There aren’t many record labels that have become synonymous with a genre, like Blue Note has with jazz. The label’s famed quality control has led to an impressive catalogue with its high point in the 1950s and 1960s, when they churned out future classics by the dozen. But let’s not forget that Blue Note is still relevant to this very day and has remained a true force of innovation. We’ve asked experts, writers, musicians, artists and industry insiders to send us lists of their favourite Blue Note albums – here’s the cumulative result.
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85. Nduduzo Makhathini
In the Spirit of Ntu. 2022.
The visionary South African pianist and composer’s milestone record.
84. Not Tight
DOMi & JD BECK. 2022.
Hyper-complex, tight jazz fusion from two Gen Z prodigies.
83. Spontaneous Inventions
Bobby McFerrin. 1986.
Brilliant live recording of the vocal jazz and scat legend.
82. A Night in Tunisia
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. 1961.
One of the greatest line-ups of the hard bop finishing school.
81. Heavy Soul
Ike Quebec. 1962.
Warm and swinging soul jazz session from tenor saxophonist Ike Quebec.
80. Cornbread
Lee Morgan. 1967.
Following on the heels of his massive success with The Sidewinder.
79. The 7th Hand
Immanuel Wilkins. 2022.
Powerful and striking modern jazz, featuring a remarkable quartet.
78. Empyrean Isles
Herbie Hancock. 1964.
Another early showcase of the pianist’s full breadth of artistry.
77. Black Fire
Andrew Hill. 1965.
An acknowledged masterpiece of modern post-bop jazz.
76. A New Perspective
Donald Byrd. 1964.
An uplifting and deeply soulful album featuring a vocal choir.
75. Back At The Chicken Shack
Jimmy Smith. 1960/1963.
A soulful classic from the Hammond B-3 innovator.
74. Vol. 1 & Vol. 2
Miles Davis. 1956.
The master in his early days; from blazing bebop to beautiful ballads.
73. Marlena
Marlena Shaw. 1972.
Gorgeous vocal jazz incorporating elements of R&B and soul.
72. Dialogue
Bobby Hutcherson. 1965.
The vibraphonist’s most adventurous, daring album.
71. The Omnichord Real Book
Meshell Ndegeocello. 2023.
A visionary album evoking the history of Black American Music.
70. Contours
Sam Rivers. 1965.
A post-bop classic with avant-garde elements.
69. Life Time
Tony Williams. 1965.
Prodigious drummer goes bandleader on stellar debut album.
68. Blue Hour
Stanley Turrentine with The Three Sounds. 1961.
Deeply soulful and swinging hard bop.
67. Evolution
Grachan Moncur III. 1963.
Dark and intriguing avant-jazz from the post-bop period.
66. Along Came John
Big John Patton. 1963.
Patton and Grant Green with a slice of heavy soul jazz.
65. Whistle Stop
Kenny Dorham. 1961.
More classic hard bop from the 1960s vaults.
64. Speak Like A Child
Herbie Hancock. 1968.
The influential pianist and composer in his early prime.
63. Pianism
Michel Petrucciani. 1986.
One of his generation’s most accomplished pianists.
62. Demon’s Dance
Jackie McLean. 1967.
Angular, modal avant-bop for explorers.
61. Juju
Wayne Shorter. 1964.
A marvel in the saxophonist’s formidable discography.
60. Ethiopian Knights
Donald Byrd. 1971.
Trumpeter evolving from hard bop maverick to fusion pioneer.
59. Symbols of Light (A Solution)
Greg Osby. 2001.
Jazz group meets classical string quartet – Third Stream sound that works.
58. Foreign Affairs
Bireli Lagrene. 1988.
Jazz-rock fusion, masterfully executed.
57. Black Dahlia
Bob Belden. 2001.
An extended story-telling, romantic and fatalistic suite.
56. Open Sesame
Freddie Hubbard. 1960.
The auspicious debut album from the legendary trumpeter.
55. Indestructible
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. 1964/1966.
The last Messengers session for Wayne Shorter, Reggie Workman and Cedar Walton.
54. Blowin’ The Blues Away
Horace Silver. 1959.
Timeless originals from the hard bop juggernaut.
53. The Layers
Julian Lage. 2023.
One of the virtuoso guitarist’s best albums to date.
52. Eddie Gale’s Ghetto Music
Eddie Gale. 1968.
A seamless blend of jazz, gospel, soul and the blues.
51. Basra
Pete LaRoca. 1965.
Dark, innovative, forward-thinking avant-jazz at its best.
50. Tex Book Tenor
Booker Ervin. 1968.
The definitive statement of the saxophonist as bandleader and composer.
49. How Insensitive
Duke Pearson. 1969.
A record full of extravagant, layered arrangements.
48. Blue Spirits
Freddie Hubbard. 1965.
The last of an astounding run of recordings for Blue Note.
47. Inner Urge
Joe Henderson. 1966.
The tenor saxophonist and composer in full artistic stride.
46. Memorial Album
Clifford Brown. 1953.
Ascending two set album from the incomparable trumpeter.
45. The Sky Will Still Be Here Tomorrow
Charles Lloyd. 2024.
