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BLUE NOTE

Miles Davis

Volume 2 (Classic Vinyl Series)

    Legendary trumpeter Miles Davis was still near the start of his storied career when he cut the three sessions that comprise his Blue Note recordings in 1952, 1953, and 1954. Blue Note later compiled the tracks into two 12” LPs as part of the 1500 series. The music presents all the hallmarks of his early style from blazing bebop to beautiful ballads. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original masters, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

    TRACK LISTING

    Side A
    1. Take Off
    2. Weirdo
    3. Would'n You
    4. I Waited For You
    5. Ray's Idea – Alternate Take
    6. Donna

    Side B
    1. Well You Needn't
    2. The Leap
    3. Lazy Susan
    4. Tempus Fugit – Alternate Take
    5. It Never Entered My Mind

    Wayne Shorter

    Schizophrenia - Tone Poet Edition

      Wayne Shorter’s 1967 album Schizophrenia found the legendary saxophonist at the pinnacle of post-bop with a sextet of like-minded musical explorers including James Spaulding, Curtis Fuller, Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter & Joe Chambers performing Shorter originals like ‘Tom Thumb’, ‘Go’, and ‘Miyako’.

      This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

      TRACK LISTING

      1. Tom Thumb (Side A)
      2. Go (Side A)
      3. Schizophrenia (Side A)
      4. Kryptonite (Side B)
      5. Miyako (Side B)
      6. Playground (Side B)

      Big John Patton

      Let 'Em Roll - Tone Poet Edition

        Kansas City born Hammond B3 organ dynamo Big John Patton made a stellar run of soul jazz albums for Blue Note thru the 1960s but Let ‘Em Roll stands among the finest with Patton adding vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson to a standard organ trio line-up with guitarist Grant Green and drummer Otis Finch.

        This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

        TRACK LISTING

        1. Let 'Em Roll (Side A)
        2. Latona (Side A)
        3. The Shadow Of Your Smile (Side A)
        4. The Turnaround (Side B)
        5. Jakey (Side B)
        6. One Step Ahead (Side B)

        Jimmy Smith

        Midnight Special - Classic Vinyl Edition

          It’s a testament to Jimmy Smith’s volcanic creativity that the Hammond B3 organ firebrand recorded not one but two soul jazz classics—Midnight Special and Back at the Chicken Shack—in a single day when he entered Van Gelder Studio on April 25, 1960 with Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone, Kenny Burrell on guitar, and Donald Bailey on drums.

          This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

          TRACK LISTING

          Side A
          1. Midnight Special
          2. A Subtle One
          Side B
          3. Jumpin' The Blues
          4. Why Was I Born
          5. One O'Clock Jump

          Horace Silver

          Blowin' The Blues Away - Classic Vinyl Edition

            The Horace Silver Quintet of 1959 was a hard bop juggernaut featuring the pianist with trumpeter Blue Mitchell, saxophonist Junior Cook, bassist Gene Taylor & drummer Louis Hayes. Timeless originals like ‘Sister Sadie’, ‘Peace’, and the blustery title track make Blowin’ The Blues Away one of the finest entries in Silver’s formidable discography.

            This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

            TRACK LISTING

            Side A
            1. Blowin' The Blues Away
            2. The St. Vitus Dance
            3. Break City
            4. Peace
            Side B
            5. Sister Sadie
            6. The Baghdad Blues
            7. Melancholy Mood (New Version)

            Robert Glasper

            In My Element (Classic Vinyl Series)

              Robert Glasper’s 2005 Blue Note debut Canvas signaled the arrival of a singular new voice in jazz and his 2007 follow-up In My Element solidified his status as a rising star who was taking the music someplace new. Featuring bassist Vicente Archer & drummer Damion Reid, the album expanded the possibilities of where a modern jazz piano trio might go by delving further into his hip-hop & gospel roots.

              This 2-LP Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition was mastered by Kevin Gray and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

              Jenny Lewis

              Joy'All

                Joy’All, the fifth solo album from Jenny Lewis and follow up to 2019’s critically acclaimed On The Line (Warner Records) finds the singer-songwriter embarking on a new era in a new town—and on a new label, as she joins the iconic roster of Blue Note/Capitol Records.

                “I started writing some of these songs on the road, pre-pandemic... and then put them aside as the world shut down, and then from my home in Nashville in early 2021, I joined a week-long virtual songwriting workshop with a handful of amazing artists, hosted by Beck. The challenge was to write one song every day for seven days, with guidelines from Beck. The guidelines would be prompts like ‘write a song with 1-4-5 chord progression,’ ‘write a song with only cliches,’ or ‘write in free form style.’ The first song I submitted to the group was ‘Puppy and a Truck.’” As the days progressed, the assignments kept coming in and Jenny ended up writing a good portion of Joy’All.

