Latest stories
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Bill Charlap Trio, 'Street of Dreams'
10th Dec 2021
Bill Charlap and his long-standing trio swing their way through a selection of American Songbook tunes, including charts from Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, and Kenny Burrell. Unmissable for fans of straight-ahead piano trio jazz.
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Makaya McCraven, 'Deciphering the Message'
3rd Dec 2021
Drummer and bandleader Makaya McCraven creatively samples recordings from Blue Note's vast catalogue, combining recordings by Horace Silver, Wayne Shorter and more with contributions from contemporary artists.
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The Music of Donald Byrd
13th Sep 2021
We delve into the vast catalogue of the prolific trumpeter, picking out some of our favourites from his early bebop beginnings with the Jazz Messengers to later jazz-funk experiments.
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Sonny Clark - Cool Struttin'
12th Jul 2021
One of the many products of an incredibly fruitful period for Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin' is one of the best works from the pianist whose life was sadly cut short.
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Julian Lage - Squint
11th Jun 2021
The maestro of modern jazz guitar makes his Blue Note debut with a selection of Americana-infused originals.
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Charles Lloyd & The Marvels - Tone Poem
30th Apr 2021
Saxophonist Charles Lloyd takes on Monk and Coleman via bluesy Americana with his quintet The Marvels, featuring Bill Frisell.
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Dr. Lonnie Smith - Breathe
9th Apr 2021
The Hammond B3 master's latest mostly-live record is an unashamedly fun listen, with a novel addition to the proceedings in the form of an Iggy Pop collaboration.
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Wayne Shorter - Speak No Evil
1st Dec 2020
Wayne Shorter's seminal album was the third in a prolific six years of recordings for Blue Note, and while Speak No Evil still retains the accessibility of early hard bop, it also showcases the saxophonist's unique and unorthodox compositional style.
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Speak No Evil
Wayne Shorter
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Blue Note Re:imagined
16th Oct 2020
The cream of the crop from the UK's vibrant jazz scene find inventive new ways to re-imagine classics from the Blue Note vaults on this varied and entertaining collection.
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Horace Silver Quintet - Song for My Father
7th Oct 2020
A hard bop classic inspired by the pianist's cultural heritage, Song for My Father is one of the most influential cuts of the era.
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Gregory Porter - All Rise
28th Aug 2020
Gregory Porter's latest studio album is his most celebratory yet. Returning listeners will no doubt appreciate the allusions to past successes like Take Me to the Alley and Liquid Spirit, while this lush new studio orchestra and powerful songs will delight new and old fans alike.
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Bill Frisell - Valentine
21st Aug 2020
Bill Frisell's new record gives us the most succinct version of the veteran guitarist's recent sound to date, in a stripped-down trio format. However, there's still plenty to enjoy with this familiar sound.
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Immanuel Wilkins - Omega
14th Aug 2020
Omega is both a bold and personal statement for the young saxophonist, backed by a trio of accomplished up-and-coming players on his debut record.
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Omega
Immanuel Wilkins
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Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage
9th Jul 2020
Herbie Hancock's nautical concept album remains some of the eminent pianist and composer's most enduring work from his early period, a culmination of his time spent with Miles Davis and honing his sound on the prestigious Blue Note label.
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The Amazing Bud Powell Volumes 1 & 2
19th Jun 2020
Matt revisits timeless recordings from the genius who defined bebop piano, Bud Powell.
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McCoy Tyner - The Real McCoy
6th Mar 2020
It was a sad coincidence to hear of McCoy Tyner's passing shortly after posting this Classic Album Review of The Real McCoy. Thankfully Tyner's wonderful 60-year contribution to music lives on.
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The Real McCOY
Mccoy Tyner
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Joe Henderson - Inner Urge
4th Sep 2019
One of the tenor players most enduring sessions, Inner Urge has lost none of its freshness over the past 50 years.
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Jimmy Smith
20th Jun 2019
Another week, another new article heading, this one incorporating Classic album of the Week (it's their fault for showing me how to add categories). Jimmy Smith transformed the Hammond organ into a pukka jazz beast, so let's go Back to the Chicken Shack with Jimmy and also indulge in a brief(ish) history of the mighty B3, and its dark twin, the Leslie cabinet.
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Out to Lunch
20th Mar 2019
Matt revisits one of the true landmarks of modern jazz, Eric Dolphy's Out to Lunch.
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Eric Dolphy
Eric Dolphy
