News

Blue Note today announced an extensive list of upcoming Classic Vinyl Reissue Series titles launching October 1st, 2021 through April 15th, 2022. All reissues mastered by Kevin Gray cut directly from the original analog master tapes, with the exception of two titles, as noted, cut from the digital masters, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal in Germany.

The artists include Art Blakey, Horace Silver, Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Jimmy Smith, Herbie Nichols, Don Cherry, Lee Morgan, Bud Powell and others. While the first 16 titles in this series focused on the best known Blue Note classics from the '50s and '60s the new run curated by Don Was and Cem Kurosman expands the series scope to cover thematically the label's eight decade history.

The Classic Series are priced lower than the Tone Poet series but feature the same mastering chain and so very similar sonics. The packaging is standard and that saves production costs allowing BN to sell most of these Classic Series titles for around $26.00. Considering that $4.98 in 1970s dollars is $35.00 today, these are outright bargains!

Classic Vinyl Reissue Series – Release Schedule:

October 1, 2021
• Duke Pearson – Merry Ole Soul (1969)

November 19, 2021 – Hard Bop
• Horace Silver – 6 Pieces of Silver (1956)
• Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers – The Big Beat (1960)

November 19, 2021< – The 70s
• Donald Byrd – Places and Spaces (1975)
• Bobbi Humphrey – Fancy Dancer (1975)

December 10, 2021 – Soul Jazz
• Jimmy Smith – Home Cookin’ (1958)
• Reuben Wilson – Love Bug (1969)

December 10, 2021 – Hidden Gems
• Herbie Nichols – The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (1955)
• Kenny Cox – Introducing Kenny Cox and The Contemporary Jazz Quintet (1968)

January 21, 2022 – The Avant-Garde
• Jackie McLean – Destination Out (1963)
• Don Cherry – Where Is Brooklyn? (1966)

February 18, 2022 – Post-Bop
• Joe Henderson – Inner Urge (1964)
• Lee Morgan – Caramba (1968)

March 18, 2022 – The Rebirth
• Cassandra Wilson – Blue Light ‘Til Dawn (1993)*
• Geri Allen – Twenty One (1994)*

April 15, 2022 – Bebop
• Milt Jackson – Milt Jackson With John Lewis, Percy Heath, Kenny Clarke, Lou Donaldson And The Thelonious Monk Quintet (1948-52)
• Bud Powell – Time Waits: The Amazing Bud Powell, Vol. 4 (1958)

*mastered from a digital source