Blue Note Records That Are, Ahem, “Essential”
Fats: Not Essential
I thought we might have some fun with this. As I mentioned in a previous post, Blue Note is issuing new vinyl releases to commemorate its 75th anniversary. I was perusing my online version of The New York Times last evening and came upon this article, asking “Which Greats Were Left Off the Blue Note 100?” I hadn’t realized the first time around that Blue Note was issuing this records in any particular order and I assumed all along (and still do) that it was mostly a commercial venture and they would be issuing those records that they believe will sell the most copies. However, you can see in The Times article that they are considering these albums to be “essential,” which, of course, is a marketing ploy — but also a chance for us to talk about some of the Blue Note records we consider to be “essential” that are not on this list. Somehow, I don’t see a lot of readers of Jazz Collector putting records from Brian Blade Fellowship, Robert Glasper, Stefon Harris or Madlib on our lists of essential Blue Notes, and that’s if we’ve even heard their music, which, I have to admit, I have not. Anyway, here is the complete list, following by a comment or two from me:
Cannonball Adderley, Somethin’ Else
Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 1
Art Blakey, A Night at Birdland Volume 2
Art Blakey, Free For All
Art Blakey, Moanin’
Art Blakey, Mosaic
Terence Blanchard, Flow
Brian Blade Fellowship, Perceptual
Tina Brooks, True Blue
Clifford Brown Memorial Album
Kenny Burrell, Midnight Blue
Donald Byrd, A New Perspective
Donald Byrd At the Half Note Cafe, Volume 1
Donald Byrd, Black Byrd
Don Cherry, Complete Communion
Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin’
Sonny Clark, Leapin’ and Lopin’
Ornette Coleman, At the Golden Circle Stockholm, Volume 1
Ornette Coleman, New York is Now
John Coltrane, Blue Train
Miles Davis, Volume 1
Miles Davis, Volume 2
Eric Dolphy, Out to Lunch
Lou Donaldson, Lush Life
Kenny Dorham, Afro-Cuban
Kenny Drew, Undercurrent
Kurt Elling, Flirting with Twilight
Curtis Fuller, The Opener
Robert Glasper, Double Booked
Dexter Gordon, Go
Dexter Gordon, One Flight Up
Dexter Gordon, Our Man in Paris
Grant Green, Idle Moments
Grant Green, I Want to Hold Your Hand
Grant Greet, Street of Dreams
Herbie Hancock, Empyrean Isles
Herbie Hancock, Maiden Voyage
Herbie Hancock, Speak Like a Child
Herbie Hancock, The Prisoner
Stefon Harris, Black Action Figure
Joe Henderson, Mode For Joe
Joe Henderson, Page One
Joe Henderson, The State of the Tenor, Live At the Village Vanguard, Volume 1
Andrew Hill, Black Fire
Andrew Hill, Point of Departure
Freddie Hubbard, Blue Spirits
Freddie Hubbard, Breaking Point
Freddie Hubbard, Ready for Freddie
Bobby Hutcherson, Components
Bobby Hutcherson Happenings
Bobby Hutcherson, Total Eclipse
Elbin Jones, The Ultimate
Joe Lovano, Rush Hour
Joe Lovano, Quartets: Live at the Village Vanguard
Madlib, Shades of Blue
Bobby McFerrin, Spontaneous Inventions
Jackie McLean, Capuchin Swing
Jackie McLean, Let Freedom Ring
Medeksi Martin & Wood, Combustication
Medeksi Martin & Wood, End of the World Party
Hank Mobley, No Room for Squares
Hank Mobley, Soul Station
Hank Mobley, The Turnaround
Hank Mobley, Workout
Granchan Moncur III, Evolution
Thelonious Monk, Genius of Modern Music Volume 1
Thelonious Monk, Genius of Modern Music Volume 2
Jason Moran, Soundtrack to Human Motion
Lee Morgan, Cornbread
Lee Morgan, Search for the New Land
Lee Morgan, The Sidewinder
Bud Powell, The Amazing Volume 1
But Powell, The Scene Changes
Dianne Reeves, I Remember
Sonny Rollins, A Night at the Village Vanguard
Sonny Rollins, Newk’s Time
Sonny Rollins, Volume 1
Sonny Rollins, Volume 2
John Scofield, Time on My Hands
Wayne Shorter, Adam’s Apple
Wayne Shorter, Juju
Wayne Shorter, Night Dreamer
Wayne Shorter, Speak no Evil
Horace Silver, Blowin’ the Blues Away
Horace Silver, Cape Verdean Blues
Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers
Horace Silver, Song for My Father
Jimmy Smith, Back at the Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith, Midnight Special
Cecil Taylor, Conquistador
Cecil Taylor, Unit Structures
The Three Sounds, Out of This World
Stanley Turrentine, That’s Where It’s At
McCoy Tyner, Expansions
McCoy Tyner, The Real McCoy
McCoy Tyner, Time for Tyner
Anthony Williams, Spring
Cassandra Wilson, New Moon Daughter
Cassandra Wilson, Traveling Miles
Larry Young Unity
That’s the list. Typed it in myself because I couldn’t copy it from the PDF.
