Nina Simone and Her Friends is a 1959 album released by the Bethlehem Records label that compiled songs by jazz singers Nina Simone, Carmen McRae and Chris Connor. All three artists had left the label and signed with other companies by the time Bethlehem released this album. The numbers by Simone were previously unissued "left overs" from the recording sessions for her debut album Little Girl Blue (1958) and released without her knowledge. The tracks by Chris Connor and Carmen McRae were already issued together this way as Bethlehem's Girlfriends in 1956 accompanied by the debut recording session of Julie London.

Wes Montgomery - "In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording" In Paris: The Definitive ORTF Recording captures jazz guitar legend Wes Montgomery on his only tour of Europe on March 27, 1965 at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees in Paris, France. Remastered, high-resolution audio transferred directly from the original tape reels. Featuring an all-star band with pianist Harold Mabern, bassist Arthur Harper and drummer Jimmy Lovelace, and tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, the deluxe 2CD set includes a 32- page booklet with archival photos, essays and interviews.

2021 release. Pianist Bill Charlap returns to Blue Note with Street of Dreams, a stunning album featuring his revered longstanding trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Kenny Washington. Street of Dreams is a celebration of New York City as it emerges from an unprecedentedly challenging period, as reflected in the eight impeccably curated songs on the album, a delightful mix of jazz classics and Songbook favorites. It's also a reflection of the literal and metaphorical road traveled together by Charlap and the Washingtons during nearly 25 years as a trio. During that time they've become so deeply attuned that on Street of Dreams they seem to breathe as one, whether setting off into rollicking swing or fragile balladry. The album is thus a celebration of these three eloquent voices reconvening, so it's apt that this homecoming takes place on Blue Note, which released so many of the trio's acclaimed recordings throughout the first decade of this millennium including Written In The Stars, Stardust, Somewhere: The Songs of Leonard Bernstein, and Live at the Village Vanguard.

Vinyl LP pressing. Blue Note Tone Poet Series. One Art Blakey's greatest albums with the Jazz Messengers, Roots & Herbs, is little known. In 1961, the group featured Lee Morgan (trumpet), Wayne Shorter (tenor sax), Bobby Timmons (piano) and Jymie Merrit (bass). Recorded in Rudy Van Gelder's New Jersey studio, it's a brilliant set of six Shorter compositions, like the playful "Ping Pong" and the clever "United." It's among Blakey's finest.

This 2022 album gathers the most iconic songs recorded throughout her career and includes 7 remixes by some of the hottest, in-demand DJs worldwide. The first single from the set is a remix by English DJ/producer Joel Corry (Charli XCX, Ed Sheeran) of the timeless classic "Feeling Good." The album includes seminal songs such as "Mississippi Goddam," "Strange Fruit," "I Loves You Porgy," "I Put A Spell On You," and Nina Simone's timeless version of "Feeling Good."

Archive live release. This newly discovered live-recording of a performance of the Love Supreme suite is a revelation. Recorded at The Penthouse in Seattle on October 2, 1965, this recording transports the listener to a prime seat for piece of musical history. While not studio-quality audio, the power of the performance shines through. This version is also of the full suite and features an expanded band that includes the same Classic Quartet and Pharoah Sanders in his first official gig as part of Coltrane's group.

Double vinyl LP pressing. 2021 release. On this night the good doctor took the stage with an expanded line-up featuring Jonathan Kreisberg on guitar, Johnathan Blake on drums, John Ellis on tenor saxophone, Jason Marshall on baritone saxophone, Sean Jones on trumpet, and Robin Eubanks on trombone with special guest vocalist Alicia Olatuja on "Pilgrimage." Two additional studio tracks open and close the album, presenting the unique collaboration between Doc & Iggy Pop including a sublime cover of Donovan's 1966 hit "Sunshine Superman."

Vinyl LP pressing. 2020 release. Norah Jones' seventh solo studio album Pick Me Up Off The Floor features collaborators from Brian Blade to Jeff Tweedy, and grew out of her acclaimed singles series of the past two years as the songs she hadn't yet released unexpectedly congealed into an album of tremendous depth and beauty connected by the sly groove of her piano trios, lyrics that confront loss and portend hope, and a mood that leans into darkness before ultimately finding the light.

Double vinyl LP pressing. This newly discovered live-recording of a performance of the Love Supreme suite is a revelation. Recorded at The Penthouse in Seattle on October 2, 1965, this recording transports the listener to a prime seat for piece of musical history. While not studio-quality audio, the power of the performance shines through. This version is also of the full suite and features an expanded band that includes the same Classic Quartet and Pharoah Sanders in his first official gig as part of Coltrane's group.