Elder jazz statesman still at the peak of his powers.
44. A Night at the “Village Vanguard“
Sonny Rollins. 1958.
One of jazz’s greatest tenor saxophonists at his peak – a truly magical live recording.
43. Destination… Out!
Jackie McLean. 1963.
A vivid document of early 1960s jazz exploration.
42. Takin’ Off
Herbie Hancock. 1962.
The impressive debut album of a master jazz composer.
41. Newk’s Time
Sonny Rollins. 1959.
Stellar hard bop and the start of the Blue Note 4000 series.
40. The Phantom
Duke Pearson. 1963.
Underrated gem from the pianist-composer’s catalogue.
39. Two-Headed Freap
Ronnie Foster. 1972.
Funky jazz fusion, immortalized by cratediggers.
38. One Flight Up
Dexter Gordon. 1964.
More goodness from Gordon’s best period.
37. When The Heart Emerges Glistening
Ambrose Akinmusire. 2011.
A redefining force of American jazz.
36. Mode for Joe
Joe Henderson. 1965.
An album bursting with vigor and vitality.
35. Astral Signal
Gene Harris. 1974.
A fresh, spirited and varied journey.
34. Into Somethin’
Larry Young. 1965.
The modal exploration of a Hammond B-3.
33. Expansions
McCoy Tyner. 1968.
Pushing from modal into spiritual jazz territory.
32. Blacks & Blues
Bobbi Humphrey. 1973.
An utterly delightful jazz-funk classic.
31. Idle Moments
Grant Green. 1965.
An impressive display of the masterful guitarist’s skills.
30. Come Away With Me
Norah Jones. 2002.
The arrival of a major talent in jazz, soul and pop.
29. True Blue
Tina Brooks. 1960.
An often overlooked jewel in the catalogue.
28. Now
Bobby Hutcherson. 1969.
One of the his most adventurous recordings.
27. Shades of Blue
Madlib. 2003.
Revisiting jazz classics from a hip-hop digger’s perspective.
26. Complete Communion
Don Cherry. 1966.
True 1960s avant-garde jazz classic.
25. Ten
Jason Moran . 1963.
One of the most important groups in modern jazz.
24. The Real McCoy
McCoy Tyner. 1962.
Tyner’s masterpiece as a bandleader.
23. Midnight Blue
Kenny Burrell. 1963.
A deep wade into the blues.
22. San Francisco
Bobby Hutcherson & Harold Land. 1962.
Early fusion with a relentless groove.
21. Cool Struttin’
Sonny Clark. 1958.
A timeless hard bop classic for the ages.
20. Black Radio
Robert Glasper. 2012.
Laid out a new paradigm for creative music reaching across jazz, hip-hop and soul music.
19. At Carnegie Hall
John Coltrane & Thelonious Monk. 1957/2005.
The definition of a classic live recording.
18. Soul Station
Hank Mobley. 1960.
The crystalline six-song set is the ultimate showcase for Mobley’s lyrical flow.
17. Unit Structures
Cecil Taylor. 1966.
Scaling the pinnacle of the mid-1960s jazz avant-garde with awe-inspiring performances.
16. Let Freedom Ring
Jackie McLean. 1962.
A melding of the bluesy language of hard bop with the bristling energy of The New Thing.
15. Point of Departure
Andrew Hill. 1963.
A masterpiece of an album that was looking decades into the future of post-bop jazz.
14. A New Sound… A New Star…
Jimmy Smith. 1956.
The debut of an organist who changed the way his instrument was played.
13. The Sidewinder
Lee Morgan. 1963.
A comeback and a coronation.
12. Go!
Dexter Gordon. 1962.
A showcase of Gordon’s limitless creativity on hard-swinging numbers.
11. Places & Spaces
Donald Byrd. 1975.
The culmination of the legendary trumpeter’s vibrant latter Blue Note years.
10. Blue Light Til Dawn
Cassandra Wilson. 1993.
An alluring tapestry from one of the most distinctive voices in modern jazz.
9. The Amazing Bud Powell Vol. 1
Bud Powell. 1952.
Bebop piano genius Bud Powell with his best recording for Blue Note.
8. Moanin’
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers. 1959.
Widely recognised as the quintessential hard bop record.
7. Out to Lunch!
Eric Dolphy. 1964.
A genius artist of startling originality with a formidable quintet of modern jazz visionaries.
6. Song For My Father
Horace Silver. 1964.
The enduring jewel in Horace Silver’s catalogue.
5. Somethin’ Else
Cannonball Adderley. 1959.
Adderley’s only album for Blue Note includes the legendary Miles Davis as sideman.
4. Genius of Modern Music, Vol. 1&2
Thelonious Monk. 1951/1952.
An essential slice of early bebop with timeless compositions.
3. Maiden Voyage
Herbie Hancock. 1965.
A standout achievement of the great pianist’s career.
2. Speak No Evil
Wayne Shorter. 1966.
A transcendent masterpiece of six Shorter originals.
1. Blue Train
John Coltrane. 1957.
A must-have for all jazz fanatics.
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