Blue Note

Blue Note is a label that is mostly known for its releases in the jazz genre. Label Code: LC 0133 / LC 00133 Flagship label of Blue Note Records, a record company from New York. Founded by Alfred Lion and Max Margulis in 1939, the label focused on jazz and built an important catalogue of traditional jazz and swing recordings through the 1940s. Its earliest releases are now acknowledged as classics. In the 1950s it was one of the earliest labels on which bop musicians appeared. After the purchase by Liberty in 1965, more commercially-oriented music, including jazz-fusion, started appearing on the label. In 1975, then-owners United Artists Records launched a systematic reissue program of Blue Note's back catalog lasting until 1980. Around that same time, Blue Note became a label of EMI. Beginning in 1982, Blue Note catalog reissues began appearing on Mosaic Records (2) (ironically owned by Michael Cuscuna, who oversaw the UA-era reissue program). The label was relaunched as part of Capitol Records subsidiary Manhattan Records in 1985 and began making new recordings, re-releasing key albums from its history and releasing previously unissued material. In 1989, EMI discontinued Manhattan Records and Blue Note became the division under which all of Capitol-EMI's jazz activities were organized (two years later, Manhattan Records was revived for smooth jazz and pop-jazz releases). A 2005 reorganization at both Capitol Records and parent company EMI put Blue Note along with sister labels Manhattan Records, Angel, Virgin Classics and Metro Blue under the Blue Note Label Group umbrella covering jazz, classical and adult pop recordings. In 2012, Don Was succeeded Bruce Lundvall as Blue Note's president, and the label's owner, EMI, was purchased by the Universal Music Group. Please note, many Blue Note issues also carry an EMI logo. This is not a label and EMI should not be added as a label. Instead it indicates that Blue Note was part of the EMI Group.