Founded by Alfred Lion, Francis Wolff and Max Margulis in 1939, the seminal jazz label Blue Note Records recently celebrated its 75th Anniversary and commemorated the milestone with an extensive vinyl reissue initiative. Universally revered for its incredulously impressive roster of legendary artists and its iconic album cover artwork masterminded by artist Reid Miles and executive/photographer Wolff, Blue Note has rightfully been synonymous with jazz music of the highest caliber for decades.
In his 1997 documentary film Blue Note Records: A Story of Modern Jazz, director Julian Benedikt explores the label’s ascendance, beginning with Lion and Wolff’s emigration from Nazi Germany to New York City, where their mutual passion for jazz blossomed and prompted them to devote their lives to its proliferation.
Featuring insightful interviews and rare footage of Blue Note luminaries including Art Blakey, John Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Thelonious Monk and Sonny Rollins, among many others, the riveting A Story of Modern Jazz is a profoundly inspired portrait of this most vibrant and vital of American cultural institutions.
Enjoy the full film below!
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