Blue Note - time to seriously re-appraise this label?

[Ian Thumwood]

I would have to consider myself to be a Blue Note addict but reading the new publication by Richard Havers has been quite a provocative experience as the cheery tone and tendency to praise everything makes the almost hagiographical praise heaped on the label by fans such as myself now seem a bit inconsistent.

The Havers book is something to treasure. The illustrations are wonderful and the reproduction of the cover art amazing. That said, the books is extremely selective in those albums it singles out to praise and no attempt has been made to reflect upon some records which I think are over-looked. Ultimately the book has made me revisit some old favourites and I'm coming to the conclusion that there are too many "urban myths" about Blue Note which means that it hasn't been appraised in an even handed fashion. For example:-

1. Tendency to over-look vocalists. The Sheila Jordon record is the most famous classic Bleu note with a singer albeit the attempt with another singer I'd never heard of bombed.

2. Only one record by a big band - the under-rated "Joyride" by Stanley Turrentine with an orchestra directed by Oliver Nelson with Herbie Hancock at the piano.

3. Too many mediocre "Soul jazz" records which are ludicrously over-praised. Not been that impressed by Don Wickerson's records and the abundance of Lou Donaldson records in this style tends to lower the standard overall. When a genuine "classic" Soul Jazz record was produced in the form of Fred Jackson's "Hootin' & tootin'" is largely over-looked by fans despite glowing reviews on "All music."

3. Assumption that albums like "Speak no evil" were always well received by fans when the fact was the album barely caused a ripple on release and it's reputation is something that has accumulated over time.

4. Rudy Van Gelder's recordings were always the finest in audio quality for their time - Try listening to Elvin Jones' drum on the "Real McCoy" and coming to that conclusion!

5. Blue Note tended to ditch some artists whose work didn't sell.

6. Alfred lion's enthusiasm for "out" pianists is always celebrated and he should be praised for this. However, it is disappointing that Monk was allowed to disappear off to Prestige where he was given a beat up piano to perform on. (I think it was still the RVG studio.) Herbie Nichols was never permitted to record with horns.

7. Some ordinary records get a lot of praise whereas loads of Blue Notes remain really esoteric. I think that there is a need to look at some of the reputations enjoyed by some artists and maybe restore them to where they belong. The Freddie Redd album "Shades of Redd" is only mentioned in passing but I can't think of a more original album in the Hard Bop style. I think that "Blue Train" is over-praised whereas if you want some classic early Coltrane I would suggest Sonny Clark's "Sonny's Crib" is far better. Not too inferior, in my opinion, than the seminal "Cool Struttin'." (Mrs Lions' shapely legs featured on the album cover.)

8. All Blues Notes had great album covers. I think some of the album covers are horrible! "Our Thing" is one of the masterpieces on the label yet the cover is really off-putting. If it had had something more creative then I'm sure it would be loved as much as it deserves. I don't like the black and red / blue / green covers with photos of the artist on. They are ugly - especially the green ones! (The Jazz Messenger's album with "moanin" on is excellent yet the cover isn't very flattering to Mr Blakey. !)

9. Too small roster of musicians .

10. The label started with some sensational Sidney Bechet records which are easily the best music he produced. Unfortunately, Lions never regained his enthusiasm for earlier styles of jazz once he had been bitten by the "modern" bug and it is a shame that is wasn't his label than chronicled some of the great work turned out by swing era musicians in the 1950's.


I love Blue Note more than any other label recording jazz from the 1950's onwards. It's still a good label even if Delmark seems to be more in keeping with the spirit of Alfred Lions despite the fact that he allegedly wanted to branch out in to pop. (Didn't realise that Alfred Lions was a massive fan of Michael Jackson and Prince.) The fact that so many myths have built up around the label means that is it is ripe for a revisionist approach to identify what exactly made it so brilliant as well as where it fell short. The Havers book doesn't really do this, as appealing as it is as an object.

[Tom Audustus]

"Tendency to over-look vocalists."

Such a tendency is to be celebrated !!!!

[Tom Audustus]

I probably disagree with all 10 of your points.

My jazz record collection and my love of jazz was built upon those classic Blue Note recordings of the 50s and 60s. And they are the ones I go back to time and time again.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

what is the Havers take on Duke Pearson Ian? a seminal producer at the label ....

Blue Note is an iconic label [brand even] because of those covers ... no other label in jazz shouts from the shelves as they do with their promise of the best in NYC jazz .... [delivered or not] .... the real triumph of Mr Lyons for me is to have created a jazz label that stands as an atelier/coterie/workshop on a level with major architect and design studios in its distinctive creations ... not many do that in any walk of life ...

