing, the label began to switch its attention to modern jazz around 1947. From there, Blue Note grew to become one of the most prolific, influential and respected jazz labels of the mid-20th century, noted for its role in facilitating the development of hard bop, post-bop and avant-garde jazz, as well as for its iconic modernist art direction.
John Lenwood "Jackie" McLean was an American jazz alto saxophonist, composer, bandleader, and educator, and is one of the few musicians to be elected to the DownBeat Hall of Fame in the year of their death.
Robert Hutcherson was an American jazz vibraphone and marimba player. "Little B's Poem", from the 1966 Blue Note album Components, is one of his best-known compositions. Hutcherson influenced younger vibraphonists including Steve Nelson, Joe Locke, and Stefon Harris.
Grachan Moncur III is an American jazz trombonist. He is the son of jazz bassist Grachan Moncur II and the nephew of jazz saxophonist Al Cooper.
Vertigo is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1962 and 1963 but not released on the Blue Note label until 1980. The original 1980 release contained only the five tracks from 1963, while the later 2000 limited CD edition, released as part of the "Connoisseur Series", added six tracks from a 1962 session originally marked for release as Jackie McLean Quintet, first issued in 1978 as part of a double LP entitled Hipnosis.
My Point of View is the second album by pianist Herbie Hancock. It was released in 1963 on Blue Note Records as BLP 4126 and BST 84126. Musicians featured are trumpeter Donald Byrd, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, guitarist Grant Green, bassist Chuck Israels and drummer Tony Williams.
The All Seeing Eye is the ninth jazz album by saxophonist Wayne Shorter, recorded on October 15, 1965, and released on the Blue Note label as BLP 4219 and BST 84219 in 1966. The album features performances by Shorter with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, trombonist Grachan Moncur III, alto saxophonist James Spaulding, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Joe Chambers. Shorter's brother, Alan composed and plays fluegelhorn on the final track, “Mephistopheles”. The AllMusic review by Scott Yanow states: "it is clear from the start that the music on this CD reissue is not basic bop and blues... the dramatic selections, and their brand of controlled freedom has plenty of subtle surprises. This is stimulating music that still sounds fresh over three decades later".
The Way Ahead is an album by Archie Shepp, released on Impulse! Records in 1968. The album contains tracks recorded by Shepp, Jimmy Owens, Grachan Moncur III, Walter Davis Jr., Ron Carter, Roy Haynes and Beaver Harris in January 1968 with two additional tracks featuring Charles Davis, Dave Burrell and Walter Booker recorded in February 1969, and first released on Kwanza (1974), added to the CD release.
Kwanza is an album by Archie Shepp released on Impulse! in 1974. The album contains tracks recorded from September 1968 to August 1969 by Shepp with four different ensembles.
Eternal Spirit is an album by American jazz pianist Andrew Hill, recorded in 1989 and released on the Blue Note label. The album features six of Hill's original compositions performed by his quintet with alto saxophonist Greg Osby, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Rufus Reid and drummer Ben Riley. Three alternate takes were added to the CD release as bonus tracks.
Bluesnik is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1961 and released on the Blue Note label. It features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard, pianist Kenny Drew, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Pete La Roca.
Destination... Out! is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note label. It is the second McLean album to feature Bobby Hutcherson on vibraphone and Grachan Moncur III on trombone. The rhythm section is completed by bassist Larry Ridley and veteran drummer Roy Haynes.
'Bout Soul is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1967 and released on the Blue Note label. It features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Woody Shaw, pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Scotty Holt and drummer Rashied Ali. Trombonist Grachan Moncur III guests on three tracks, and Barbara Simmons recites the words on “Soul”.
Soul Connection is an album by American organist John Patton recorded in 1983 and released on the Nilva label.
Evolution is the debut album led by the American trombonist Grachan Moncur III, recorded in 1963 and released on the Blue Note label. Moncur’s band consists of alto saxophonist Jackie McLean, trumpeter Lee Morgan, vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson, bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Tony Williams. Two McLean albums also recorded for Blue Note in 1963 featured Moncur and his compositions, and explored the same “inside/outside” musical style.
Some Other Stuff is the second album by American trombonist Grachan Moncur III recorded in 1964 and released on the Blue Note label in 1965. It features tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Cecil McBee and drummer Tony Williams. It was remastered by Rudy Van Gelder in 2008 and reissued on CD.
The View from the Inside is an album by American jazz vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson recorded in 1976 and released on the Blue Note label. The session has been released on CD in 2007 as part of Mosaic Select: Bobby Hutcherson.
Hipnosis is a studio album by saxophonist Jackie McLean, featuring selections recorded for Blue Note Records in the 1960s, but not released until 1978. The album was released in the US as a two-fer, which included five tracks from a 1967 session, plus six tracks recorded in 1962 later appeared on the CD reissue of Vertigo. In Japan, it was released the same year as a standard LP (ST-83022) with a different cover, featuring only the 1967 tracks.
Farewell Keystone is a live album by American jazz vibist Bobby Hutcherson recorded in 1982 at Keystone Korner in San Francisco and released on the Theresa label in 1988. The 1992 Evidence CD reissue added a bonus track.
The New Wave in Jazz is a live album recorded on March 28, 1965 at the Village Gate in New York City. It features groups led by major avant-garde jazz artists performing at a concert for the benefit of The Black Arts Repertory Theater/School founded by Amiri Baraka, then known as LeRoi Jones. The album was released on LP in 1965 on the Impulse! label, and was reissued on CD in 1994 with a different track listing.
