In the early 1960s, jazz artists cutting a blues record was not an uncommon occurrence. Lots of musicians were doing it. Some of Jimmy Smith's and Stanley Turrentine's best records mix up their well-tuned jazz skills with some tasty blues chord changes. So when Kenny Burrell approached Blue Note about cutting a blues album, they were more than happy to let him do it and the result was Midnight Blue, a jazz and blues masterpiece. Aside from the extraordinary music contained within its grooves, it also has the perfect name and the perfect cover artwork.
You know - the total package.
The title tells you everything you need to know: you're about to listen to some laid back, late night blues. It's not your standard Kenny Burrell album, but the band he put together was talented enough to pull off his vision, and I've never met anyone who didn't love this record.
Although all of the tracks on here could be labeled as laid back blues, there is also enough variety to set some of them apart from others. Wavy Gravy is a bit waltzy, for example, and several other tunes have a quicker tempo that livens things up a bit. But it's still blues. Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You? is the sole standard, but it, too, is a blues - at least here.
This is an incredible album, right up there on the essential list alongside Kind Of Blue and Blue Train. There's no piano on this record but it's unnecessary. This record is an exercise in simplicity as much as it is a blues record. Everything is exactly where it needs to be, nothing is missing, and some of the included embellishments - like Ray Barretto’s subtle conga touch - is the cherry on top.
My copy is a Music Matters Jazz (MMJ) reissue that is no longer in print. You can still find it on the secondary market but it will probably cost you between $300 - $400 if you do. But it's worth every penny.
MMJ, known for its high-quality all-analog reissues of classic Blue Note records, is now supposed to have completed their very specific mission of reissuing the absolute best of the Blue Note catalogue at the highest possible price. Oops. I meant quality. Many of these records have been pressed on what MMJ is trumpeting as a new vinyl formula they're calling SRX Vinyl that is supposedly quieter and has better resolution than regular vinyl.
I have a couple of records pressed on SRX Vinyl and they sound incredible. But then MMJ has always been synonymous with extremely high quality, from the music to the heavyweight gatefold covers and added session photos. A premium product in the truest sense, MMJ has released some of the absolute best sounding and quietest jazz records available anywhere. Period.
Unfortunately, the so-called "vinyl boom" of recent years has also resulted in the appearance of a bunch of new European record labels whose sole purpose was to make money by taking advantage of the European Union's relaxed copyright laws. Sometimes using CDs as their source - or worse - they look a lot like the MMJ pressings, but it's all smoke and mirrors designed to fool people into thinking they are getting something they are not.
The vinyl MMJ used previous to SRX vinyl was the same vinyl everyone else used, although perhaps MMJ had better quality control measures in place. SRX is brown-coloured and somewhat translucent, and it is somehow able to sound like - I dunno - the next big thing that was supposed to happen but never did? It's really that good, and this is reflected in the company's marketing that claims the SRX pressings have higher resolution due to the ability to pull more detail from the old tapes using a precise all-analog re-mastering process. And my ears can't find fault in this claim.
I've got a few MMJ releases in addition to Midnight Blue, both SRX and "regular" vinyl, and while they all sound absolutely fabulous the SRX pressings do seem to offer so much more. There really is something to this stuff; it's not hype. The records are quieter and the lack of carbon in the raw material might be the reason I hear the extra detail I didn't hear before. Subtle differences, but they're there and they're easy to hear.
Midnight Blue opens with the gentle swing of Chitlins Con Carne, whose soft percussive intro seemed to envelope the entire room and immediately drew me in. The instruments were separated by spaces such as I've never heard before and it really did make me feel as though I was enjoying my own private concert with Burrell and his band in the room right in front of me. Burrell himself was sitting in the leather recliner to my left. I swear it.
After Chitlins comes Mule, which is a great blues and showcases Burrell's mastery of his instrument. This song, on MMJ's very quiet vinyl, sounds delicious. The mood continues with Soul Lament, which follows Mule, and is a real delight to listen to. Burrell's unique single note style of playing is showcased here in stunning, subtle detail that is enhanced by the quality and quiet of the vinyl it is pressed on.
The most wonderful thing about this record is that the magic never lets up. Virtually every note contained in the record's seven songs is essential, and the band - which includes Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone on several tracks - seems to be delighted with the choice of songs and the mood Burrell has asked them to create.
It's a truly magical LP.
The original MMJ pressings were excellent. The SRX are even better. But they're not cheap. It could, however, be argued they are affordable, as they seem to retain their value and the earlier (and now out-of-print and almost impossible to find) reissues are commanding a lot of money on eBay and Discogs. For those who, like me, are interested in finding that elusive ultimate sound quality and have a decent system (some cheaper cartridges don't seem to like SRX vinyl and skip across it), these records offer something more than what you were able to hear before - no matter how good your system. SRX does seem to be a leap forward for vinyl records. It is supposedly difficult to work with and expensive to manufacture, but the results are extraordinary and you owe it to yourself to add at least one of these records to your collection. And no, I don't have any vested interest in the company. This record is …
In the early 1960s, jazz artists cutting a blues record was not an uncommon occurrence. Lots of musicians were doing it. Some of Jimmy Smith's and Stanley Turrentine's best records mix up their well-tuned jazz skills with some tasty blues chord changes. So when Kenny Burrell approached Blue Note about cutting a blues album, they were more than happy to let him do it and the result was Midnight Blue, a jazz and blues masterpiece. Aside from the extraordinary music contained within its grooves, it also has the perfect name and the perfect cover artwork.
