01.06.09
Happy 70th Birthday, Blue Note Records
I listened to NPR’s Talk of the Nation today, as Neal Conan was interviewing current Blue Note Records president Bruce Lundvall and others on the label’s 70th birthday. I have such an affection for Blue Note, having spun so many of its artists during my tenure on the air at WDET-FM in Detroit. A prized possession of mine is the 60th anniversary, limited edition CD box set it issued a decade ago.
Conan asked his guests and listeners for their “Blue Note moment.” I believe mine was Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder,” — the title cut from his classic LP, recorded in late 1963 — but it also could have been Horace Silver’s shimmering “Song for My Father,” the title tune from his 1964 masterpiece. The label remains vibrant, due to newer artists like Norah Jones, and it’s always rewarding to go back to the older recordings, helmed by legendary engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Right now, I’m listening to Hank Mobley’s smokin’ “The Breakdown,” from Roll Call. Alfred Lion founded Blue Note, and Francis Wolff joined him shortly thereafter. Learn more about the label’s amazing history, and enjoy these timeless sounds.
