If you think about it, Blue Note records as a product had very strong fundamentals in many aspects. It was a label created as a very strong brand. It has many angles of appreciation that makes it irresistible. It has the great design in the artwork, the great photography, the great music content but also they kept their innovative vision and captured the development of Jazz after Bebop, and they were the only ones who did that. The rest of the labels are much more specific to a certain genre or era. That’s why I have my BNs organized in chronological order so depending on mood, I sometimes pick up randomly from a certain era which defines the genre. BN is probably the most collectible record label in general. Not only for jazz
Agreed, and I too organize my records by label then catalog number! 👯♀ For me, my admiration for the label goes beyond the music. I sometimes think about how humble and unassuming Lion and Wolff were in both their artistic and business brilliance, and for me, collecting Blue Note is as much about appreciating their work as it is about loving the artists and the music!
When I first started collecting Blue Note, it was Japanese import CDs from Toshiba in the mid-1990s. Each Japanese CD had an insert showing 20 to 25 other Blue Note album covers from the 1500 series and I used to obsess over looking through those. That’s how I built my CD collection. I also had the cover art book and did the same as you. I do have a bunch of blue note vinyl, and most of it is more contemporary pressings, nothing valuable. But I do have a pretty sizable blue note CD collection, and even though it seems very trendy and popular to collect original vinyl copies these days, I still hang onto my CDs and stand by them as vital in my listening to and learning about jazz over the past 30 years.
Im obsessed with the 1500 series personally, the most iconic covers and some of my favourite music early hard bop with loads of creativity on each record. Loved that organ bit at the end too!
Rich - all I can say is I collect ALL labels and I love all jazz. By example, I just nabbed an OG mono John Coltrane “Africa/Brass” on Impulse that sounds spectacular. Whoah! You guessed it RVG in the dead wax. BUT there is nothing like an early pressing of a Blue Note with Rudy’s magic. I rotate in a selection of Blue Note’s weekly on my turntable - increasingly OG, but a lot of represses as OGs are so expensive. But I listen to Sidewinder every week and dance like Alfred Lion. It is the scratchiest piece of vinyl I have, but yet inexplicably the best sounding. Magic. All hail RVG and Blue Note. No apologies necessary.
People always find something to moan about so try not to worry about that. Your passion and love for the music shines through in all of your videos, thank you very much for making them.
Rich love this episode I agree Blue Note is tops for me those 50’s & 60’s cut by Rudy Van Gelder are so monumental the covers definitely drew me in . I’m still lusting for OG copy of Hank Mobley Soul Station and John Coltrane Blue Train I doubt I’ll will ever own it over the years collecting I could never afford a copy so the reissues have to do. Online buying is a gamble I’ve been burned a few times but learned . Rich i appreciate your insight on the label thank you.
Great conversation Rich! It sucks that people think Blue Note is boring when there’s so much to discover in their catalog. Music is music and history is history and man is there a ton behind blue note!
Agreed! Contemporary and Stereo Records are great and I’d even say it’s comparable to Blue Note’s fidelity! It’s kinda hard to find clean copies here at least in San Diego but I’d agree with your statement!
I think it's a well-known fact that Roy DuNann was "the king of fidelity" (but he didn't cut records as hot as Rudy and as a consequence Rudy's records have superior SNR). I have heard many Contemporary albums and I don't own any. I keep trying but none of them ever pull me in. Of course, the engineering can be mind-blowing but we have to connect with the music as well. Clearly a lot of people love those records though and I get it.
Obsessing over Blue Note to me this is like putting together a library of books focused primarily on the publishing house because you like the quality of the dust covers and typesetting. Blue Note has amazing titles, but if it’s about the music, it seems logical to follow a musician’s catalog through multiple labels.
My problem with most newer jazz enthusiasts is that they are focused on Blue Note to the exclusion of so much else. As much as Blue Note is a part of jazz history, most of the music happened outside of Blue Note. There are generations of amazing musicians that fans will miss if not exploring outside of Blue Note. For most, this means that they will need to listen in the digital domain because 78s are not practical for most folks. This is where the problem of "collectors" becomes apparent. You must put aside the need to have everything on vinyl, and in a particular pressing, in order to experience the breadth of the music's history. I personally think it is a shame that most young fans have spent more time listening to Lee Morgan than Louis Armstrong. Or Jelly Roll Morton. Or Lester Young. Or...you get the point. It's akin to being a blues fan and only listening to SRV, when there's Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy, etc. Oh well, it's only the internet after all...
