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Hall of Jazz: Classic Blue Note Records. Recommended jazz albums.

If you’ve developed an interest in jazz and picked up some classic CDs or records, you’ll likely notice that many albums have “BLUE NOTE” stamped on the jacket.

Blue Note Records is the most important label in jazz history and a legendary name admired by both aspiring jazz musicians and listeners alike.

Its stylish, timeless, and sophisticated artwork is also outstanding, and many fans want to own the records for that very reason.

In this article, we’re introducing classic jazz masterpieces released by this prestigious label.

We’re also featuring several recent standouts, so be sure to check them out!

Playlist

Hall of Jazz: Classic Blue Note Records. Recommended jazz albums.
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastBlue TrainJohn Coltrane
Blue TrainJohn Coltraneplay_arrow
Coltrane’s masterful jazz album
2eastCome Away With MeNorah Jones
Come Away With MeNorah Jonesplay_arrow
Norah Jones’s debut was a huge success
3eastAutumn LeavesCannonball Adderley
Autumn LeavesCannonball Adderleyplay_arrow
A Beginner’s Guide to Cannonball Adderley’s Classic Albums
4eastHat and BeardEric Dolphy
Hat and BeardEric Dolphyplay_arrow
Introduction to Eric Dolphy's masterpiece album
5eastMidnight BlueKenny Burrell
Midnight BlueKenny Burrellplay_arrow
Kenny Burrell’s classic blues album
6eastBouncing with BudBud Powell
Bouncing with BudBud Powellplay_arrow
Introduce Bud Powell’s classic albums
7eastMoanin’Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Moanin'Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengersplay_arrow
Art Blakey’s masterful jazz album
8eastAfro Blue (Feat. Erykah Badu)Robert Glasper Experiment
Afro Blue (Feat. Erykah Badu)Robert Glasper Experimentplay_arrow
An innovative album in which Glasper fuses jazz and hip-hop
9eastRound MidnightThelonious Monk
Round MidnightThelonious Monkplay_arrow
The genius of Thelonious Monk’s improvisation
10eastCheese CakeDexter Gordon
Cheese CakeDexter Gordonplay_arrow
Dexter Gordon’s Masterpiece Album “Go”
11eastThe SidewinderLee Morgan
The SidewinderLee Morganplay_arrow
Lee Morgan's classic jazz album
12eastCherokeeClifford Brown
CherokeeClifford Brownplay_arrow
The Life and Music of Clifford Brown
13eastSoul StationHank Mobley
Soul StationHank Mobleyplay_arrow
Hank Mobley’s jazz masterpiece album
14eastCool Struttin’Sonny Clark
Cool Struttin'Sonny Clarkplay_arrow
Sonny Clark, jazz pianist
15eastStepsCecil Taylor
StepsCecil Taylorplay_arrow
Cecil Taylor’s pioneering free jazz work
16eastMaiden VoyageHerbie Hancock
Maiden VoyageHerbie Hancockplay_arrow
Herbie Hancock’s masterpiece album themed around the sea
17eastFee-Fi-Fo-FumWayne Shorter
Fee-Fi-Fo-FumWayne Shorterplay_arrow
Wayne Shorter's 1964 modal jazz masterpiece
18eastArms Of A WomanAmos Lee
Arms Of A WomanAmos Leeplay_arrow
Amos Lee's debut work
19eastTupelo Honey (Van Morrison Cover)Cassandra Wilson
Tupelo Honey (Van Morrison Cover)Cassandra Wilsonplay_arrow
Introduction to Cassandra Wilson’s masterpiece album
20eastAs We Fight (Willie Penrose)Ambrose Akinmusire
As We Fight (Willie Penrose)Ambrose Akinmusireplay_arrow
Akinmushia’s Innovative Jazz Album
21eastGreen StreetGrant Green
Green StreetGrant Greenplay_arrow
Grant Green's captivating guitar playing
22eastA Fistful Of SilverHorace Silver
A Fistful Of SilverHorace Silverplay_arrow
Horace Silver was a jazz pianist who developed hard bop.
23eastJutta Hipp With Zoot SimsJutta Hipp