Nina Simone and Her Friends is a 1959 album released by the Bethlehem Records label that compiled songs by jazz singers Nina Simone, Carmen McRae and Chris Connor. All three artists had left the label and signed with other companies by the time Bethlehem released this album. The numbers by Simone were previously unissued "left overs" from the recording sessions for her debut album Little Girl Blue (1958) and released without her knowledge. The tracks by Chris Connor and Carmen McRae were already issued together this way as Bethlehem's Girlfriends in 1956 accompanied by the debut recording session of Julie London.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. Blue Note Tone Poet Series. Recorded in 1967, Oblique is one of two quartet sessions the great vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson recorded for Blue Note. Released in 1979, features Herbie Hancock (piano), Joe Chambers (drums) and Albert Stinson (bass). An incredible journey from bops to exploratory sonic poems, with standouts like breezy opener "'Til Then," Hancock's tremendous "Theme From Blow Up" and Chambers' adventurous "Oblique".

Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers - "First Flight To Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings" - A previously unreleased live recording of drum legend Art Blakey with a classic line-up of the Jazz Messengers, trumpeter Lee Morgan, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter, pianist Bobby Timmons, and bassist Jymie Merritt. It was captured on January 14, 1961, at Hibiya Public Hall in Tokyo during the band's first-ever tour of Japan. Co-produced by Zev Feldman and David Weiss, the audio was newly transferred from the original 1/4" tape reels. First Flight To Tokyo: The Lost 1961 Recordings [2 LP]

Donald Byrd's 1975 album, Places and Spaces, featuring the hits "Wind Parade" and "Dominoes," was the culmination of his fusion period. It was his 5th consecutive album produced by the visionary Larry Mizell, and the second to last session Byrd would cut for Blue Note, the label he had been with since 1958. Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal.

2021 release. Tone Poem is the third album by Charles Lloyd & The Marvels, the genre-straddling quintet that features the master saxophonist with Bill Frisell on guitar, Greg Leisz on pedal steel guitar, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Eric Harland on drums. Released as part of Blue Note's acclaimed Tone Poet Vinyl Series, the nine dynamic tracks here include new Lloyd originals along with pieces by Ornette Coleman, Thelonious Monk, Leonard Cohen, Gabor Szabo, and Bola de Nieve.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing in gatefold jacket. The Kicker was vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson's first session (1963) via Blue Note but wasn't released until 1999. Instead, Dialogue was released as his debut album two years later. Now available on vinyl for the first time! A sequel to Grant Green's masterpiece Idle Moments, with the same artists: Green, Joe Henderson (tenor sax), Duke Pearson (piano), Bob Cranshaw (bass), Al Harewood (drums).

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Joe Henderson on tenor saxophone, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums captured live in 1985 playing at the peak of their respective powers at NYC's historic jazz shrine, The Village Vanguard. Alfred Lion, founder of Blue Note Records and it's sole producer until 1967, said upon hearing these sessions: "I think this is truly a classic album. What Joe plays is unbelievable. This is one of the most important albums that I have ever heard. It is definitely one of the best ever made on Blue Note. And I don't mean the new Blue Note. It's one of the best ever, including all of the records we did in the 50s and 60s."

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Recorded in 1961, Ready for Freddie was trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's fourth album for Blue Note Records. Featuring a unique sextet line-up with Wayne Shorter on tenor saxophone, Bernard McKinney on euphonium, McCoy Tyner on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums, the album stands as one of the finest of Hubbard's career. This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes.

Deluxe two CD set containing a newly discovered live recording from May 31, 1978 at Rosy's Jazz Club in New Orleans. On this recording, jazz legend Sarah Vaughan is joined by Carl Schroder on piano, Walter Booker on bass and Jimmy Cobb on drums. Originally recorded for NPR-syndicated radio program Jazz Alive with host Dr. Billy Taylor, this double disc set contains over 100 minutes of music. The 36 page booklet contains rare photos, essays and interviews.

Vinyl LP pressing. 1965's Maiden Voyage remains one of the pinnacle artistic achievements of the great pianist's career. Hancock is joined by Miles Davis Quintet bandmates Ron Carter on bass & Tony Williams on drums, along with Freddie Hubbard on trumpet & George Coleman on tenor saxophone. The quintet embarks on an oceanic exploration of 5 original Hancock compositions, several of which have since become enduring standards of the jazz lexicon including the title track, "Eye of the Hurricane," and "Dolphin Dance."