                While Joy’All pulls from a bounty of sonic inspiration–from soul to 90’s R&B, as well as country and classic singer-songwriter records the album’s rich and intimate, live sound is the hallmark of eight-time Grammy winning producer Dave Cobb (John Prine, Brandi Carlile, Chris Stapleton, Jason Isbell), whom Jenny met by chance while visiting Lucius at the Historic RCA Studio A in Nashville. A natural kinship developed between the two, and with her arsenal of songs that she had demoed on her iPhone ready to roll, Jenny texted Dave and asked him to produce her new album.

                STAFF COMMENTS

                Barry says: Swooning country guitars, rolling basslines and Lewis' unmistakeable vocals are ever present on her latest LP, Joy'All'. The real lift here comes from the bright joy of proceedings, dealing with some sadness but with a levity and wit that's refreshing, providing a buffer to Lewis' famously deep vocal musings.

                Robert Glasper Experiment

                Black Radio - Deluxe Edition

                  Ten years ago in 2012, Robert Glasper changed the game. After several acclaimed Blue Note albums that solidified his Jazz cred while hinting at his Hip-Hop leanings, the visionary pianist went all in with Black Radio, an album that laid out a new paradigm for creative music, reaching beyond entrenched genre boundaries to create a singular vision that drew from all reaches of contemporary black music and beyond.

                  Featuring his Experiment band with Casey Benjamin on sax/vocoder, Derrick Hodge on bass and Chris Dave on drums, the album boasted a rollcall of special guests including Erykah Badu, Yasiin Bey, Lupe Fiasco, Bilal, Lalah Hathaway, Ledisi, Chrisette Michele, Musiq Soulchild, Meshell Ndegeocello & others.

                  Black Radio would go on to debut on four different Billboard charts peaking at #1 Jazz, #4 R&B/Hip-Hop, and even reaching #15 on the Top 200. The cherry on top came in February 2013 at the 55th Annual GRAMMY Awards when Black Radio was awarded Best R&B Album.

                  Now, a special 10th Anniversary Deluxe Edition presents the full Black Radio experience by expanding it to 3-LPs featuring the original album plus three bonus tracks previously unreleased on vinyl, and the remix EP Black Radio Recovered which featured additional contributions from Questlove, Solange, Georgia Anne Muldrow, Pete Rock, 9th Wonder, and more.

                  TRACK LISTING

                  VINYL TRACKLISTING:
                  LP 1 | Black Radio | Original Album
                  Side A
                  Lift Off / Mic Check Feat. Shafiq Husayn
                  Afro Blue Feat. Erykah Badu
                  Cherish The Day Feat. Lalah Hathaway
                  Always Shine Feat. Lupe Fiasco And Bilal
                  Side B
                  Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.) Feat. Ledisi
                  Move Love Feat. King
                  Ah Yeah Feat. Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michele
                  The Consequences Of Jealousy Feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
                  LP 2
                  Side A | Black Radio | Original Album
                  Why Do We Try Feat. Stokley
                  Black Radio Feat. Yasiin Bey
                  Letter To Hermione Feat. Bilal
                  Smells Like Teen Spirit
                  Side B | Black Radio | Bonus Tracks*
                  Twice
                  A Love Supreme
                  Fever Feat. Hindi Zahra
                  *Previously Unreleased On Vinyl
                  LP 3 | Black Radio Recovered | The Remix EP
                  Side A
                  Afro Blue Feat. Erykah Badu (9th Wonder's Blue Light Basement Remix)
                  Black Radio Feat. Yasiin Bey (Pete Rock Remix)
                  Twice (Questlove's Twice Baked Remix Feat. Solange Knowles & The Roots)
                  Side B
                  The Consequences Of Jealousy (Georgia Anne Muldrow's Sassy Geemix)
                  Letter To Hermione Feat. Bilal (Robert Glasper And Jewels Remix Feat. Black Milk)
                  Dillalude #2

                  CD TRACKLISTING:
                  1. Lift Off / Mic Check Feat. Shafiq Husayn
                  2. Afro Blue Feat. Erykah Badu
                  3. Cherish The Day Feat. Lalah Hathaway
                  4. Always Shine Feat. Lupe Fiasco And Bilal
                  5. Gonna Be Alright (F.T.B.) Feat. Ledisi
                  6. Move Love Feat. King
                  7. Ah Yeah Feat. Musiq Soulchild & Chrisette Michele
                  8. The Consequences Of Jealousy Feat. Meshell Ndegeocello
                  9. Why Do We Try Feat. Stokley
                  10. Black Radio Feat. Yasiin Bey
                  11. Letter To Hermione Feat. Bilal
                  12. Smells Like Teen Spirit
                  13. Twice
                  14. A Love Supreme
                  15. Fever Feat. Hindi Zahra
                  16. Afro Blue Feat. Erykah Badu (9th Wonder's Blue Light Basement Remix)
                  17. Black Radio Feat. Yasiin Bey (Pete Rock Remix)
                  18. Twice (?uestlove's Twice Baked Remix Feat. Solange Knowles & The Roots)
                  19. The Consequences Of Jealousy (Georgia Anne Muldrow's Sassy Geemix)
                  20. Letter To Hermione Feat. Bilal (Robert Glasper And Jewels Remix Feat. Black Milk)
                  21. Dillalude #2

