TRANSCRIPT:
I’m Mark Rapp, and this is Rapp on Jazz.
In jazz history, record labels helped shape it. No label did that more profoundly than Blue Note Records. Founded in 1939 by Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff, Blue Note became a home for artists who valued creative freedom, rehearsal time, and artistic integrity.
From Thelonious Monk and Art Blakey to Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, Blue Note helped define the sound of modern jazz. Producer Rudy Van Gelder’s engineering gave the records warmth and clarity, while Reid Miles’ bold album designs made the music instantly recognizable.
Blue Note trusted musicians to grow, experiment, and lead. That philosophy influenced generations of artists and labels that followed.
This has been Rapp On Jazz, a co-production of ColaJazz and SC Public Radio, made possible by Layman Publishing Partners, celebrating 50 years of expert content creation, authoritative information management, and standards-driven print and digital production.