I have many problems with this comment: I don't see why you have a problem with most "newer jazz enthusiasts" focusing on Blue Note. For one they are new to the genre and Blue Note is a label that was high quality with everything that they did during that 50-60s period, so if you're just exploring the music, you almost cannot go wrong with choosing a well known Blue Note album to listen too. As Rich said it "checks all the boxes". This is exactly what I did when I first started seriously listening to Jazz and it really helped me fall in love with the genre. I think maybe what you were trying to getting at is when seasoned jazz listeners don't explore anything outside of Blue Note that's when it's a problem. The other issue I have is when you say it's a shame young fans have "spent more time listening to Lee Morgan than Louis Armstrong". Again, I don't see how this is an issue. Eras of jazz are totally different from each other and people will like different eras more than others. Just because young people don't listen to Louis Armstrong as much compared to the more modern era jazz artist doesn't mean they don't appreciate them. And also some listeners might not be into the history of the art form to be bothered with exploring that era, which is totally fine. Personally, I'm into the history so I have spent time exploring each era and it is easy to hear how groundbreaking Louis Armstrong was, but I have spent more time listening to Lee Morgan because the music sounds more modern and holds up better for today's standards than Armstrong's era. And where the genre evolved into by Lee Morgan's time is more appealing to me than when Louis Armstrong was evolving it. Everyone is totally different and will like what they like. The fact that any young person is listening to Jazz, I find as an absolute win, regardless if its exclusively Blue Note or not.
Ah yes, I see that now, until 1972, thanks for the correction. I am yet to dig into the fine details of Van Gelder's work in the '70s as the music of that era doesn't appeal to me as much.
I love the passion and authenticity Rich! But have to respectfully disagree (and agree with ako-san) with you about Blue Note . It all sounds just too arranged and formulaic ( with notable exceptions of Dolphy and Andrew Hill maybe )
Nothing wrong with BN! You could spend a lifetime exploring the label and be happy. However, it is great that you and the lovely wife can creat a complete jazz diet together.
My record collector confession is that I binge watch this series constantly
I am really glad we have developed a friendship from collecting, Donovan!
@@dgmono I am also very grateful for our friendship! Always providing me with great knowledge and support!
If you think about it, Blue Note records as a product had very strong fundamentals in many aspects. It was a label created as a very strong brand. It has many angles of appreciation that makes it irresistible. It has the great design in the artwork, the great photography, the great music content but also they kept their innovative vision and captured the development of Jazz after Bebop, and they were the only ones who did that. The rest of the labels are much more specific to a certain genre or era. That’s why I have my BNs organized in chronological order so depending on mood, I sometimes pick up randomly from a certain era which defines the genre. BN is probably the most collectible record label in general. Not only for jazz
Agreed, and I too organize my records by label then catalog number! 👯♀ For me, my admiration for the label goes beyond the music. I sometimes think about how humble and unassuming Lion and Wolff were in both their artistic and business brilliance, and for me, collecting Blue Note is as much about appreciating their work as it is about loving the artists and the music!
When I first started collecting Blue Note, it was Japanese import CDs from Toshiba in the mid-1990s. Each Japanese CD had an insert showing 20 to 25 other Blue Note album covers from the 1500 series and I used to obsess over looking through those. That’s how I built my CD collection. I also had the cover art book and did the same as you. I do have a bunch of blue note vinyl, and most of it is more contemporary pressings, nothing valuable. But I do have a pretty sizable blue note CD collection, and even though it seems very trendy and popular to collect original vinyl copies these days, I still hang onto my CDs and stand by them as vital in my listening to and learning about jazz over the past 30 years.
Im obsessed with the 1500 series personally, the most iconic covers and some of my favourite music early hard bop with loads of creativity on each record. Loved that organ bit at the end too!
Rich - all I can say is I collect ALL labels and I love all jazz. By example, I just nabbed an OG mono John Coltrane “Africa/Brass” on Impulse that sounds spectacular. Whoah! You guessed it RVG in the dead wax.
BUT there is nothing like an early pressing of a Blue Note with Rudy’s magic. I rotate in a selection of Blue Note’s weekly on my turntable - increasingly OG, but a lot of represses as OGs are so expensive. But I listen to Sidewinder every week and dance like Alfred Lion. It is the scratchiest piece of vinyl I have, but yet inexplicably the best sounding. Magic.
All hail RVG and Blue Note. No apologies necessary.
People always find something to moan about so try not to worry about that. Your passion and love for the music shines through in all of your videos, thank you very much for making them.
Rich love this episode I agree Blue Note is tops for me those 50’s & 60’s cut by Rudy Van Gelder are so monumental the covers definitely drew me in . I’m still lusting for OG copy of Hank Mobley Soul Station and John Coltrane Blue Train I doubt I’ll will ever own it over the years collecting I could never afford a copy so the reissues have to do. Online buying is a gamble I’ve been burned a few times but learned . Rich i appreciate your insight on the label thank you.