                  Various Artists

                  Here It Is: A Tribute To Leonard Cohen

                    4-time GRAMMY-winning producer Larry Klein, who produced Herbie Hancock’s GRAMMY Album of the Year winning release River: The Joni Letters, has assembled another extraordinary star-studded project with Here It Is: A Tribute to Leonard Cohen. This heartfelt tribute to Klein’s dear friend, the legendary singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, presents stunning renditions of his profound songs by an impressive and eclectic line-up of guest vocalists including James Taylor, Iggy Pop, Mavis Staples, Norah Jones, Gregory Porter, Peter Gabriel, Nathaniel Rateliff, David Gray, Sarah McLachlan, and Luciana Souza. The backing band is no less impressive featuring a remarkable quintet of modern jazz talent including guitarist Bill Frisell, saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, pianist Kevin Hays, bassist Scott Colley, and drummer Nate Smith.

                    TRACK LISTING

                    1. Steer Your Way - Norah Jones
                    2. Here It Is - Peter Gabriel
                    3. Suzanne - Gregory Porter
                    4. Hallelujah - Sarah McLachlan
                    5. Avalanche - Immanuel Wilkins
                    6. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye - Luciana Souza
                    7. Coming Back To You - James Taylor
                    8. You Want It Darker - Iggy Pop
                    9. If It Be Your Will - Mavis Staples
                    10. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy - David Gray
                    11. Famous Blue Raincoat - Nathaniel Rateliff
                    12. Bird On The Wire - Bill Frisell

                    Kenny Burrell

                    Kenny Burrell - Tone Poet Series Edition

                      The first thing that strikes you about Kenny Burrell’s second Blue Note album, Kenny Burrell, is the cover, which features an illustration by Andy Warhol. The second is the striking music, which is drawn from four different sessions recorded in 1956 with the guitarist featured in a variety of settings.

                      This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analogue master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

                      Various Artists

                      Blue Note Re:imagined II

                        Legendary labels Decca Records and Blue Note have joined forces for Blue Note Re:imagined; a brand-new collection of classic Blue Note tracks, reworked and newly recorded by a selection of the UK scene’s most exciting young talents.

                        Blue Note Re:imagined returns this year with a new 16-track compilation featuring fresh takes on music from the illustrious Blue Note vaults recorded by a heavyweight line-up of the UK jazz, soul and R&B scene’s most hotly-tipped rising stars. Arriving off the back of the widespread international success of the first volume, which topped jazz charts around the globe, Blue Note Re:imagined II once again infuses the spirit of the new UK jazz generation into the legendary label’s iconic catalogue, balancing the genre’s tradition with its future and reflecting the melting pot of talent and diversity within the current scene.

                        “For more than eight decades the artists of Blue Note Records have continually pushed the envelope of contemporary music, and Blue Note Re:imagined II once again honours that legacy by letting the UK’s most creative young artists reinvent the treasures of the Blue Note catalogue through their own lens.” – Blue Note President, Don Was.

                        TRACK LISTING

                        1. Yazz Ahmed - It (Chick Correa)
                        2. Conor Albert - You Make Me Feel So Good (Bobbi Humphrey)
                        3. Parthenope - Don’t Know Why (Norah Jones)
                        4. Swindle - Miss Kane (Donald Byrd)
                        5. Nubiyan Twist - Through The Noise (Chant No.2) (Donald Byrd)
                        6. Ego Ella May - Morning Side Of Love (Chico Hamilton)
                        7. Oscar Jerome - Green With Envy (Grant Green)
                        8. Daniel Casimir Ft. Rita Moran - Lost (Wayne Shorter)
                        9. Theon Cross - Epistrophy (Thelonious Monk)
                        10. Maya Delilah - Harvest Moon (Cassandra Wilson)
                        11. Kay Young - Feel Like Making Love (Marlena Shaw)
                        12. Venna & Marco - Where Are We Going (Donald Byrd)
                        13. Reuben James - Infant Eyes (Wayne Shorter)
                        14. Binker Golding - Fort Worth (Joe Lovano)
                        15. Cherise - Sunrise (Norah Jones)
                        16. Franc Moody - Cristo Redentor (Donald Byrd)

                        John Coltrane

                        Blue Train - The Complete Masters

                          To mark the 65th anniversary of the album’s recording, Blue Train will be released in two special editions on September 16 as part of Blue Note’s acclaimed Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series.

                          A 1-LP mono pressing of the original album will be presented in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket, while the 2-LP stereo collection Blue Train: The Complete Masters will include a second disc featuring seven alternate and incomplete takes, none of which have been released previously on vinyl, and four of which have never been released before on any format. The Complete Masters comes with a booklet featuring never-before-seen session photos by Francis Wolff and an essay by Coltrane expert Ashley Kahn. Both Tone Poet Vinyl Editions were produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI.