I’ll start with the question from The Times: Which Jazz Greats Were Left Off The Blue Note 100? Well, the first one I can think of is Fats Navarro. It would seem odd that there’s a place on this list for The Three Sounds, but not Fats Navarro. Not to mention, J.J. Johnson, Thad Jones, Cliff Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Paul Chambers and a few others. You would think, just to get more Coltrane on the list, they would have included the Griffin and Chambers records with Coltrane. And, out of 100 Blue Note records, I would think Freddie Redd, Shades of Red, or Art Taylor, AT’s Delight, would have made most lists. And, from a collectible standpoint, notice that many of the big hitters are not there — no Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims, no Mobley 1550, 1550 or 1568, no Lee Morgan Candy. I have more to say, but I’ll hold off for now. Comments?
Some good stuff on the list, lotta good stuff left off. For my money, I’d have left off the sides you mentioned (Blade, Glasper, Stefon Harris or Madlib – what the hell?), changed the Mobley, Dorham, Donaldson, Silver and Morgan choices, included for sure JJ’s 1505/6, Thad’s Magnificent, Clifford Jordan, Johnny Griffin, Milt Jackson. My list would be quite different, but then what else is new? Such lists never satisfy everyone: this one is unlikely to satisfy anyone on this blog, IMHO.
I was pretty surprised not to see a Herbie Nichols record, but as you mentioned Fats Navarro, it seems that the list is not focused at all on the earlier days of the label.
Just like Earl said. 100 Blue Note fanatics will probably make 100 different Blue Note list. Agreed on the Green (Grant), the Mobleys ( but not the Turnaround), for sure would add A Fickle sonance to the McLeans, the 1524 to the Kenny Dorhams, the 1530. etc…I noticed that on he list there are a few 1500. Looks like the focus is on the 4000’s. For the contemporary titles, agreed with Flow by Blanchard, a fine session. I’d like to hear that one on vinyl.
My favorite Blue Note of all time (well, at least as I’m typing this) is Johnny Griffin’s “Introducing Johnny Griffin”…. To me, that list can’t be complete without it.
Five Art Blakey’s, four Sonny Rollins’, four Herbie Hancocks, three Grant Green’s…. seems a bit much. It could have been better “spread out”.
The list is a joke without 1527, one of my absolute favourite Blue Notes. None of the early Lee Morgan’s are there which is nuts. 1590, could that be one of the best sounding Blue Notes? Extremely good mix. The Mobley 1550 ought to be there. And where are the Dizzy Reece albums? Louis Smith, at least one should be on there, superb stuff. There’s a lot of ‘essential’ albums disregarded here..
No Jutta Hipp on this list?!? None? Where does the person who made this list live? I’m coming over with my MC Goldfinger Statement cartridge and scratching their eyes out…. x C
when it comes to lists, i always think “there will be disagreements. can’t avoid it” would my list be different? sure, but this isn’t too far off. then again, blue note is my favorite label, so who am i to judge?
also, good to see cherry and ornette but where is cherry’s magnum opus, symphony for improvisers? i have seen it with NY labels, so it should qualify for the list!
wow. Blue note is NOT my favorite label is what i meant to say.