[Stanfordian]

I probably disagree with all 10 of your points.

My jazz record collection and my love of jazz was built upon those classic Blue Note recordings of the 50s and 60s. And they are the ones I go back to time and time again.

Hiya Tom,

Blue Note recordings are the core of my collection. I couldn't do without them. They are part of my lifeblood: Ike Quebec, Grant Green, Horace Silver, Blue Mitchell, Kenny Gorham, Hank Mobley, Sonny Clark, Kenny Burrell, Tina Brooks et al.

[Ian Thumwood]

I suppose my post could be construed as being a bit mischievous but I expected better from Mr. Havers. His effort on Verve is far better insofar that he acknowledges some of the failings of that label. This book reads a bit like the comments section on the old Blue Note website where nothing would be rated below four stars. In the end it was difficult to really know just how good a particular album was because the comments always fell along the lines that it was "neglected" or "over-looked." No one seemed to comment that a particular record was hopeless or even mundane.

Like Tom and Standfordian I love Blue Note records. I'm not quite sure whether they are the pinnacle of jazz in the 1950's and 60's when major artists like Ellington, Ornette, Coltrane and Davis were recording on other labels but they are pretty close. What I find intriguing is that some records are better than others yet people like Havers perpetuate the myth that these records are all equally meritorious. What about groups like "The Three Sounds," artists like Wilkerson, Freddie Roach and Donaldson ? Hardly essential.

I'm not sure how many Blue Note records I have in my collection but it very much mirrors Standordians although I tend to prefer some of the later, more advanced artists like Andrew Hill, Jackie McLean, Wayne Shorter and Bobby Hutcherson. The criticism that the records were often formulaic does have some truth but it was a formula that worked and was capable of producing mini-masterpieces like "Shades of Redd" and "True Blue." My issue is that some records are justly recognised as being "classics" like Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder" or Herbie's "Maiden Voyage" yet an equally good record like Bobby Hutcherson's "Happenings" should be getting similar plaudits. Equally, something like "Blue Train" is a ok-ish record but nowhere near as good as Coltrane's "Giant Steps" or the records he produced on Impulse. The Sonny Clark album recorded a few days before it much better and benefits from some great compositions. Some records seem almost unknown such as the Dizzy Reece recordings or even McLean's "New Gospel" which features Ornette on trumpet and is similarly unforgotten.

Duke Pearson is mentioned as taking over from Ike Quebec as A&R man and the album "Wahoo" is reviewed. There isn't a great deal about him but, in truth, this book doesn't even have the potted bio's that Haver['s "Verve " book had and there is a pitiful lack of information about the more obscure players like Fred Jackson or Freddie Redd that most Blue Note fans are going to what to learn about. All in all, I think Havers plays it safe with his selection of "classic" albums and the critical assessment is woeful. It is a coffee table book but with little of substance to pick up on. It is very much a book sanctioned by the label in an attempt at broader appeal but I'd like to see a more nuanced and critical assessment . It is a shame that Alyn's approach as a musician and historian wasn't embraced by Havers as what we are effectively looking at is a cultural phenomena that is now historic. With the passage of nearly 50 years since the last of the classic Blue Notes were recorded the perception of these records must have changed and I think Havers failed to grasp this. Don't even get me on to the subject of his assessment of the post-1985 recordings which is sloppy and poorly researched.

I don't think Blue Note was without faults but I do think it's true merits have tended to haven't been properly captured.

[Ian Thumwood]

Link to Blue Note discography which, I think, will blow a lot of misconceptions about the label. Wondered how familiar some of these records are. For example, didn't even realise that Frank Foster recorded for the label!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Note_Records_discography

[Serial_Apologist]

what is the Havers take on Duke Pearson Ian? a seminal producer at the label ....

Blue Note is an iconic label [brand even] because of those covers ... no other label in jazz shouts from the shelves as they do with their promise of the best in NYC jazz .... [delivered or not] .... the real triumph of Mr Lyons for me is to have created a jazz label that stands as an atelier/coterie/workshop on a level with major architect and design studios in its distinctive creations ... not many do that in any walk of life ...

And in terms of sheer wear, the robust original sleeves have well stood the test of time, (which in my case has included living in some pretty naff accommodation) - though less so the re-issues.

