Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note Records (2 CDs)

The Blue Note 7

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 13, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Blue Note Records
• ASIN: B001LLGSLW
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,658 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Blue Note 70th Anniversary

From the jump in 1939 jazz aficionados Alfred Lion and Frank Wolff, emigres from Berlin, followed their instincts by recording great artists playing pure jazz. The 50s and 60s were, and still are, considered the classic Blue Note period in relation to not only what they recorded but the engineering of Rudy Van Gelder, the photography of Frank Wolff, and, eventually, the art direction of Reid Miles.

The so-called hard bop of the mid- 50s in New York essentially began with a Blue Note album, Horace Silver and the Jazz Messengers. What hard bop did was to draw on rural blues and gospel music in finding a whole new audience for jazz.

The idea for a group to carry forth the tribute during Blue Note's 70th year originated with booking agent Jack Randall, and was formed by musical director Bill Charlap, Randall, and Danny Melnick. When plans for the extensive tour reached more than 50 American cities, the idea of a recording was inevitable.

The Blue Note 7 was not conceived as an all-star group but it is stellar in stature. It is more than a tribute band, a cadre with a cohesive compatibility, dealing with powerful music and reinterpreting it through their new arrangements and individual solos.

Nicholas Payton- trumpet
Steve Wilson - alto saxophone, flute
Ravi Coltrane - tenor saxophone
Peter Bernstein - guitar
Bill Charlap - piano
Peter Washington - bass
Lewis Nash - drums

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Special edition-only way to go, February 6, 2009

By	jimac51 (Allentown, Pa United States) - See all my reviews

"Exclusives" in the music business have troubled me in the past. Fans sometimes buy multiple copies of music for special tracks. These are the same people who support a the artist thorugh thick and thin and they ae rewarded with shenanigans by Wal-Mart,Best Buy and Target,who use music as a carrot to bring a customer in the store and have little use for the music again,nor the customer, until it's time to reel in another sucker.
Amazon has teamed up with EMI to celebrate Blue Note's 70th anniversary with this 2-disc set and offering a ton of CDs from the Blue Note catalog that are currently available only at Amazon. Titles include lots of recently recorded titles that deserve a longer shelf life than what they originally recieved and,though a bit pricy,this beats bidding frustration on Ebay. Not even True Blue Music,a mail order venture co-owned by EMI,has these titles. These are not downloads but physical CDs. With a bittersweet sigh,I welcome this "exclusive" because brick and mortar stores actually carrying Blue Note product are disappearing and nobody does web selling music better than Amazon. If any big business seems to treat this stuff with respect,Amazon seems to fit the bill.
The 2 disc set here is the no-brainer way to go to celebrate Blue Note. Bill Charlap is the face of Blue Note jazz in the 21st century,and that ain't bad. All of the musicians here know that many of the greats that came before them(Monk,Blakey,Green,etc.)are gone(but,hey,Hancock is still finding new listeners today)and these guys aren't here to mimic,but to play this stuff in the 21st century,and,hopefully,satisfy both old and new fans-a challenge that they meet with love and energy. As a door opener,it ain't too bad. Putting the original versions of the compositions on a seperate disc makes for a quick comparison for the hard bop fan and,most important,shows the new listener why this stuff was so good the first time around.
The new material was recorded May,2008 in Englewood,NJ(not at Rudy Van Gelder's,but there seems to be something good in the drinking water in Englewood)and these guys are currently on tour to celebrate Blue note's 70th anniversary. It will be interesting to see how they meld together. The tour ends Spring 2009 with a series of dates in NYC,hopefully for possible future audio and video material.
Oh,it's not just Blue Note's 70th-it's also the 25th anniversay of Bruce Lundvall(and Michael Cuscuna)relaunching this wonderful label during hard economic times. All times are hard economic times for jazz. The balance of art and commerce is a difficult juggle and Bruce and Michael should take a bow.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars THE BLUE NOTE 7 MOSAIC, February 1, 2009

By	Stuart Jefferson (San Diego,Ca) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Two discs 58 and 64 minutes each approximately. Clean open sound,even on the originals. This is a fine set of tracks that will introduce the "Blue Note sound" to another generation of jazz listeners. For the long time jazz listener it's also a good listen. Most people will be familiar with the original tracks on disc two,for many of them are true classics. If you are new to this era and the "sound" of Blue Note Records,are you in for a treat. What was a pleasant surprise was the reverence that the "new" group(listed in the Amazon description) used in their approach to this music. The arrangements are different but at the same time pay homage to the originals. This group of relatively young players puts their own stamp of originality on each track. In doing so they have breathed some fresh air into some classic jazz,showing that these tunes can(and should) be interpreted anew for all of us to enjoy. It's reassuring to hear classic jazz updated with fresh ears in this age of less and less quality jazz. The group plays with great subtly and finesse and always with a high degree of professionalism. All the players on disc one will be familiar to jazz listeners from the last few years,both as leaders of their own groups and as sidemen in others. I don't know if this set will stay as an Amazon exclusive forever,or if it will be released eventually everywhere,so you might want to pick it up soon. Anyone looking for a set of good jazz from one of the greatest eras in jazz will like this. It's a chance to hear new versions of tracks alongside the originals,all in one package. Hopefully those new to this music will be enticed to look further into the Blue Note era of great jazz and discover all the great music this label has released. For the experienced jazz listener disc one is proof that jazz is still alive and well. The booklet is very informative,with information on the "new" players as well as the original musicians,as well as how these tracks and the group came into existence.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Old days, present days... always the quintessence of hard bop jazz, March 5, 2009

By	N. Monachon Duchene "Napoleon Boogaloo" (Armorique) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The present days musician pay tribute to musician of the golden age of hard bop of Blue Note house. It's great. The songs remain so groovy.
Blue Note un jour, Blue Note toujours...
More that a great jazz record : a great music record !
Nicolas Monachon Duchêne
France