                          Blue Train: The Complete Masters will also be released as a 2-CD set and digital collection.

                          “Few studio experiences I’ve had can compare with the thrill of listening to the original master tapes—mono, stereo and alternate takes—of Blue Train,” says Harley. “I consider these two new versions the definitive editions of this masterpiece performance by John Coltrane.”

                          TRACK LISTING

                          2CD
                          Blue Train
                          Moment’s Notice
                          Locomotion
                          I’m Old Fashioned
                          Lazy Bird
                          Blue Train (false Start)
                          Blue Train (take 7)
                          Moment’s Notice (alternate Take 4)
                          Lazy Bird (take 1)
                          Blue Train (alternate Take)
                          Moment’s Notice (incomplete Alternate Take 5A)
                          Lazy Bird (alternate Take)

                          1LP
                          LP 1 | Blue Train | Original Album | Studio
                          Side A
                          Blue Train
                          Moment’s Notice
                          Side B
                          Locomotion
                          I’m Old Fashioned
                          Lazy Bird

                          2LP
                          LP 1 | Blue Train | Original Album | Studio
                          Side A
                          Blue Train
                          Moment’s Notice
                          Side B
                          Locomotion
                          I’m Old Fashioned
                          Lazy Bird
                          LP 2 | Blue Train | Alternate And Incomplete Takes
                          Side A
                          Blue Train (false Start)
                          Blue Train (take 7)
                          Moment’s Notice (alternate Take 4)
                          Lazy Bird (take 1)
                          Side B
                          Blue Train (alternate Take)
                          Moment’s Notice (incomplete Alternate Take 5A)
                          Lazy Bird (alternate Take)

                          Ego Ella May / Theon Cross

                          Morning Side Of Love / Epistrophy

                            Blue Note Re:imagined returns this year with a new 16-track compilation featuring fresh takes on music from the illustrious Blue Note vaults recorded by a heavyweight line-up of the UK jazz, soul and R&B scene’s most hotly-tipped rising stars. This 7” single features two covers from the upcoming album, from Ego Ella May and Theon Cross. Arriving off the back of the widespread international success of the first volume, which topped jazz charts around the globe, Blue Note Re:imagined II once again infuses the spirit of the new UK jazz generation into the legendary label’s iconic catalogue, balancing the genre’s tradition with its future and reflecting the melting pot of talent and diversity within the current scene.

                            Norah Jones

                            Come Away With Me - 2022 Reissue

                              “One of the best debut albums of all time” – Rolling Stone

                              Come Away With Me, released in 2002 by a young, unknown singer on a traditionally un-pop label, was a unique blend of jazz, blues, country, folk and pop – and lifted off beyond imagination. To date, the album has sold nearly 30 million times, and has garnered multiple awards, including no less than eight Grammys®. This coming February marks this landmark album’s 20th anniversary and, to celebrate, Blue Note/UMe has worked with the artist and her team on a special collection that will reveal for the first time the full story of the making of this now-classic album.

                              4-LP & 3-CD DELUXE EDITIONS INCLUDE:
                              New remastering of Norah’s legendary debut album
                              22 unreleased tracks: demos, session outtakes, alternate versions & mixes
                              Norah’s earliest demos—the tracks that got Blue Note’s attention, and the demos she recorded for the label—some of which were released on the promo-only EP First Sessions
                              The full previously-unreleased original version of the album—including 11 unreleased cuts—produced by Craig Street and now newly-mixed by Tony Maserati, with alternate versions of well-known tracks and unheard performances
                              Premium packaging with an extensive booklet featuring new liner notes by Norah, rare session photos and detailed track annotations

                              ALSO AVAILABLE:
                              Newly remastered standalone 1-LP includes original gatefold packaging and brief liner notes from Norah, exclusive to this release
                              Newly remastered 1-CD jewelcase with liner notes from Norah
                              Dolby Atmos release of The Demos, First Sessions EP, and the Allaire Sessions

                              TRACK LISTING

                              Standard Tracklisting
                              1. Don’t Know Why (Side A)
                              2. Seven Years (Side A)
                              3. Cold Cold Heart (Side A)
                              4. Feellin’ The Same Way (Side A)
                              5. Come Away With Me (Side A)
                              6. Shoot The Moon (Side A)
                              7. Turn Me On (Side A)
                              8. Lonestar (Side B)
                              9. I’ve Got To See You Again (Side B)
                              10. Painter Song (Side B)
                              11. One Flight Down (Side B)
                              12. Nightingale (Side B)
                              13. The Long Day Is Over (Side B)
                              14. The Nearness Of You (Side B)