[Ian Thumwood]

Currently listening to the Clifford Brown Memorial album which always seemed to me closer to the Be-bop of Charlie Parker than the Hard Bop that was to follow on the label a couple of years later. The best thing about this disc is the writing of Elmo Hope but even Lou Donaldson is quite good on this. After playing some Art Blakey featuring Lee Morgan, it is striking just how Morgan's articulation seems akin to Dizzy as opposed to Brown. The ensembles on the Brown record recall the cool sound of the Miles Davis nonet - especially the tracks arranged by Quincy Jones.

The early 1950's Blue Notes are a curious bunch as you might expect given the ages of the musicians. Haver's book is actually quite informative on how old many of the musicians were when they made their debuts and , in many instances, they were always in their early twenties. the Liner notes to the Blakey album refers to the drummer being a veteran at 39!! He was only about ten years older than Benny Goodman, for example! This put's SA's comments about Clark Terry in to an interesting context.

I've been listening to the album with "Moanin'" on this weekend and think it is absolutely brilliant. The pianist Bobby Timmons is a bit corny yet I love his solo on "Moanin'" and "Blues March" is great fun. I suppose it's archetypal Hard Bop although it is staggering at just how accessible this record is. If someone was new to jazz and wanted to hear some good quality bop that wasn't too demanding, I think this would be an excellent choice.

[Serial_Apologist]

I've been listening to the album with "Moanin'" on this weekend and think it is absolutely brilliant. The pianist Bobby Timmons is a bit corny yet I love his solo on "Moanin'" and "Blues March" is great fun. I suppose it's archetypal Hard Bop although it is staggering at just how accessible this record is. If someone was new to jazz and wanted to hear some good quality bop that wasn't too demanding, I think this would be an excellent choice.

There was an EP of the Jazz Messengers at school with Moanin' on one side and a version of Evidence on the other, which totally knockled me out at the time - I remember Evidence being taken very fast. For some years I could find no copy of this, or the LP it might have come from. Years later Clark Tracey told me the tracks were from a late 50s album, and Evidence was under another title - I forget what now.

[MrGongGong]

"Tendency to over-look vocalists."

Such a tendency is to be celebrated !!!!

I thought it was just me

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

always loved the Monk sessions with the messengers and Johnny Griffin & Bill Hardman

[Serial_Apologist]

always loved the Monk sessions with the messengers and Johnny Griffin & Bill Hardman

I remember that recording at school. We'd previously heard Trane screwing angularity from Monk's materials while Hawk soldiered on like the veteran he was by '57, so to hear Johnny Griffin navigate those harmonies like they were just another form of bebop (which in a sense they were of course) was revelatory.

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

....and immensely danceable! [with suitably hip young ladies ]

[Ian Thumwood]

SA

The statement about Hawk soldiering on seems to me a denigration of where Hawkins actually sits on the scale of things "modern." For my money, I would have to say that Hawkins is probably the only musician around from the late 1920's who could still sit in comfortably with the modernists on that Blakey track. I would strongly argue that late 1950's Hawk would not have sounded out of place with a lot of the contemporary jazz of that time. Being really controversial, I'd argue that he seemed more relevant by the late 1950's than a host of other musicians who had followed the influence of Lester Young - the archetypal, "proto-modernist."

Here's a test. One of the mainstays of Blue Note in the 1950's was Ike Quebec yet is he any more "modern" than Hawk? I would have been fascinating to have heard Hawkins in Blue Note even though he did make some terrific recordings for other labels at the time. I'm sure these records would have had more merit than the ones made by Quebec,, in no respect to the A&R man. Hawkins is a bit like Bach. He may seem a historic figure yet there is something fundamental about his playing which renders his approach for all times. I think players in 2015 would be able to get more from Hawkin's style that Young these days. You just have to hear how many musicians from David Murray to Branford who have tipped their hat towards Hawkin's disciple Ben Webster.

Oddly enough, the Blakey verion of "Evidence" sounded a bit rushed. I've always loved the version by Paul Motian's trio plus Dewey Redman - perhaps the "ultimate " Monk tribute album.

For my money, the wicki list of Blue Note albums is a revelation. I have more Blue notes I my collection than any other label yet I'm still unfamiliar with a lot of this stuff. I'm not even convinced it has all been issued on CD. Although I agree with Tom and Standfordian's arguments, this list really shows up just how inaccurate the perceptions of the Blue Note label are. The list reveals it to have been more diverse than I had thought possible yet a good chunk seems to be missing from the consciousness of most jazz fans.