Madlib Invades Blue Note

The sound of Blue Note Records has been embedded in hip-hop since the music’s early days with artists like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, J Dilla, Beastie Boys, and more mining Blue Note’s rich catalog for inspiration and sampling from tracks by Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, Lonnie Smith, and others. In the early 1990s, Blue Note invited Us3 into the vaults for a jazz/hip-hop remix album that produced the smash single “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)” and in 1996 went even further with The New Groove: The Blue Note Remix Project featuring remixes by Guru, The Ummah, The Roots, and more. It was Madlib who raised the bar next when the acclaimed DJ, producer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist invaded the Blue Note vaults to create his 2003 masterpiece Shades of Blue. Madlib’s deep love of jazz (his uncle is trumpeter Jon Faddis) is apparent throughout this visionary album which features remixes, reimaginations, and reinterpretations of classics by Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, The Three Sounds, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Hutcherson, Andrew Hill, Wayne Shorter, and more.

The sound of Blue Note Records has been embedded in hip-hop since the music’s early days with artists like A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, J Dilla, Beastie Boys, and more mining Blue Note’s rich catalog for inspiration and sampling from tracks by Grant Green, Lou Donaldson, Lonnie Smith, and others. In the early 1990s, Blue Note invited Us3 into the vaults for a jazz/hip-hop remix album that produced the smash single “Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia)” and in 1996 went even further with The New Groove: The Blue Note Remix Project featuring remixes by Guru, The Ummah, The Roots, and more. It was Madlib who raised the bar next when the acclaimed DJ, producer, rapper, and multi-instrumentalist invaded the Blue Note vaults to create his 2003 masterpiece Shades of Blue. Madlib’s deep love of jazz (his uncle is trumpeter Jon Faddis) is apparent throughout this visionary album which features remixes, reimaginations, and reinterpretations of classics by Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, The Three Sounds, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Hutcherson, Andrew Hill, Wayne Shorter, and more.

Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings is a previously unissued 3-LP collection of recordings from jazz icon and virtuosic pianist, Art Tatum, captured live at the Blue Note jazz club in Chicago in March of 1953 with guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart.

Known for his velvety voice and sophisticated charm, Nat King Cole's music and persona exudes a timeless elegance resonating with audiences of all ages. Showcasing a different side of Nat, Live at the Blue Note Chicago creates a personal connection, taking the listener back to his Chicago Roots. Nat King Cole returns home to his beloved Bronzeville neighborhood in August of 1953, performing at least twice-a-day for a week at one of Chi-town's first integrated venues, the Blue Note. Clearly inspired by his hometown community, Nat dynamically incorporates the playful provocations and cultural camaraderie of the audience - inserting spontaneous wit, laughing at his unrestrained piano solos, and exchanging musical phrases with particularly enthusiastic and equally clever crowds -Nat allows the vibrance of this collective energy to elevate these intimate performances to extraordinary historic significance. Travel back to the Blue Note Chicago with these incredibly rare, never-before-heard, live recordings.

Jewels in the Treasure Box: The 1953 Chicago Blue Note Jazz Club Recordings is a previously unissued 3-LP collection of recordings from jazz icon and virtuosic pianist, Art Tatum, captured live at the Blue Note jazz club in Chicago in March of 1953 with guitarist Everett Barksdale and bassist Slam Stewart.

Known for his velvety voice and sophisticated charm, Nat King Cole's music and persona exudes a timeless elegance resonating with audiences of all ages. Showcasing a different side of Nat, Live at the Blue Note Chicago creates a personal connection, taking the listener back to his Chicago Roots. Nat King Cole returns home to his beloved Bronzeville neighborhood in August of 1953, performing at least twice-a-day for a week at one of Chi-town's first integrated venues, the Blue Note. Clearly inspired by his hometown community, Nat dynamically incorporates the playful provocations and cultural camaraderie of the audience - inserting spontaneous wit, laughing at his unrestrained piano solos, and exchanging musical phrases with particularly enthusiastic and equally clever crowds -Nat allows the vibrance of this collective energy to elevate these intimate performances to extraordinary historic significance. Travel back to the Blue Note Chicago with these incredibly rare, never-before-heard, live recordings.

Legendary labels Decca Records and Blue Note have joined forces for Blue Note Re:imagined; a brand-new collection of classic Blue Note tracks, reworked and newly recorded by a selection of the UK scene’s most exciting young talents.

Medeski, Martin & Wood had already created a series of fine albums and a fervent following before they were signed to Blue Note, one of the most prestigious labels in jazz history. But rather than taking it easy after having made it in the jazz world, MM&W actually pushed the envelope even further during the Blue Note years, continually challenging their listeners as well as themselves. Note Bleu: The Best of the Blue Note Years: 1998-2005 compiles tracks from all five Blue Note albums, and does an excellent job of summarizing their label tenure. The Tonic recording was something of an anomaly. Self-produced and entirely acoustic, it's represented by only one track: a beautiful, slow interpretation of "Hey Joe." As nice as it is, it just doesn't fit with the rest of the material and breaks the flow just a bit.