No Thad Jones record on the list is a shame … the same about Jutta, Griffin, Shades of Redd … This is of course a subjective judgement, but …
Is there a way to learn the actual decision-maker(s) on this list within the company? Though the impetus for profit is an acceptable given within this list’s production, I love the idea of Al and the JC community becoming a sounding board for this new generation of Blue Note suits to make their future decisions! Arguably, the jazz collectors I read on this site have a deeper, broader love for these recordings than a contemporary executive ever could.
Hi Everyone,
I have always found these lists should never be taken too seriously and are really only for the beginner for the most part.
I have seen , and I am sure you have also , these lists that claim
“Top 100 Garage / Psych / Jazz , pick whatever genre LP , you must hear , or own before you die”
Same extends to books.
The picks are usually mainstream and don’t take into consideration any of the more unknown and popular underground elements of any musical taste.
They aim for the mainstream.
Hence in this case we see no Jutta Hipp , Paul Chambers , Certain Hank Mobleys etc etc
Just a thought……
Ok, would anyone mind these ones being added ?
Horace Silver – Finger Poppin’ 4008
Ike Quebec – Soul Samba 4114
Jutta – 5056 10″
Never take lists seriously 😉
outrageous ! total tosh…. NO.. Kenny Dorham – Round About Midnight At The Cafe Bohemia.
Shame on them.
Madlib!!! indeed!! ahhhhhh
Wouldn’t Don Cherry’s “magnum opus” be Relativity Suite on JCOA or the Berlin Jazztage orchestra piece, Eternal Rhythm?
I think his most sympathetic partners were found in Dollar Brand and among the Swedish contingent in the late ’60s/early ’70s, fwiw.
One thing to keep in mind is that this is NOT an “audiophile” reissue series, but rather a generalist, overview, “let’s get more people into Blue Note” series. So, I completely understand why they would not want to limit themselves to pre-1965 releases. It makes perfect sense to say “hey, we are still relevant here people!” by including more recent records.
The list can’t be complete without Johnny Coles (4144), Stanley Turrentine (4039), Kenny Dorham (4063), they didn’t choose Hubbard’s best work “Open Sesame” – and – no “Blowing in from Chicago”
I was hoping to see BN address it’s egregious latter day neglect of Andrew Hill (especially Smokestack and Dance with Death) and Sam Rivers (especially Fuschia Swing Song). Good to see Taylor’s Conquistador back in print, however. The absence, as others have noted, of Herbie Nichols is a scandal.
This is the first batch, Don Was president of BN said all of them are going to be released eventually. Why these to start , who knows , not because of easy listening – out to lunch in the first batch, Coleman next batch!
Their market is the younger buyer who won’t spend on audiophile records.
Its a great way to introduce the next generation to jazz and blue note…IIRC there was some discussion on aging out Of jazz collectors here a while back
clifford: it’s all a matter of opinion, i suppose. but i LOVE that album.
Everyone pointed out the obvious ones already, so no point in piling on. Fickle Sonance is the one that stands out to me. I will say the Glasper and Madlib records are essential in my view, so they weren’t wrong there.
This reissue series is just the first 100 titles to be re-released. If I remember correctly they are going to re-release the entire Blue Note catalog or as much of it as possible. Non-audiophile & priced around $20 USD. Hoping to bring Blue Note Jazz to a new generation of music fans.
If it interests anybody… ECM will be & Bethlehem Records has been doing a vinyl reissue series as well. Some of the Bethlehem titles have been pressed on 10″ vinyl record.
Leapin’ and Lopin’ by Sonny Clark.. St Germaine’s Tourist is also nice.
BN 1542 Sonny Rollins –> DECISION… best blues sax ever !!!
what about a Blue Note lovers on line poll?
Andy: Leapin & Lopin is already on the list, & I agree ought to be
Glasper & Madlib are not my idea of jazz, but then I don’t guess BN said the list was only jazz
Why non-audiophile? won’t they be using the best of modern remastering? seems a pity not to
Why don’t I ever see Junko Onishi, Javon Jackson, Jacky Terrassen, etc? I love the old school stuff too but you’d think on a list this long…