                              Deluxe CD Tracklist
                              CD 1 | Come Away With Me - 20th Anniversary Remaster
                              1. Don’t Know Why
                              2. Seven Years
                              3. Cold Cold Heart
                              4. Feelin’ The Same Way
                              5. Come Away With Me
                              6. Shoot The Moon
                              7. Turn Me On
                              8. Lonestar
                              9. I’ve Got To See You Again
                              10. Painter Song
                              11. One Flight Down
                              12. Nightingale
                              13. The Long Day Is Over
                              14. The Nearness Of You
                              CD 2 | The Demos / First Sessions Outtakes / First Sessions EP
                              1. Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
                              2. Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
                              3. World Of Trouble
                              4. The Only Time
                              5. I Didn’t Know About You
                              6. Something Is Calling You Tabla Version
                              7. Just Like A Dream Today
                              8. When Sunny Gets Blue
                              9. What Am I To You
                              10. Hallelujah I Love Him So
                              11. Daydream
                              12. Don’t Know Why
                              13. Come Away With Me
                              14. Something Is Calling You
                              15. Turn Me On
                              16. Lonestar
                              17. Peace
                              Tracks 1-11 Previously Unreleased
                              Tracks 12-17 Previously Released As The Promo-only First Sessions EP
                              CD 3 | The Allaire Sessions
                              1. I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
                              2. I’ve Got To See You Again *
                              3. What Would I Do
                              4. Come Away With Me*
                              5. Picture In A Frame**
                              6. Nightingale*
                              7. Peace*
                              8. What Am I To You*
                              9. Painter Song*
                              10. Turn Me On*
                              11. A Little At A Time
                              12. One Flight Down*
                              13. Fragile
                              * Alternate Version
                              ** Alternate Mix
                              All Tracks Previously Unreleased Except “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” And “Picture In A Frame”
                              Original Recordings Produced By Jesse Harris, Todd Horton, Norah Jones, Jay Newland, Arif Mardin, & Craig Street
                              20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition: Produced By Eli Wolf

                              Super Deluxe 4LP Tracklisting:
                              LP 1 | Come Away With Me - 20th Anniversary Remaster
                              Side A
                              Don’t Know Why
                              Seven Years
                              Cold Cold Heart
                              Feelin’ The Same Way
                              Come Away With Me
                              Shoot The Moon
                              Turn Me On
                              Side B
                              Lonestar
                              I’ve Got To See You Again
                              Painter Song
                              One Flight Down
                              Nightingale
                              The Long Day Is Over
                              The Nearness Of You

                              LP 2 | The Demos
                              Side A
                              Spring Can Really Hang You Up The Most
                              Walkin’ My Baby Back Home
                              World Of Trouble
                              The Only Time
                              I Didn’t Know About You
                              Side B
                              Something Is Calling You Tabla Version
                              Just Like A Dream Today
                              When Sunny Gets Blue
                              What Am I To You
                              Hallelujah I Love Him So
                              Daydream

                              LP 3 | First Sessions EP
                              Side A
                              Don’t Know Why
                              Come Away With Me
                              Something Is Calling You
                              Side B
                              Turn Me On
                              Lonestar
                              Peace
                              Previously Released As A Promo-only CD

                              LP4 | The Allaire Sessions
                              Side A
                              I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight
                              I’ve Got To See You Again *
                              What Would I Do
                              Come Away With Me *
                              Picture In A Frame **
                              Nightingale *
                              Side B
                              Peace *
                              What Am I To You *
                              Painter Song *
                              Turn Me On *
                              A Little At A Time
                              One Flight Down *
                              Fragile
                              * Alternate Version
                              ** Alternate Mix
                              All Tracks Previously Unreleased Except “I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight” And “Picture In A Frame”

                              Original Recordings Produced By Jesse Harris, Todd Horton, Norah Jones, Jay Newland, Arif Mardin, & Craig Street

                              20th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition: Produced By Eli Wolf

                              When did Tony Allen’s There Is No End become my album of the year? July 24th, Night & Day cafe, DJing. I had just put needle to groove on “Rich Black”, naively unprepared for the bass to meet the bar’s booming soundsystem - and then it HIT! The dancefloor was probably fearing for its life, but I was in love.

                              A collaborative hip hop masterpiece, There Is No End has a real exploratory feel to it, which (as Allen’s spoken word introduction points out) is the whole purpose of the album - to push, to innovate, and to move, through music. With various up-and-coming singers, rappers, and poets lending their talents to each song, the tracklist reads like a supergroup of Next Big Things: there’s Lava La Rue’s no-nonsense flow and controlled beauty, The Koreatown Oddity’s comic images and hard-hitting home truths, Ben Okri’s inspired mess of creationist myths, fairytale tropes, and apocalyptic visions, and Sampa the Great’s unnerving, vocoded whisper loops - and that's just a fraction of the mavericks on mic duty here.

                              All this is to say nothing of the drumming. “Brilliant” would be a gross understatement of just how diverse and original Allen’s beats are - by turns claustrophobic, metronomic, wild, and stuttering, the drums make each song as distinct and… well, brilliant, as the vocals do. Throw swampy bass synths, thickly affected backing vox, and a smorgasbord of tuned percussion into the mix, and what you get is There Is No End: a dizzying swan-song by one of music’s great innovators, and a glimpse into hip-hop’s bright, bright future.

