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Bobby Hutcherson – Dialogue – Blue Note Tone Poet Series 180g Vinyl
1965’s Dialogue was the debut by vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson who had already proven himself a versatile sideman on albums from Idle Moments to Out To Lunch.
Dialogue showcased his more adventurous leanings with a sextet featuring Freddie Hubbard, Sam Rivers, Andrew Hill, Richard Davis & Joe Chambers.
This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.
Clifford Jordan – Cliff Jordan – Blue Note Tone Poet Series 180g Vinyl
Under-recognized tenorman Clifford Jordan blew in from Chicago with a trio of excellent Blue Note sessions in 1957 including Cliff Jordan featuring a septet with Lee Morgan on trumpet, Curtis Fuller on trombone, John Jenkins on alto, Ray Bryant on piano, Paul Chambers on bass & Art Taylor on drums.
This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.
Dizzy Reece – Star Bright Lp (Blue Note Classic Series) Blue Note Vinyl
Born in Kingston, Jamaica, the trumpeter Dizzy Reece moved to London at age 17 and began working across Europe, frequently in Paris, where he played with the likes of Don Byas and Kenny Clarke. Reece also made fans of Miles Davisand Sonny Rollinswho spread the word about a hot new trumpeter on the European scene. So when Donald Byrd and Art Taylor came through Paris on tour in 1958 they sought out Reece and even found their way into the recording studio together for what would become Reece’s Blue Note debut Blues In Trinity.
Donald Byrd – Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) 180g Vinyl
Recorded in 1956 for producer Tom Wilson’s Boston-based label Transition Records, Byrd Blows On Beacon Hill presented trumpeter Donald Byrd in a relaxed and intimate quartet setting with Doug Watkins on bass along with Boston area musicians Ray Santisi on piano and Jim Zitano on drums.
This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket with a booklet.
Donald Byrd – Kofi – Blue Note Tone Poet Series 180g Vinyl
Drawn from two sessions in 1969 and 1970, Kofi found Donald Byrd in the early stages of his transformation from top-notch hard bop trumpeter to fusion pioneer. Byrd explores a variety of textures with bandmates including Frank Foster, Lew Tabackin, Duke Pearson, Ron Carter, Mickey Roker, and Airto Moreira.
This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.
Freddie Hubbard – Blue Spirits Lp (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) Blue Note 180G Vinyl
The prodigious trumpeter Freddie Hubbard debuted on Blue Note in 1960 and produced an astounding run of recordings over the first half of the decade that culminated with Blue Spirits, which was the last of his 1960s studio albums for the label. This bluesy and spirited album presented five evocative Hubbard originals, each of which was given a richly textured arrangement for an ensemble that included a dynamic four-horn line-up.
Freddie Roach – Good Move (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) 180g Vinyl
In the 1960s, Blue Note’s roster of organists was second to none with leading Hammond B3 practitioners like Jimmy Smith, Big John Patton, and Larry Young each honing their own distinctive styles on the instrument. Freddie Roach was first introduced to Blue Note listeners on Ike Quebec’s albums Heavy Soul and It Might As Well Be Spring and soon began his own run of leader dates for the label including the 1963 standout Good Move featuring Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Eddie Wright on guitar, and Clarence Johnston on drums. This soul jazz classic makes all the right moves with set highlights including “When Malindy Sings,” an Oscar Brown song that was performed by Abbey Lincoln, and Roach’s own church-rooted “Wine, Wine, Wine” and “On Our Way Up,” an uplifting anthem that he wrote on the day of the historic March on Washington.
Hank Mobley – A Slice of the Top (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) Blue Note 180G Vinyl
Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley had already been building a formidable Blue Note catalog for more than a decade when he conceived of his unique album A Slice of the Top, which was recorded in 1966 but not first released until 1979 as part of the LT Series. Inspired by Miles Davis' Birth of the Cool, Mobley collaborated with Duke Pearson who arranged four Mobley originals and the pop standard "There's a Lull In My Life" for an octet that added Kiane Zawadi's euphonium and Howard Johnson's tuba to a group consisting of James Spaulding on alto saxophone and flute, Lee Morgan on trumpet, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Billy Higgins on drums. Behold Mobley's lyrical flights on standout tunes including "Hank's Other Bag," "A Touch of Blue," and "A Slice of the Top."
Hank Mobley – Soul Station Blue Note 180G Vinyl
Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley had already led nine dates for Blue Note Records by the time he arrived at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio on February 7, 1960 with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, but on that day the quartet laid down what would become his masterpiece: Soul Station. The crystalline six-song set was a showcase for Mobley’s lyrical flow from the breezy opening take on Irving Berlin’s ‘Remember’ through bluesy originals like ‘Dig Dis’ and the title track, and the swinging up-tempo numbers ‘This I Dig of You’ and ‘Split Feelin’s.’ Soul Station endures as a jazz classic for the ages..
Jack Wilson – Easterly Winds – Blue Note (Tone Poet) 180g Vinyl
The six-song set presented four Wilson originals including the groovy opener “Do It” and the sublime ballad “Nirvanna” in addition to a tender rendition of the Johnny Mandel tune “A Time for Love” and “Frank’s Tune” by Frank Strozier, which was recently reimagined by Makaya McCraven on his 2021 Blue Note remix project Deciphering the Message.
Jackie McLean – Demon’s Dance – Blue Note (Tone Poet) 180g Vinyl
Jackie McLean’s music weaved in and out of the avant-garde throughout the 1960s with the brilliant 1963 inside-out dates One Step Beyond and Destination… Out! eventually leading to full-throated free jazz of the 1967 dates New and Old Gospel (featuring Ornette Coleman on trumpet) and ‘Bout Soul. Demon’s Dance, which was recorded in December 1967, found the alto saxophonist maintaining a decidedly post-bop edge with a spirited quintet comprised of trumpeter Woody Shaw, pianist LaMont Johnson, bassist Scott Holt, and drummer Jack DeJohnette. The six-song set presented a pair of tunes each by McLean, Shaw, and composer Cal Massey with highlights including McLean’s churning title track, Shaw’s tuneful bossa “Sweet Love of Mine,” and Massey’s brightly swinging “Message from Trane” in tribute to the great John Coltrane who had passed away early that year. But the album’s most striking feature may be the unforgettable cover artwork by Mati Klarwein whose work also graced the cover of Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew.
Wayne Shorter – Odyssey of Iska (Blue Note Tone Poet Series) 180g Vinyl
Wayne Shorter’s mesmerizing 1970 album Odyssey of Iska was the last release of the saxophonist’s early Blue Note period.
The album was a tribute to his daughter Iska which found Shorter continuing his own unique explorations into fusion having just left Miles Davis to form his band Weather Report.
This stereo Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on jacket.
