Blue Observe, essentially the most revered report label in jazz historical past, is able to roll out one other 12 months of its Traditional Vinyl Reissue Collection. Curated by Cem Kurosman, the sequence options all-analog 180g vinyl reissues from Blue Observe’s storied catalog, mastered by Kevin Grey from the unique grasp tapes and manufactured at Optimum. The primary of the month-to-month choices will likely be a pair of Nineteen Sixties classics, Free For All by Artwork Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and Our Factor by Joe Henderson.
Free For All, which simply reached its sixtieth anniversary this 12 months, options what All Music Information referred to as “a lineup that would be hard to beat,” leading to “a high point in drummer Art Blakey’s enormous catalog.” Blakey was joined right here by Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Collectively, they stretch out on 4 hard-swinging tracks that present the seasoned unit on the peak of their powers.
As for Our Factor, it matches tenor saxophonist Henderson with trumpeter Kenny Dorham, pianist Andrew Hill, drummer Pete La Roca, and bassist Eddie Khan. AllAboutJazz.com’s David Adler as soon as highlighted the album for the comparatively uncommon building of its rhythm part, praising it as “an inspired missive from players we don’t get to hear on a great many records.” Adler continued, “Henderson, still young at this point, is at his very best, having developed all the hallmarks of his highly individual tenor style.”
The Blakey and Henderson reissues are each out Jan. 23. They’ll be adopted in February by reissues of Thelonious Monk’s Genius Of Fashionable Music, Vol. 2 and J. J. Johnson’s The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, Vol. 2. In March, the Traditional Vinyl sequence will function the first-ever vinyl reissues for 2 Nineteen Nineties releases, John Scofield’s Meant To Be (reduce immediately from the analog grasp tapes) and Medeski Martin & Wooden’s Tonic. Later in 2026, classics from Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard, Lee Morgan, Horace Silver, Hank Mobley, Lou Donaldson, and extra will get the reissue remedy.
Store the Blue Observe Traditional Vinyl sequence now.
