Blue Note Records turns 70, goes on tour

To kick off Blue Note Record's 70th birthday bash, bebop cover band The Blue Note 7—comprised of Ravi Coltrane, Nicholas Payton and Bill Charlap among others—will embark on a 50-city American tour today.

Blue Note sprung from the brain of Alfred Lion in 1938, when he recorded swing piano greats Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis. The label came of age amid the flurry of sax honks and frantic keys known as bebop, signing masters east and west like Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon and Thelonious Monk. Despite hard times in the jazz-starved '70s, and a brief stint into the poetic ramblings of Van Morrison, the label slid gracefully into modern jazz with albums from Norah Jones and Herbie Hancock. 

This year is also the 25th anniversary of Blue Note's re-launch under EMI Records. The Blue Note 7 are slated to release Mosaic: A Celebration of Blue Note, as they head out on the road. 

Related links:
BlueNote.com
AllAboutJazzNews.com: Blue Note 7 Celebrates 70 Years
NPR: Blue Note Records celebrates 70 years

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