October 17, 2024
Presenting Blue Note Review: Volume Three – TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLEE MORGAN, the long-awaited third edition of our acclaimed vinyl boxset series, which returns with an emphatic celebration of Blue Note legend Lee Morgan. Curated by Blue Note President Don Was, the set encapsulates the continuum of the legendary jazz label’s 85-year legacy, showcasing both our storied past and auspicious future. A limited-edition production of 2,000 sets, Volume Three is available to order now exclusively on the Blue Note Store and will begin shipping on November 1.
The foundation of each Blue Note Review remains the music—The Finest In Jazz Since 1939—and there’s even more than before in Volume Three with an exclusive collection of new recordings, an exclusive previously unreleased discovery, and timeless treasures from the Blue Note vaults. The newly released music within will only be available in the Review, it won’t be found on streaming services or digital download sites, and none of the items contained in the set will be sold separately. To make it all sound great the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley was on board to supervise the vinyl mastering and manufacturing. All the music here was mastered for vinyl by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio.
Included in Blue Note Review: Volume Three – TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLEE MORGAN are:
- A new compilation album on 2-LP, 180g 12” vinyl (CD version also included) of modern jazz luminaries from the Blue Note roster and beyond including Joel Ross, Bill Frisell, Derrick Hodge, ARTEMIS, Chris Botti, Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah, and Keyon Harrold paying tribute to Lee Morgan by re-interpreting compositions from the trumpeter’s classic Blue Note albums. The collection culminates with a previously unreleased alternate version of “Morgan the Pirate” from Morgan’s 1964 masterpiece Search for the New Land. “Tone Poet” Joe Harley supervised the vinyl mastering and manufacturing of this album, which was mastered for vinyl by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and manufactured at RTI.
- A 10” vinyl release of a riveting, never-before-issued jam session that took place at the legendary Chicago club the Gate of Horn, probably in 1959. Discovered by Zev Feldman, the session was led by Philly Joe Jones, and features Lee Morgan, Ira Sullivan, Nicky Hill, Bobby Timmons, and Spanky DeBrest. Supervised by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley, the album was mastered for vinyl by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and manufactured at Furnace.
- An all-analog 180g 12” vinyl reissue of Lee Morgan’s album Sonic Boom featuring David Newman, Cedar Walton, Ron Carter, and Billy Higgins. The album was recorded in April 1967, but not first released until 1979. The inspired frontline of Morgan and “Fathead” Newman is the highlight of this engaging set which presents five Morgan originals and the ballad “I’ll Never Be The Same.” Supervised by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley, the reissue was mastered directly from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and manufactured at RTI.
- An all-analog 45rpm 7” vinyl reissue of Lee Morgan’s singles “Sweet Honey Bee” and “Hey Chico” featuring Jackie McLean, Hank Mobley, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins. Originally released in 1969 as part of Blue Note’s 1900 series of 45s, the tracks were recorded in September 1966 and taken from Morgan’s album Charisma. Supervised by the “Tone Poet” Joe Harley, the reissue was mastered directly from the original analog master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio and manufactured at Furnace.
- A Blue Note 45rpm Record Adaptor featuring Blue Note logo cut outs.
- Two stunning 12”x12” lithographs of Lee Morgan by photographer and Blue Note co-founder Francis Wolff.
- The zine Out Of The Blue featuring a fascinating collection of pieces edited by Evan Haga including: essays on Lee Morgan by today’s trumpet luminaries such as Wynton Marsalis, Randy Brecker, Ambrose Akinmusire, and more; an essay on the mysterious jam session at Gate of Horn by David Fricke; a look at the intersection of jazz and art by the late, great critic Greg Tate; an essay by Natalie Weiner telling the story of women in jazz criticism; a perspective on the impact of McCoy Tyner on African Music by pianist Nduduzo Makhathini; a collection of insightful photos taken by bassist Marcus Miller; and a comic drawn by Keith Henry Brown about an argument between Art Blakey, Lee Morgan, and Wayne Shorter as recounted by Shorter.
