Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression (Paperback)

The official illustrated history of Blue Note, the most influential and important brand in jazz.

Tracing the evolution of jazz from the boogie-woogie and swing of the 1930s, through bebop, funk, and fusion, to the eclectic mix Blue Note releases today, this landmark book by author Richard Havers tells the story of an influential jazz institution and commemorates Blue Note’s momentous contribution to modern music and style.

Practically all of the jazz greats passed through Blue Note’s doors, including Miles Davis, Sidney Bechet, Art Blakey, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Ornette Coleman, Donald Byrd, and Jimmy Smith. Blue Note is not only known as the purveyor of extraordinary jazz but is also famous as an arbiter of cool.

The photography of cofounder Francis Wolff and the cover designs of Reid Miles helped create a look that was an integral part of the label’s genius. A highly illustrated volume, Blue Note: Uncompromising Expression features the very best photographs, covers, and ephemera from the archives, including never-before-published material, and documents a groundbreaking era in American culture.

400 pages
600 illustrations

(8.6" x 1.4" x 11")