Great conversation Rich! It sucks that people think Blue Note is boring when there’s so much to discover in their catalog. Music is music and history is history and man is there a ton behind blue note!
i love the Riverside label and their artists!❤
I live in the West Coast, over here It’s all about contemporary Records that have the best sound quality and mastering.
Agreed! Contemporary and Stereo Records are great and I’d even say it’s comparable to Blue Note’s fidelity! It’s kinda hard to find clean copies here at least in San Diego but I’d agree with your statement!
I think it's a well-known fact that Roy DuNann was "the king of fidelity" (but he didn't cut records as hot as Rudy and as a consequence Rudy's records have superior SNR). I have heard many Contemporary albums and I don't own any. I keep trying but none of them ever pull me in. Of course, the engineering can be mind-blowing but we have to connect with the music as well. Clearly a lot of people love those records though and I get it.
I'm fairly new and buy direct from Blue Note. I have learned to wait for sales where I can purchase at 30% discount.
You are doing good. Keep it up.
You like what you like! Thank you for another confessional Mr. DG!
Excellent points, Rich. Thank you.
Always love your content. Joyful when I see a new drop from you!
Always nice to see you drop another video.
Good to see more frequent videos! 👍🏻👍🏻
Love ya bro .. keep the confessions coming. You have to be the realest jazz collector on the Tube!
It has always been my hope that I would find others who can appreciate how much I value honesty and sincere communication. 😊
I love Blue Note and I love you Rich
Obsessing over Blue Note to me this is like putting together a library of books focused primarily on the publishing house because you like the quality of the dust covers and typesetting. Blue Note has amazing titles, but if it’s about the music, it seems logical to follow a musician’s catalog through multiple labels.
My problem with most newer jazz enthusiasts is that they are focused on Blue Note to the exclusion of so much else. As much as Blue Note is a part of jazz history, most of the music happened outside of Blue Note. There are generations of amazing musicians that fans will miss if not exploring outside of Blue Note. For most, this means that they will need to listen in the digital domain because 78s are not practical for most folks. This is where the problem of "collectors" becomes apparent. You must put aside the need to have everything on vinyl, and in a particular pressing, in order to experience the breadth of the music's history. I personally think it is a shame that most young fans have spent more time listening to Lee Morgan than Louis Armstrong. Or Jelly Roll Morton. Or Lester Young. Or...you get the point. It's akin to being a blues fan and only listening to SRV, when there's Blind Willie McTell, Blind Blake, Big Bill Broonzy, etc. Oh well, it's only the internet after all...
I have many problems with this comment:
I don't see why you have a problem with most "newer jazz enthusiasts" focusing on Blue Note. For one they are new to the genre and Blue Note is a label that was high quality with everything that they did during that 50-60s period, so if you're just exploring the music, you almost cannot go wrong with choosing a well known Blue Note album to listen too. As Rich said it "checks all the boxes". This is exactly what I did when I first started seriously listening to Jazz and it really helped me fall in love with the genre. I think maybe what you were trying to getting at is when seasoned jazz listeners don't explore anything outside of Blue Note that's when it's a problem.
The other issue I have is when you say it's a shame young fans have "spent more time listening to Lee Morgan than Louis Armstrong". Again, I don't see how this is an issue. Eras of jazz are totally different from each other and people will like different eras more than others. Just because young people don't listen to Louis Armstrong as much compared to the more modern era jazz artist doesn't mean they don't appreciate them. And also some listeners might not be into the history of the art form to be bothered with exploring that era, which is totally fine. Personally, I'm into the history so I have spent time exploring each era and it is easy to hear how groundbreaking Louis Armstrong was, but I have spent more time listening to Lee Morgan because the music sounds more modern and holds up better for today's standards than Armstrong's era. And where the genre evolved into by Lee Morgan's time is more appealing to me than when Louis Armstrong was evolving it.
Everyone is totally different and will like what they like.
The fact that any young person is listening to Jazz, I find as an absolute win, regardless if its exclusively Blue Note or not.
From the artists they had, they are at the top, but number one for sound to me is Contemporary.
Nice shirt i work at their hospital
Rudy actually recorded for BN up until the early 70s.
Ah yes, I see that now, until 1972, thanks for the correction. I am yet to dig into the fine details of Van Gelder's work in the '70s as the music of that era doesn't appeal to me as much.
I love the passion and authenticity Rich!
But have to respectfully disagree (and agree with ako-san) with you about Blue Note . It all sounds just too arranged and formulaic ( with notable exceptions of Dolphy and Andrew Hill maybe )
Everyone is entitled to their own taste!
Nothing wrong with BN! You could spend a lifetime exploring the label and be happy. However, it is great that you and the lovely wife can creat a complete jazz diet together.
That's a great way of putting it, Matt!