There was a cool article about a series of new Blue Note 45 reissues in the Times yesterday:
There are two kinds of obsessive record collectors: those who buy original pressings of rare old LPs because they’re rare and old, and those who buy them because they sound good.
In the jazz world one record label has attained near-mystical status among the antiquarians and the audiophiles: Blue Note, especially the albums released in its heyday, from 1955 to ’67.
So many of those Blue Note records were bumpin’. And the cover art, well, could not be beat. Starting tomorrow, we’ll host a two-for-one Afternoon Art/Beat of the Day feature. But for today, just dig this boss cover:
I love Blue Note cover art! (not to mention the music that it was covering >;)
this RULES!
not only is 'out to lunch' one of my favorite albums of all time, but the cover art is framed and hanging in my living room. dolphy is a huge influence on me.
i've got a dozen blue note albums framed and hanging around the house. i also have both Blue Note album cover books + the mini version. lotsa blue note photography and cover art hanging in my drum studio. greatest aesthetics in recorded music history.
as far as the classic period goes - '55-'67 - i probably have more than 500 of those albums...on cd. i'm not a huge vinyl guy. i do have some on lp, but i'm all about the discs...
blue note is the best record label and bronx banter is the coolest blog ever!
LOL, thealarmis! Thanks. Dolphy is a major influence? That explains SO much. LOL
Seriously, I know they released coffee table books of Blue Note album cover art. Those are really boss.
[3] yeah, when i first went on tour, i was really green. i lied in the back of the van and listened to 'out to lunch' on my discman, on repeat! my biggest audio purchase, up to that point, was his 9cd prestige box set.
it explained a lot to the band leader too, haha! he helped set up what was to become an avant-garde fusion trio. this was back in like '98. just a coupla weeks ago, that guitarist sent me a text message saying 'he wanted to play guitar like eric dolphy plays bass clarinet'. sooo cool!
check out the 1st track on andrew hill's "point of departure" record. there are all these amazing players and soloists. then, dolphy begins his solo and you immediately stop what you're doing and stare at the stereo, eyes wide, jaw agape.
yeah, the album cover art books are really great. there are also 2 blue note photography coffee table type books. they're breathtaking! (yes, i have 'em both!)
Missed the whole Boston series, but had to drop in for this post! Simply the greatest record label ever with phenomenal cover art.
Thelarmis, I need to dig out that Andrew Hill, thanks for the tip! Dolphy died when he was 36..still hard to believe that..