Shirley Horn - "Live At The Four Queens" First set of previously unreleased Shirley Horn music to be issued in over 10 years. Captured Live at the 4 Queens Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas on May 2, 1988. Re-mastered audio from the original tapes. 60 page booklet of essays by James Gavin, Sheila Jordan, Rainy Smith (Horn's daughter), Washington DC jazz. Released in partnership with KNPR Las Vegas and in cooperation with Universal Music Enterprises. Features Horn's classic rhythm section of 25 years - Charles Ables on bass and Steve Williams on drums.

Limited deluxe digipak edition. Smokin' in Seattle: Live at the Penthouse (1966) presents previously unreleased live sets by jazz guitar icon Wes Montgomery with the irrepressibly swinging pianist Wynton Kelly and his trio captured live at the Penthouse in Seattle, WA on April 14 and 21, 1966. Recorded less than a year after Wes and Wynton's classic 1965 live album Smokin at the Half Note, which guitarist Pet Metheny calls 'the absolute greatest jazz guitar album ever made, ' Smokin' in Seattle finds the dynamic duo joined by the solid rhythm section of bassist Ron McClure (Charles Lloyd, Joe Henderson) and legendary drummer Jimmy Cobb. The deluxe CD includes an extensive 40-page book of liner notes featuring rare photos by Lee Tanner, Chuck Stewart, Tom Copi, Joe Alpert and others; essays by modern jazz guitar legend Pat Metheny, Seattle Times writer Paul de Barros, Resonance producer Zev Feldman, original recording engineer and Seattle Radio DJ Jim Wilke, bassist Ron McClure; plus interviews with NEA Jazz Masters Jimmy Cobb and pianist Kenny Barron.

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. After his return to Blue Note where he first made a name for himself with a run of classic soul jazz albums between 1968-70, Hammond B-3 organ legend Dr. Lonnie Smith recorded All In My Mind during his 75th birthday celebration at the Jazz Standard in New York City with guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg and drummer Jonathan Blake. For the first time on vinyl, this 5-song Tone Poet Edition features spirited interpretations of songs by Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard, Paul Simon and more.

ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

All My Yesterdays is the first official release of the opening night recordings of the mighty Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra at the legendary Village Vanguard in NYC on February 7, 1966 endorsed by the estates of Thad Jones, Mel Lewis and the Village Vanguard. This deluxe 2-CD set also includes recordings from March 21, 1966, many of which have never been released before (although some of the recordings were unofficially exploited via a limited bootleg in 2000), and comes with an expansive 92-page book providing rare, previously unpublished photos, historic essays, interviews and memoirs. Contributors include executive producer George Klabin who recorded the original tapes, producer Zev Feldman, associate producer Chris Smith (author of The View from the Back of the Band: The Life and Music of Mel Lewis), longtime Vanguard Jazz Orchestra arranger and pianist Jim McNeely, and trombonist/educator John Mosca. All of the living musicians who played on these recordings contributed to the notes, recounting their personal experiences of the Thad Jones/ Mel Lewis Orchestra. Included are accounts from saxophonists Jerry Dodgion, Eddie Daniels and Marv "Doc" Holladay, trumpeter Jimmy Owens, trombonists Garnett Brown and Tom Macintosh, along with bassist Richard Davis. The pages display rare photos by Chuck Stewart, Raymond Ross, Ray Avery and Jan Persson. The legendary opening night performance on February 7, 1966 launched a tradition of successive Monday night appearances by the Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Orchestra that lasted twelve years and continues to this day through the dedication of the band's musical heir, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. This combined 50-year residency at the Village Vanguard will be celebrated by the release of this album, and will hopefully live on another 50 years!

Limited 180gm vinyl LP pressing. Guitarist Kenny Burrell debuted on Blue Note Records in 1956 and over the following 7 years made a series of excellent albums for the label that culminated with his masterwork Midnight Blue. Recorded in 1963, the album waded deep into the blues, conjuring an alluring late-night vibe with a profoundly soulful cast including tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist Major Holley, Jr., drummer Bill English, and Ray Barretto on congas. Burrell originals including "Chitlins con Carne," "Midnight Blue," "Saturday Night Blues," and the stunning solo guitar piece "Soul Lament" set the tone for this timeless classic adorned by one of the all-time great Reid Miles cover designs.