                              STAFF COMMENTS

                              Barry says: There are very few drummers (no shade on drummers here) that would be well known of their own accord like Tony Allen is. Having been consistently inventive and undeniably brilliant throughout his life all the way up to his 2020 masterpiece with Hugh Massakela, 'Rejoice', it's really no surprise that this Posthumous release is chock-full of wonderful rhythmic surprises, and has a lineup of perfectly chosen guests. A fittingly wonderful album from one of the greatest (and original) Afrobeat drummers of all time.

                              TRACK LISTING

                              CD (14 Tracks)
                              Tony’s Praeludium
                              Tony Allen

                              Stumbling Down
                              Tony Allen Featuring Sampa The Great

                              Crushed Grapes
                              Tony Allen Featuring Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon

                              Très Magnifique
                              Tony Allen Featuring Tsunami

                              Mau Mau
                              Tony Allen Featuring Nah Eeto

                              Coonta Kinte
                              Tony Allen Featuring Zelooperz

                              Rich Black
                              Tony Allen Featuring Koreatown Oddity

                              One Inna Million
                              Tony Allen Featuring Lava La Rue

                              Gang On Holiday (Em I Go We?)
                              Tony Allen Featuring Jeremiah Jae

                              Deer In Headlights
                              Tony Allen Featuring Danny Brown

                              Hurt Your Soul
                              Tony Allen Featuring Nate Bone

                              My Own
                              Tony Allen Featuring Marlowe

                              Cosmosis
                              Tony Allen Featuring Ben Okri + Skepta

                              There’s No End
                              Tony Allen

                              2LP (12 Tracks)
                              There Is No End
                              Tony Allen

                              Rich Black
                              Tony Allen Featuring Koreatown Oddity

                              Coonta Kinte
                              Tony Allen Featuring Zelooperz

                              One Inna Million
                              Tony Allen Featuring Lava La Rue

                              Stumbling Down
                              Tony Allen Featuring Sampa The Great

                              Crushed Grapes
                              Tony Allen Featuring Lord Jah-Monte Ogbon

                              Gang On Holiday (Em I Go We?)
                              Tony Allen Featuring Jeremiah Jae

                              Mau Mau
                              Tony Allen Featuring Nah Eeto

                              Très Magnifique
                              Tony Allen Featuring Tsunami

                              Hurt Your Soul
                              Tony Allen Featuring Nate Bone

                              Cosmosis
                              Tony Allen Featuring Ben Okri + Skepta

                              My Own
                              Tony Allen Featuring Marlowe

                              Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

                              Moanin'

                                More than any other album in the canon of Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, 1958’s Moanin’ — featuring the great drummer with trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Benny Golson, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt —was the perfect crystallization of the band’s bluesy, soulful sound, and it still stands today as perhaps the most quintessential hard bop recording of all-time.

                                Originally self-titled, the album was later renamed Moanin’ due to the popularity of Timmons’ unforgettable opening track. The album also introduced several indelible Golson compositions that would become standards of the jazz songbook including “Along Came Betty” and “Blues March.”

                                This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

                                TRACK LISTING

                                1. Moanin’
                                2. Are You Real
                                3. Along Came Betty
                                4. The Drum Thunder Suite
                                5. Blues March
                                6. Come Rain Or Come Shine

                                Joe Henderson

                                Page One

                                  While Joe Henderson seemed to arrive fully formed on his auspicious 1963 debut Page One, the album was really a showcase for the transcendent collaboration between the tenor saxophonist and trumpeter Kenny Dorham who would form a potent frontline team on numerous mid-60s Blue Note classics. Page One opens with a pair of indelible Dorham compositions (“Blue Bossa” and “La Mesha”), with the balance of the six-song set penned by Henderson including his enduring theme “Recorda-Me.” Dazzling performances by pianist McCoy Tyner, bassist Butch Warren, and drummer Pete La Roca further elevate this album making it one of the crown jewels of the Blue Note catalog. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

                                  TRACK LISTING

                                  A1. Blue Bossa
                                  A2. La Mesha
                                  A3. Homestretch
                                  B1. Recorda-Me
                                  B2. Jinrikisha
                                  B3. Out Of The Night

                                  Cannonball Adderley

                                  Somethin' Else

                                    “Is that what you wanted, Alfred?” we hear in Miles Davis’ unmistakable rasp at the end of “One for Daddy-O,” making it clear that the legendary (and assertive) trumpeter was not just playing the role of sideman on Somethin’ Else, the sole Blue Note album by Cannonball Adderley. The alto saxophonist was a member of Davis’ band at the time and the depth of their musical camaraderie lifts this session up to rarefied heights throughout, from the breath-taking performance of “Autumn Leaves” that opens the album to the thrilling call-and-response theme of the title track. Pianist Hank Jones, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Art Blakey round out the quintet on this timeless classic. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

                                    TRACK LISTING

                                    A1. Autumn Leaves
                                    A2. Love For Sale
                                    B1. Somethin' Else
                                    B2. One For Daddy-O
                                    B3. Dancing In The Dark

                                    Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

                                    Just Coolin'

                                      Blue Note Records release Just Coolin’, a never-before-released studio album by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers that was recorded on March 8, 1959 in Rudy Van Gelder's living room studio in Hackensack, New Jersey. The session featured a short-lived line-up of The Jazz Messengers with drummer Art Blakey, trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. 

