Ambrose Akinmusire Muses ‘on the tender spot of every calloused moment’
The most notable trumpet player in jazz today, Ambrose Akinmusire, creates a major recording focusing on his quartet leaping from mode to mode.
blue note records
‘Harmony’ Is About As Bill Frisell As a Bill Frisell Recording Can Be
Bill Frisell's debut on Blue Note Records is a gentle recording featuring a few oddball gems, particularly when he digs into the standard repertoire with Petra Haden's voice out front.
Jazz’s Kandace Springs Pays Tribute to ‘The Women Who Raised Me’
Singer and pianist Kandace Springs tackles a dozen songs associated with her jazz vocal heroes, and the combination of simplicity and sincerity is winning.
Agnes Obel’s Chamber Pop Hits a New Peak on ‘Myopia’
Agnes Obel's Myopia is delicate and personal, employing treated vocals and piano to plow depths of sorrow and interrogate dark storms of the soul.
Joel Ross Is the New ‘Kingmaker’ on Vibes
Joel Ross is a young jazz star on the vibes with a working band in his Blue Note debut—working a vein that is modern but tied certainly back to a tradition that includes his inspiration, Bobby Hutcherson. Cracking good.
Kendrick Scott Oracle’s ‘A Wall Becomes a Bridge’ Deftly Blends Genres into a Pleasing Jazz Form
Drummer and composer Kendrick Scott has kept a finely balanced band together, pulling together many lovely strands of American music to create jazz that is easy to hear but also complex and compelling. A reason to believe.
The Blue Note All-Stars: Our Point of View
A sextet of current Blue Note Recording artists releases a kind of thesis statement on how daring jazz mixes seamlessly with groove-based music, with a noted nod to the Blue Note past.
List This! A Beginner’s Guide to Blue Note Records
Blue Note, one of the foremost jazz record labels, is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a vinyl initiative, releasing highlights from its massive catalog over the course of two years. Here are some picks to get you started.