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The Birka Jazz Archive
Records we have bought and sold over the years - the rare and the beautiful!

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AMERICAN LABELS

COLUMBIA RECORDS
The pioneers of album cover design

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (1)
David Stone Martin

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (2)
The photographic covers

BLUE NOTE 10" LPs
Searching for a modern jazz identity

BLUE NOTE 1500 series
Defining the hard bop style

BLUE NOTE 4000 series
Masterpieces of Reid Miles

PRESTIGE RECORDS
Images of East Coast jazz

RIVERSIDE RECORDS
Street cred with Thelonious Monk

PACIFIC JAZZ
Moods of Chet and Claxton

CONTEMPORARY
Cool West Coast, great Sound

SAVOY RECORDS
Masterworks by Charlie Parker

DIAL RECORDS
Small label, big Bird sound

ATLANTIC RECORDS
Bold and striking albums

EMARCY RECORDS
The classic drummer logo label

BETHLEHEM RECORDS
The beautiful design of Burt Goldblatt

DEBUT RECORDS
Artist-operated jazz label with Mingus & Roach

CANDID RECORDS
Legendary, early 1960s LPs

ESP-DISK
Free jazz and silk screened covers

IMPULSE RECORDS
Edgy and experimental

RCA VICTOR
The high spirit of Jim Flora

VARIOUS US labels (1)
ABC-Paramount, Aladdin, Argo, Capitol, Coral, Dawn, Decca,
and more

VARIOUS US labels (2)
Epic, Fantasy, HiFi, Imperial, Jazzland, Jazz West, Jubilee, Mercury, Mode, and more

VARIOUS US labels (3)
Roost, Signal, Storyville, Tampa, Transition, United Artists, Vee Jay, and more

EUROPEAN LABELS

SWEDEN (1)
The EP era and Metronome Records in 1950s

SWEDEN (2)
The LPs in the 1950s, and Swedish jazz abroad

SWEDEN (3)
Changing times in the 1960s

SWEDEN (4)
New energy to Swedish jazz in the 1970s

DENMARK
Montmartre, Debut Records and the heydays in Danish jazz

NORWAY
Krog and Garbarek, greats in Norwegian jazz

FINLAND
Plenty of merged styles in Finnish jazz

FRANCE
Americans in Paris, force in French jazz

ENGLAND
Esquire and Tempo, classic labels in British jazz

GERMANY
Jazz labels with strong identity

ITALY
Rare Italian jazz covers

HOLLAND
From Diamonds to ICP in
Dutch jazz

POLAND
Unique series of Polish jazz on Muza

OTHER COUNTRIES
Jazz labels around the world

Blue Note 4000 series

Masterpieces of Reid Miles

In 1958 Blue Note changed the numbering on their albums from 1500 to 4000, beginning with 4001 which was Sonny Rollins´ Newk´s Time. The series run into the 1970s with more than 400 albums.

Reid Miles continued to create most of the albums and the series includes many of his masterpieces. He stayed at the label into 1967.

Alfred Lion quits Blue Note the same year due to health problems. Francis Wolff died in 1971, and the rest of the old Blue Note finally died with him.

In 1965 Blue Note had been sold to Liberty, but without any changes in the music or graphic policy. But from 1967 some changes become obvious.

The hard bop, which Blue Note had documented in so many years, was in recession. The young audiences found little in jazz to interest them. Jazz wasn´t funky no longer.

Blue Note fought a losing battle aginst these signs of the time. In 1971 the label moved towards fusion, but most of all seemed to floundered around in search of a direction. The classic blue-white label was changed to a black-blue and then solid blue and the old "The Finest in Jazz Since 1939"-logo was mothballed.

By 1979 Blue Note was finished as active label, however to be back again in 1985 by Bruce Lundvall and Michael Cuscuna.

     Alfred Lion with Hank Mobley
     Photo: Francis Wolff

          Blue Note black-blue label

Labels from 1970s

See also

Blue Note 10" LPs

Blue Note 1500 series

LINKS

Blue Note Discography
jazzdisco.com

The Blue Note Label
Peter Losin

Blue Note Japanese pressings
discography

Sonny Rollins, Blue Note 4001 Sonny Rollins: Newk´s Time Label: Blue Note 4001 12" LP 1958
Photo: Francis Wolff

Blue Note 4000 series

Art Blakey, Blue Note 4003 Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers Label: Blue Note 4003 12" LP 1958
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Buck Hoeffler

Dizzy Reece, Blue Note 4006 Dizzy Reece: Blues In Trinity Label: Blue Note 4006 12" LP 1958
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Donald Byrd, Blue Note 4007 Donald Byrd: Off to the Races Label: Blue Note 4007 12" LP 1958
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Horace Silver, Blue Note 4008 Horace Silver: Finger Poppin´ Label: Blue Note 4008 12" LP 1958
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Bud Powell, Blue Note 4009 Bud Powell: The Scene Changes Label: Blue Note 4009 12" LP 1958
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Jimmy Smith, Blue Note 4011 Jimmy Smith; The Sermon! Label: Blue Note 4011 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Jackie McLean, Blue Note 4013 Jackie McLean: New Soil Label: Blue Note 4013 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Blakey, Blue Note 4015 Art Blakey at the Jazz Corner of the World Label: Blue Note 4015 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Horace Silver, Blue Note 4017 Horace Silver: Blowin´ The Blues Away Label: Blue Note 4017 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Illustration: Paula Donohue