                                      The session for Just Coolin’ finds The Jazz Messengers’ saxophone chair in transition. The band had last recorded in October 1958 when they cemented their place in jazz history with the classic album Moanin’ featuring Benny Golson on tenor saxophone. By July 1959, Blakey had recruited tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter who would remain a fixture of the band until 1964.

                                      The interim saw the return of Mobley, who was a charter member of The Jazz Messengers when the band first formed in 1954 and appeared on their debut recording The Jazz Messengers At The Café Bohemia in 1955. Mobley also filled an important role as the band’s resident composer. In fact, three of the six tracks on Just Coolin’ were written by Mobley: “Hipsippy Blues,” “M&M,” and “Just Coolin’.”

                                      However, five weeks after the studio session Blue Note founder and producer Alfred Lion decided to record the band again at the legendary club Birdland in New York City on April 15, 1959, capturing an assured live recording that included four of the six titles that had been recorded in March. The Birdland sessions ended up superseding the studio date when Lion instead released the two-volume live album Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers At The Jazz Corner Of The World later that year.

                                      “In 2020, it’s great to find more Morgan, Mobley and Timmons in their prime,” writes Bob Blumenthal in the liner notes for Just Coolin’. “The music had clearly settled in during the month that separated studio and live versions, but the fire of these six tracks has an appeal of its own.”

                                      Now, 61 years later jazz fans all over the world will have the chance to listen for themselves.

                                      TRACK LISTING

                                      SIDE 1
                                      1. Hipsippy Blues (Hank Mobley)
                                      2. Close Your Eyes (Bernice Petkere)
                                      3. Jimerick (unknown)

                                      SIDE 2
                                      1. Quick Trick (Bobby Timmons)
                                      2. M&M (Hank Mobley)
                                      3. Just Coolin’ (Hank Mobley)

                                      Ambrose Akinmusire

                                      On The Tender Spot Of Every Calloused Moment

                                        Ambrose Akinmusire follows his acclaimed, genre busting best of 2018 manifesto "Origami Harvest" with another visionary statement on his new album "on the tender spot of every calloused moment," which finds the trumpeter examining blackness on an uncompromising set of modern jazz laced with a heavy feeling of the blues. The album presents 11 new compositions by Akinmusire and features his quartet with pianist Sam Harris, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown with guest vocals from Genevieve Artadi and Jesus Diaz.

                                        Grant Green

                                        Grant's First Stand

                                          The guitarist’s acclaimed 1961 debut. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on 28th January 1961. Featuring Baby Face Willette (organ) and Ben Dixon (drums).

                                          A smouldering soul-jazz / organ trio classic. Featuring three Green originals (‘Miss Ann’s Tempo’, ‘Blues For Willarene’, ‘A Wee Bit O’ Green’), one Willette tune (‘Baby’s Minor Lope’) and two standards (‘Ain’t Nobody’s Business If I Do’, ‘Lullaby Of The Leaves’).

                                          Cover photographed by Francis Wolff and designed by Reid Miles.

                                          The first of Green’s 30 Blue Note solo albums and over 30 appearances as a sideman.


                                          TRACK LISTING

                                          Side 1
                                          1. Miss Ann's Tempo (5:40)
                                          2. Lullaby Of The Leaves (7:42)
                                          3. Blues For Willarene (7:08)
                                          Side 2
                                          1. Baby's Minor Lope (7:15)
                                          2. Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do (4:26)
                                          3. A Wee Bit O' Green (7:49)

                                          Freddie Hubbard

                                          Open Sesame

                                            The trumpet/flugelhorn legend’s 1960 album. Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, on 19th June 1960. Featuring Tina Brooks (tenor sax), McCoy Tyner (piano), Sam Jones (bass) and Clifford Jarvis (drums). Features classic self-penned pieces such as the title track and ‘Hub’s Nub’, plus unique takes on the standards ‘But Beautiful’, ‘All Or Nothing At All’ and ‘One Mint Julep’. Produced by Blue Note co-founder Alfred Lion.
                                            The famous album cover designed and photographed by other co-founder Francis Wolff. Liner notes by the much-respected, recently-deceased jazz writer Ira Gitler.

                                            TRACK LISTING

                                            Open Sesame
                                            But Beautiful
                                            Gypsy Blue
                                            All Or Nothing At All
                                            One Mint Julep
                                            Hub's Nub

                                            Shop favourites (2016 end-of-year chart high-rollers) Gogo Penguin return for their latest outing on legendary jazz label, Blue Note. The thing about Gogo penguin is, they're a jazz band, but without all the things you'd associate with a jazz band. The beards are as few as their years, and the chin-stroking is not only minimal, but actively discouraged. Their last outing (the stunning 'Man Made Object') mixed the subtle downtempo percussion and slowly unfurling progressions of traditional jazz with tender, minimalistic electronics and ambient textures reminiscent of modern-classical contemporaries liberally littered around the Erased Tapes roster.

