Hall of Jazz: Classic Blue Note Records. Recommended jazz albums.
If you’ve developed an interest in jazz and picked up some classic CDs or records, you’ll likely notice that many albums have “BLUE NOTE” stamped on the jacket.
Blue Note Records is the most important label in jazz history and a legendary name admired by both aspiring jazz musicians and listeners alike.
Its stylish, timeless, and sophisticated artwork is also outstanding, and many fans want to own the records for that very reason.
In this article, we’re introducing classic jazz masterpieces released by this prestigious label.
We’re also featuring several recent standouts, so be sure to check them out!
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Hall of Jazz Fame: Blue Note Records Masterpieces. Recommended Jazz Albums (21–30)
A Fistful Of SilverHorace Silver
Horace Silver was a jazz pianist from Connecticut, USA, who helped develop hard bop.
He is a representative artist known for a distinctive funky jazz (soul jazz) playing style, featuring powerful right-hand single-note lines while his left hand frequently delivers skillful chord changes.
The Amazing Bud PowellBud Powell
Bud Powell, the preeminent pioneer who innovated and solidified the bebop style and a towering jazz pianist who shines brilliantly in jazz history.
The album “The Amazing Bud Powell,” released by Blue Note in 1951, is a classic that stands as one of his signature works.
Newk’s TimeSonny Rollins
Sonny Rollins, who mastered the tenor saxophone with ease and captivated audiences during the golden age of jazz with his stylish, bold, and dazzling improvisations.
His 1957 Blue Note release, Newk’s Time, is a masterpiece packed with everything that makes him so compelling.
Afro-CubanKenny Dorham
Just as the painter Rubens was masterful in his use of light and shadow, jazz trumpeter Kenny Dorham was a genius at portraying stillness and motion on his instrument.
Afro-Cuban, released on Blue Note in 1955, is a captivating album that showcases his dynamic side.
Jutta Hipp With Zoot SimsJutta Hipp
The German jazz pianist Jutta Hipp moved to the United States in 1955, and through the efforts of critic Leonard Feather—who was captivated by her talent—she signed with Blue Note Records.
The track “Violets for Your Furs” from the album “Jutta Hipp with Zoot Sims” is hailed as one of the greatest ballads in the Blue Note catalog.
Takin’ OffHerbie Hancock
Herbie Hancock has been a leading top artist in the jazz world since the 1960s.
At the young age of 11, he performed with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and after entering Grinnell College, he became an intellectual who earned doctorates in both music and electronic engineering, which underpins his profound musicality.
He debuted with his first album, “Takin’ Off,” released in 1962.
The track “Watermelon Man” from the album became a major hit, placing him at the forefront of the Blue Note new mainstream movement.
LeewayLee Morgan
Lee Morgan, a trailblazer who was hailed as a genius from a young age and a hard-bop trumpeter emblematic of Blue Note, recorded a masterpiece with Lee-Way, released by Blue Note Records in 1960 alongside an all-star lineup of Paul Chambers, Art Blakey, Bobby Timmons, and Jackie McLean.