
If ever a record label deserved the tag “legendary”, then it’s Blue Note. Founded in New York in 1939 by ALFRED LION and MAX MARGULIS, the label’s history echoes the evolution of jazz itself and in its time the set up’s been the recording home for legends like HORACE SILVER, JOHN COLTRANE, MILES DAVIS, LEE MORGAN, ART BLAKEY, CHARLIE PARKER, and HERBIE HANCOCK.
All those great names – and lots more – are featured on a brand new 27 track, 2 CD album from EMI. As the title suggests, ‘JAZZ FM PRESENTS THE LEGENDS OF BLUE NOTE’ is a tri-partite arrangement between the label, the radio station and EMI and its aim is to span and celebrate Blue Note’s history by selecting key, classic recordings. The earliest include THELONIOUS MONK’S ‘Round Midnight’ and CHARLIE PARKER’S ‘Ornithology’ and the newest cut is ST GERMAIN’S ‘Latin Note’. In between there’s iconic jazz from every decade of Blue Note’s existence. Described as a “road-map of the development of jazz “, the set comes with extensive sleeve notes from Jazz FM’s HELEN MAYHEW.