                                            Whilst their compositions are completely instrumental, there seems to be a wealth of outside influence making itself known through the phrasing and keys used. While 2015 / 2016 were in no way dream years for society in general, it was clear that there was a playfulness in their delivery of songs like 'Quiet Mind' (incidentally, this particular piece reminded me of the other 'Penguin' band, no bad thing).

                                            As soon as we finish the frenetic buzzing and claustrophobic atmospheres of 'Prayer', it becomes clear that the rather torrid world climate has indeed osmosed into their compositions, swapping out the languid bobbing atmospheres of yesteryear for a highly charged, powerfully visceral sound experience. While the melodic counterpoints are as ever, impeccably realised (and perfectly accentuated by Turner's mindblowing skin-smacking), the euphoric peak is often hidden behind a flurry of call-response dialogue, the peak only being reached through an intentionally laboured conversational swell.

                                            While throughout the album, the simmering malaise invariably breaks through into a grand and sweeping relief, it is in pieces like 'A Hundred Moons' that we get the full-force of their compositional genius, breaking through the residual gloom with airy, tropical percussion and a cleansing palate of major-key lifts and twinkling plucks. Without waxing lyrical about every song in turn, there really isn't much more that can be said, you'll just have to listen to it yourself. Truth of the matter is, Gogo Penguin are one of a kind, and continue to pioneer their own spellbinding brand of electronic jazz. 


                                            Albert Ammons

                                            Boogie Woogie Stomp

                                              THIS IS A RECORD STORE DAY 2014 EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED TO ONE PER PERSON.

                                              2 track 12" on Blue Note

                                              Limited to 200 copies.

                                              John Coltrane

                                              Blue Train - Remastered Vinyl Edition

                                                "Blue Train" is John Coltrane's only collection of sides as a principal artist for Blue Note. The album is packed with sonic evidence of Coltrane's innate leadership abilities. He not only addresses the tunes at hand, but also simultaneously reinvents himself as a multifaceted interpreter of both hard bop as well as sensitive balladry - touching upon all forms in between. The personnel on "Blue Train" is arguably as impressive as what they're playing. Joining Coltrane (tenor sax) are Lee Morgan (trumpet), Curtis Fuller (trombone), Kenny Drew (piano), Paul Chambers (bass), and Philly Joe Jones (drums). The triple horn arrangements incorporate an additional sonic density that remains a trademark unique to both this band and album. Of particular note is Fuller's even-toned trombone, which bops throughout the title track as well as the frenetic "Moments Notice". Other solos include Paul Chambers' subtly understated riffs on "Blue Train" as well as the high energy and impact from contributions by Lee Morgan and Kenny Drew during "Locomotion". The track likewise features some brief but vital contributions from Philly Joe Jones - whose efforts throughout the record stand among his personal best. Of the five pieces that comprise the original "Blue Train", the Jerome Kern / Johnny Mercer ballad "I'm Old Fashioned" is the only standard; in terms of unadulterated sentiment, this version is arguably untouchable. Fuller's rich tones and Drew's tastefully executed solos cleanly wrap around Jones' steadily languid rhythms. Without reservation, "Blue Train" can easily be considered in and among the most important and influential entries not only of John Coltrane's career, but of the entire genre of jazz music as well.

                                                Blue Note President Don Was says, “Two years ago, we began remastering the jewels of the Blue Note catalogue in hi-def resolutions of 96k and 192k. In order to develop a guiding artistic philosophy for this delicate endeavor, we donned our lab coats, ran dozens of sonic experiments and carefully referenced every generation of our reissues. Ultimately, we decided that our goal would be to protect the original intentions of the artists, producers and engineers who made these records and that, in the case of pre-digital-era albums, these intentions were best represented by the sound and feel of their first-edition vinyl releases. Working with a team of dedicated and groovy engineers, we found a sound that both captured the feel of the original records while maintaining the depth and transparency of the master tapes... the new remasters are really cool!

                                                While these new versions will become available in digital hi-def, CD and Mastered for iTunes formats, the allure of vinyl records is WAY too potent to ignore. This year, Blue Note - along with our friends at Universal Music Enterprises - is launching a major 75th Anniversary vinyl Initiative that is dedicated to the proposition that our catalogue should be readily available, featuring high quality pressings and authentic reproductions of Blue Note's iconic packaging. Although this program begins in celebration of Blue Note's 75th Anniversary, our catalog runs so deep that we will faithfully be reissuing five albums a month for many years to come!”

                                                TRACK LISTING

                                                Blue Train 10:40
                                                Moment's Notice 9:08
                                                Locomotion 7:12
                                                I'm Old Fashioned 7:55
                                                Lazy Bird 7:04


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