Search - Various Artists :: The Blue Box Blue Note's Best

A Great Blue Note Grab Bag

CurtJazz | Charlotte, NC | 06/16/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This compilation, produced by EMI Canada, is a very good way for a novice to sample the wide variety of music and artists on one of the great Jazz labels of all time. The recordings are culled from the various "Best of the Blue Note Years" collections that the label released during the 1990's. The recordings span a period of over 50 years, from Sidney Bechet's seminal 1939 recording of "Summertime" to John Scofield's 1993 "Message to My Friend". Of course, when you mine a vault as rich as Blue Note's, you virtually cannot miss in coming up with true classic music. However, some of the selections are questionable (e.g. only one cut each from Jimmy Smith and Art Blakey, but we get two middling funk exercises from Donald Byrd?) and the sequencing at times is a bit jarring (e.g. from Wayne Shorter's "Speak No Evil" right into Grant Green's "Sookie, Sookie"). These however, are relatively minor complaints. Overall, I would recommend this collection for anyone who wants an overview of what made Blue Note great; but beware! This collection may end up costing you a lot more, as it will most likely whet your appetite for more great things from the artists who are only sampled here!"

Incredible collection

andys98225 | Bellingham, WA United States | 05/11/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is truly a great compliation of blue note recordings. If you like jazz, funk, or jazz-fusion and are too lazy or just don't have enough money to go out and buy all of the albums on the the blue note label, this is a good introduction to some of the most important artists in jazz. 4 and a half hours long!"