Walter Davis, Blue Note 4018 Walter Davis Jr: Davis Cup Label: Blue Note 4018 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Kenny Burrell, Blue Note 4021 Kenny Burrell at the Five Spot Cafe Label: Blue Note 4021 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Dizzy Reece, Blue Note 4023 Dizzy Reece: Star Bright Label: Blue Note 4023 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Jackie McLean, Blue Note 4024 Jackie McLean: Swing, Swang, Swinging Label: Blue Note 4024 12" LP 1959
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Donald Byrd, Blue Note 4026 Donald Byrd: Fuego Label: Blue Note 4026 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Freddie Redd, Blue Note 4027 Freddie Redd - Jackie McLean: The Connection Label: Blue Note 4027 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Herb Snitzer

Art Blakey, Blue Note 4029 Art Blakey: The Big Beat Label: Blue Note 4029 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 4031 Hank Mobley: Soul Station Label: Blue Note 4031 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Lee Morgan, Blue Note 4034 Lee Morgan: Lee-Way Label: Blue Note 4034 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Horace Parlan, Blue Note 4037 Horace Parlan: Us Three Label: Blue Note 4037 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Jackie McLean, Blue Note 4038 Jackie McLean: Capuchin Swing Label: Blue Note 4038 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Stanley Turrentine, Blue Note 4039 Stanley Turrentine: Look Out! Label: Blue Note 4039 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Freddie Hubbard, Blue Note 4040 Freddie Hubbard: Open Sesame Label: Blue Note 4040 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Tina Brooks, Blue Note 40441 Tina Brooks: True Blue Label: Blue Note 4041 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Horace Silver, Blue Note 4042 Horace Silver: Horace-Scope Label: Blue Note 4042 12" LP 1960
Design: Paula Donohue

Freddie Redd, Blue Note 4045 Freddie Redd: Shades of Redd Label: Blue Note 4045 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Duke Jordan, Blue Note 4046 Duke Jordan: Flight To Jordan Label: Blue Note 4046 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Taylor, Blue Note 4047 Art Taylor: A.T.´s Delight Label: Blue Note 4047 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 4058 Hank Mobley: Roll Call Label: Blue Note 4058 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Kenny Drew, Blue Note 4059 Kenny Drew: Undercurrent Label: Blue Note 4059 12" LP 1960
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Horace Parlan, Blue Note 4074 Horace Parland: On the Spur of the Moment Label: Blue Note 4074 12" LP 1961
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 4080 Hank Mobley: Workout Label: Blue Note 4080 12" LP 1961
Photo: Francis Wolff

Dexter Gordon, Blue Note 4083 Dexter Gordon: Dexter Calling Label: Blue Note 4083 12" LP 1961
Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Blakey, Blue Note 4104 Art Blakey: Buhaina´s Delight Label: Blue Note 4104 12" LP 1962
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Dexter Gordon, Blue Note 4112 Dexter Gordon: Go Label: Blue Note 4112 12" LP 1962
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Donald Byrd, Blue Note 4124 Donald Byrd: A New Perspective Label: Blue Note 4124 12" LP 1963
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Kenny Dorham, Blue Note 4127 Kenny Dorham: Una Mas Label: Blue Note 4127 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Dexter Gordon, Blue Note 4133 Dexter Gordon: A Swingin´ Affair Label: Blue Note 4133 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Joe Henderson, Blue Note 4140 Joe Henderson: Page One Label: Blue Note 4140 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Johnny Coles, Blue Note 4144 Johnny Coles: Little Johnny C Label: Blue Note 4144 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Dexter Gordon, Blue Note 4146 Dexter Gordon: Our Man in Paris Label: Blue Note 4146 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 4149 Hank Mobley: No Room for Squares Label: Blue Note 4149 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Blakey, Blue Note 4156 Art Blakey: The Freedom Rider Label: Blue Note 4156 12" LP 1963
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Eric Dolphy, Blue Note 4163 Eric Dolphy: Out To Lunch Label: Blue Note 4163 12" LP 1964
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Joe Henderson, Blue Note 4166 Joe Henderson: In ´n´ Out Label: Blue Note 4166 12" LP 1964
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Crachan Moncur, Blue Note 4177 Grachan Moncur: Some Other Stuff Label: Blue Note 4177 12" LP 1964
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Jackie McLean, Blue Note 4179 Jackie McLean: It´s Time Label: Blue Note 4179 12" LP 1964
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Kenny Dorham, Blue Note 4181 Kenny Dorham: Trompeta Toccata Label: Blue Note 4181 12" LP 1964
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Duke Pearson, Blue Note 4191 Duke Pearson: Wahoo Label: Blue Note 4191 12" LP 1965
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Freddie Hubbard, Blue Note 4196 Freddie Hubbard: Blue Spirits Label: Blue Note 4196 12" LP 1965
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Lee Morgan, Blue Note 4199 Lee Morgan: The Rumproller Label: Blue Note 4199 12" LP 1965
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Sam Rivers, Blue Note 4206 Sam Rivers: Contours Label: Blue Note 4206 12" LP 1965
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Wayne Shorter, Blue Note 4219 Wayne Shorter: The All Seeing eye Label: Blue Note 4219 12" LP 1966
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Joe Henderson, Blue Note 4227 Mode for Joe Henderson Label: Blue Note 4227 12" LP 1966
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 4230 Hank Mobley: A Caddy for Daddy Label: Blue Note 4230 12" LP 1966
Design and photo: Reid Miles

Ornette Coleman, Blue Note 4287 Ornette Coleman; New York Is Now! Label: Blue Note 4287 12" LP 1968
Design: Forlenza Venosa Associates Photo: Frances Wolff

Donald Byrd, Blue Note 4292 Donald Byrd: Slow Drag Label: Blue Note 4292 12" LP 1968
Design: Forlenza Venosa Associates Photo: Charles Keddie

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