Jutta Hipp With Zoot SimsJutta Hippplay_arrow
The achievements of German jazz pianist Jutta Hipp
24eastThe Amazing Bud PowellBud Powell
The Amazing Bud PowellBud Powellplay_arrow
Bud Powell's signature album
25eastTakin’ OffHerbie Hancock
Takin' OffHerbie Hancockplay_arrow
Herbie Hancock's Musical Life
26eastAfro-CubanKenny Dorham
Afro-CubanKenny Dorhamplay_arrow
A jazz album where Kenny Dorham masterfully contrasts stillness and dynamism
27eastNewk’s TimeSonny Rollins
Newk's TimeSonny Rollinsplay_arrow
Packed with the allure of Sonny Rollins
28eastLeewayLee Morgan
LeewayLee Morganplay_arrow
Lee Morgan’s hard bop masterpiece
29eastHub CapFreddie Hubbard
Hub CapFreddie Hubbardplay_arrow
Freddie Hubbard, master jazz trumpeter
30eastAnother WorkoutHank Mobley
Another WorkoutHank Mobleyplay_arrow
Hank Mobley is a tenor saxophonist.
31eastJ.R. MonteroseJ.R. Monterose
J.R. MonteroseJ.R. Monteroseplay_arrow
Montrose’s masterpiece hard bop album
32eastTHE SERMONJimmy Smith
THE SERMONJimmy Smithplay_arrow
Jimmy Smith established soul jazz.
33eastByrd In HandDonald Byrd
Byrd In HandDonald Byrdplay_arrow
Donald Byrd's masterpiece hard bop jazz album
34eastCannonball Takes ChargeCannonball Adderley
Cannonball Takes ChargeCannonball Adderleyplay_arrow
Introduction to Cannonball Adderley’s Classic Albums
35eastBasraPete La Roca
BasraPete La Rocaplay_arrow
A genius artist with a background as a jazz drummer and lawyer
36eastIntroducing Johnny GriffinJohnny Griffin
Introducing Johnny GriffinJohnny Griffinplay_arrow
Introducing the virtuosity of Johnny Griffin
37eastBack On The SceneBennie Green
Back On The SceneBennie Greenplay_arrow
Benny Green Golden Era Jazz Masterpiece
38eastFace To Face -RvgBaby Face Willette
Face To Face -RvgBaby Face Willetteplay_arrow
A soulful organ jazz album
39eastClubhouseDexter Gordon
ClubhouseDexter Gordonplay_arrow
A jazz masterpiece, the soothing sound of the saxophone.
40eastLate Night GuitarEarl Klugh
Late Night GuitarEarl Klughplay_arrow
An elegant album where guitar melodies illuminate the heart
41eastSome Others StuffGrachan Moncur III
Some Others StuffGrachan Moncur IIIplay_arrow
Representative avant-garde jazz work(s) by Grachan Moncur III
42eastCapuchin SwingJackie Mclean
Capuchin SwingJackie Mcleanplay_arrow
Jackie McLean is a jazz saxophonist.
43eastHere TisLou Donaldson
Here TisLou Donaldsonplay_arrow
A classic jazz performance by Ru Donaldson
44eastBirth Of The CoolMiles Davis
Birth Of The CoolMiles Davisplay_arrow
Miles Davis’s groundbreaking work established cool jazz
45eastBass on TopPaul Chambers
Bass on TopPaul Chambersplay_arrow
Paul Chambers’s illustrious career as a bassist and his representative works
46eastBottoms Up!The Three Sounds
Bottoms Up!The Three Soundsplay_arrow
A masterpiece album by The Three Sounds
47eastDavis CupWalter Davis Jr
Davis CupWalter Davis Jrplay_arrow
Walter Davis Jr.'s representative work, Davis Cup
48eastThe Magnificent Thad JonesThad Jones
The Magnificent Thad JonesThad Jonesplay_arrow
Thad Jones's trumpet playing
49eastThe Music From The ConnectionFREDDIE REDD
The Music From The ConnectionFREDDIE REDDplay_arrow
Freddie Redd’s masterful piano album
50eastSoul SambaIke Quebec
Soul SambaIke Quebecplay_arrow
Ike Quebec demonstrates his talent as a saxophonist
51eastSpringTony Williams
SpringTony Williamsplay_arrow
Tony Williams's masterpiece drum album
52eastDon’t Smoke In BedHolly Cole
Don't Smoke In BedHolly Coleplay_arrow
A classic Holly Cole album for jazz beginners