This label deserves its legendary status, which has proved versatile and durable. Owning and savouring the albums put out by Blue Note cannot fail to improve a musician’s scope – not least on varying tempos! – and/or provide a library that will not date or fade…

80 years ago on 6th January 1939, German immigrant and passionate Jazz fan Alfred Lion produced his first recording session in New York City with two boogie woogie pianists, founding what would become the most-respected and longest-running jazz label in the world. Blue Note Records has gone on to represent The Finest In Jazz, tracing the entire history of the music from hot jazz, boogie woogie, and swing, through bebop, hard bop, post-bop, soul jazz, avant-garde, and fusion, and—after being relaunched by Bruce Lundvall in 1984—has remained the leading label dedicated to documenting today’s vibrant and creatively thriving Jazz scene under the leadership of current President Don Was, who took the helm in 2012.

The artists Blue Note recorded represent the pillars of Jazz history: Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Horace Silver, Art Blakey, Jimmy Smith, Dexter Gordon, Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, Donald Byrd, Lee Morgan, Freddie Hubbard, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Charles Lloyd, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Ornette Coleman and Cecil Taylor, as well as future legends including Ambrose Akinmusire, James Francies, Robert Glasper and Joel Ross. Blue Note Records is one of the flagship labels of the Capitol Music Group and Universal Music Group.

Throughout 2019 Blue Note Records will be celebrating the 80th Anniversary with vinyl catalog reissues, the Blue Note Review boxset subscription series, a documentary film, live events, branded apparel, art prints of classic Blue Note imagery, streaming initiatives and more, which Blue Note will be unveiling throughout the year.

Highlights of the year will include:

• Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series: “Tone Poet” Joe Harley—co-founder and co-producer of the acclaimed Music Matters audiophile vinyl series—is the producer of this new series of all-analog, mastered-from-the-original-master-tape 180g audiophile vinyl reissues in deluxe gatefold packaging. Mastering was done by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) and vinyl was manufactured at Record Technology Incorporated (RTI). The titles were handpicked by Harley and cover lesser-known Blue Note classics, modern era standouts, and albums from other labels under the Blue Note catalog. The first two albums in the series—Wayne Shorter Etcetera and Chick Corea Now He Sings, Now He Sobs—will be released February 8 and are available for pre-order now.

• Blue Note 80 Vinyl Reissue Series: A series of vinyl releases in standard packaging curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman with albums grouped by themes: Blue Note Debuts, Blue Grooves, Great Reid Miles Covers, Blue Note Live, and Blue Note Drummer Leaders. Releases will begin in May.

• Blue Note Review: The 2^nd edition of our vinyl boxset subscription series Blue Note Review: Volume Two – Spirit & Time is currently available at bluenotereview.com. Curated by Don Was, the set encapsulates the past, present, and future of Blue Note by celebrating the brilliant late-career albums of the legendary Tony Williams with a tribute album by current drummers, as well as audiophile reissues of Africaine by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and Patterns by Bobby Hutcherson, the book Spirit & Time: Jazz Drummers On Their Art, the zine Out of the Blue, a set of Topps Blue Note Trading Cards, and a Blue Note carbon fiber anti-static record brush. The 3^rd edition of the Blue Note Review will focus on the legacy of the label in honor of the 80^th anniversary.

• Vinyl Me, Please x Blue Note 80 Series: A special partnership with the record club Vinyl Me, Please who will offer an exclusive Blue Note vinyl reissue series featuring six titles curated by Don Was that span the many eras of Blue Note history. Pre-order will begin in early 2019.

• Jazz Classics Blue Note Edition on Spotify: Spotify’s dedicated Blue Note Records playlist Jazz Classics Blue Note Edition, which has amassed more than 100,000 followers, has expanded to 80 tracks in honor of our 80^thanniversary.

• Blue Note 80: The Finest In Jazz Since 1939 on Apple Music: Apple Music is featuring Blue Note 80: The Finest In Jazz Since 1939, a new 80-track tour of Blue Note history in honor of our 80^th anniversary.

• Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes Documentary: Director Sophie Huber’s insightful documentary Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes, which premiered at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, will see wider distribution this year with theatrical runs and festival showings thru the Spring, TV broadcasts and streaming premieres from the Summer, and a DVD release in the Fall. More info at bluenoterecords-film.com.

• Canvas Art Prints of Classic Blue Note Album Covers & Photographs: Blue Note and uDiscover have launched a series of archival-quality, framed canvas prints in dynamic scale that present the legendary album cover designs of Reid Miles and photography of Francis Wolff. Featured designs include Lee Morgan The Sidewinder, Dexter Gordon GO, and Hank Mobley No Room for Squares, with more available soon. Find them here.

• Blue Note X G-SHOCK G-STEEL Timepiece: G-SHOCK and Blue Note are teaming up for the release of a Blue Note branded G-STEEL watch.

• Blue Note 80^th Anniversary Tour: This Fall, a triple-bill of current Blue Note artists—Kandace Springs, James Francies, and the newly-signed James Carter—will embark on a U.S. tour of performing arts centers around the country.

• Blue Note at Sea: The sold-out 2019 Blue Note at Sea cruise will set sail to the Caribbean January 26-February 2 with hosts Don Was, Robert Glasper, and Marcus Miller. Among the many performers are Terence Blanchard, José James, Kandace Springs, R+R=NOW, Jason Moran, Kurt Elling, Cecile McLorin Salvant, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. The cruise will also feature conversations on the history of Blue Note, screenings of Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes, and special performances celebrating the legacy of the label.

• PDX Jazz Festival – Blue Note @ 80: The 2019 Biamp PDX Jazz Festival (February 20-March 3) in Portland, Oregon celebrates Blue Note @ 80 with tributes to Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Donald Byrd Steppin’ Into Tomorrow, Joe Henderson Mode for Joe, Hank Mobley Soul Station, Wayne Shorter Speak No Evil, Lou Donaldson Alligator Bogaloo, Eric Dolphy Out to Lunch, and more.

• Blue Note Tent at Monterey Jazz Festival: The return of the popular Blue Note Tent at the venerable Monterey Jazz Festival in September will feature anniversary programming including special artist conversations and performances, a screening of Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes, and more.

• Blue Note GRAMMY Nominations: Blue Note artists have a strong presence at the 61^st GRAMMY Awards on Feb. 10 with five nominations in five different categories: The Wayne Shorter Quartet Emanon (Best Jazz Instrumental Album), Marcus Miller Laid Black (Best Contemporary Instrumental Album), Chris Dave And The Drumhedz (Best Urban Contemporary Album), and two nominations for Gregory Porter Nat King Cole & Me(Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album) featuring Vince Mendoza’s arrangement of “Mona Lisa” (Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals).

• Blue Note’s Best of 2018: 3 Blue Note albums rose to the top of critic’s year-end lists: Wayne Shorter Emanon, Charles Lloyd & The Marvels + Lucinda Williams Vanished Gardens, and Ambrose Akinmusire Origami Harvestwere named Best Albums of 2018 by The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, NPR Music, Rolling Stone, GQ, Paste, Billboard, Slate, DownBeat, JazzTimes, Jazziz & more.

Pete Sargeant