Blue Note Works 1500 series Vol.1541-1550

 

Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label, owned by Universal Music Group and currently operates in conjunction with Decca Records. Established in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derives its name from the characteristic "blue notes" of jazz and the blues. Originally dedicated to recording traditional jazz and small group swing, from 1947 the label began to switch its attention to modern jazz. While the original company did not itself record many of the pioneers of bebop, significant exceptions are Thelonious Monk, Fats Navarro and Bud Powell.

Many great jazz musicians recorded for Blue Note, but the man responsible for the quality of label’s recordings – their high dynamic and tonal range and lifelike presence – was sound engineer, Rudy Van Gelder. It was his recording equipment, choice and placement of microphones, the work at the mixing desk, the selection and rejection of takes, and the active supervision of the whole recording process from monitoring the dials through to cutting of the master lacquer, that created the “Blue Note sound”.

Van Gelder always sought to be at the forefront of recording technology – the Scully lathe he used for cutting lacquer masters was the first to feature variable pitch/depth control to optimise groove-width and loudness. He deployed the newest Neumann/ Telefunken U-47 condenser microphone, which he had specially modified for use very close to instruments. His recordings were made on the latest Ampex tape recorders.

Blue Note made the switch to 12" LPs late in 1955. The Modern Jazz Series continued with the following 12" LPs. Many of these were issued in both monaural versions (BLP series) and stereo versions (BST 81500 series), sometimes in electronically rechanneled stereo. In certain cases, the stereo versions of recordings from 1957 onwards only appeared many years later. Beginning in 1956 with BLP 1509, Reid Miles designed most of the Blue Note LP covers. The 1500 series has been systematically reissued by Toshiba-EMI in Japan ("Blue Note Works 1500" series, 20-bit 88.2 kHz CDs); the catalog numbers are TOCJ-1501, etc.

 

BN.1541- Lee Morgan- 1956- Lee Morgan Vol.2. Sextet {RVG Remaster}
BN.1542- Sonny Rollins- 1956- Sonny Rollins Vol.1
BN.1543- Kenny Burrell- 1956- Kenny Burrell Volume 2
BN.1544- Hank Mobley- 1957- Hank Mobley and His All Stars
BN.1545- Lou Donaldson- 1957- Wailing with Lou
BN.1546- Thad Jones- 1957- The Magnificent Thad Jones Vol.3
BN.1547- Jimmy Smith- 1957- A Date With Jimmy Smith, Vol. 1
BN.1548- Jimmy Smith- 1957- A Date With Jimmy Smith, Vol. 2
BN.1549- Clifford Jordan & John Gilmore- 1957- Blowing In From Chicago {RVG Remaster}
BN.1550- Hank Mobley- 1957- Hank Mobley Quintet {RVG Remaster}