You know - the total package.
The title tells you everything you need to know: you're about to listen to some laid back, late night blues. It's not your standard Kenny Burrell album, but the band he put together was talented enough to pull off his vision, and I've never met anyone who didn't love this record.
Although all of the tracks on here could be labeled as laid back blues, there is also enough variety to set some of them apart from others. Wavy Gravy is a bit waltzy, for example, and several other tunes have a quicker tempo that livens things up a bit. But it's still blues. Gee Baby, Ain’t I Good to You? is the sole standard, but it, too, is a blues - at least here.
This is an incredible album, right up there on the essential list alongside Kind Of Blue and Blue Train. There's no piano on this record but it's unnecessary. This record is an exercise in simplicity as much as it is a blues record. Everything is exactly where it needs to be, nothing is missing, and some of the included embellishments - like Ray Barretto’s subtle conga touch - is the cherry on top.
My copy is a Music Matters Jazz (MMJ) reissue that is no longer in print. You can still find it on the secondary market but it will probably cost you between $300 - $400 if you do. But it's worth every penny.
MMJ, known for its high-quality all-analog reissues of classic Blue Note records, is now supposed to have completed their very specific mission of reissuing the absolute best of the Blue Note catalogue at the highest possible price. Oops. I meant quality. Many of these records have been pressed on what MMJ is trumpeting as a new vinyl formula they're calling SRX Vinyl that is supposedly quieter and has better resolution than regular vinyl.
I have a couple of records pressed on SRX Vinyl and they sound incredible. But then MMJ has always been synonymous with extremely high quality, from the music to the heavyweight gatefold covers and added session photos. A premium product in the truest sense, MMJ has released some of the absolute best sounding and quietest jazz records available anywhere. Period.
Unfortunately, the so-called "vinyl boom" of recent years has also resulted in the appearance of a bunch of new European record labels whose sole purpose was to make money by taking advantage of the European Union's relaxed copyright laws. Sometimes using CDs as their source - or worse - they look a lot like the MMJ pressings, but it's all smoke and mirrors designed to fool people into thinking they are getting something they are not.
The vinyl MMJ used previous to SRX vinyl was the same vinyl everyone else used, although perhaps MMJ had better quality control measures in place. SRX is brown-coloured and somewhat translucent, and it is somehow able to sound like - I dunno - the next big thing that was supposed to happen but never did? It's really that good, and this is reflected in the company's marketing that claims the SRX pressings have higher resolution due to the ability to pull more detail from the old tapes using a precise all-analog re-mastering process. And my ears can't find fault in this claim.
I've got a few MMJ releases in addition to Midnight Blue, both SRX and "regular" vinyl, and while they all sound absolutely fabulous the SRX pressings do seem to offer so much more. There really is something to this stuff; it's not hype. The records are quieter and the lack of carbon in the raw material might be the reason I hear the extra detail I didn't hear before. Subtle differences, but they're there and they're easy to hear.
Midnight Blue opens with the gentle swing of Chitlins Con Carne, whose soft percussive intro seemed to envelope the entire room and immediately drew me in. The instruments were separated by spaces such as I've never heard before and it really did make me feel as though I was enjoying my own private concert with Burrell and his band in the room right in front of me. Burrell himself was sitting in the leather recliner to my left. I swear it.
After Chitlins comes Mule, which is a great blues and showcases Burrell's mastery of his instrument. This song, on MMJ's very quiet vinyl, sounds delicious. The mood continues with Soul Lament, which follows Mule, and is a real delight to listen to. Burrell's unique single note style of playing is showcased here in stunning, subtle detail that is enhanced by the quality and quiet of the vinyl it is pressed on.
The most wonderful thing about this record is that the magic never lets up. Virtually every note contained in the record's seven songs is essential, and the band - which includes Stanley Turrentine on tenor saxophone on several tracks - seems to be delighted with the choice of songs and the mood Burrell has asked them to create.
It's a truly magical LP.
The original MMJ pressings were excellent. The SRX are even better. But they're not cheap. It could, however, be argued they are affordable, as they seem to retain their value and the earlier (and now out-of-print and almost impossible to find) reissues are commanding a lot of money on eBay and Discogs. For those who, like me, are interested in finding that elusive ultimate sound quality and have a decent system (some cheaper cartridges don't seem to like SRX vinyl and skip across it), these records offer something more than what you were able to hear before - no matter how good your system. SRX does seem to be a leap forward for vinyl records. It is supposedly difficult to work with and expensive to manufacture, but the results are extraordinary and you owe it to yourself to add at least one of these records to your collection. And no, I don't have any vested interest in the company. This record is …
BONUS TRACK
Looking for the perfect album to show that jazz and blues work perfectly well together?
Here it is.
Recorded in April, 1963, at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Midnight Blue is killer from beginning to end. From the very first note it’s clear why this LP was so popular when it was first released and continues to be just as popular today.
It's just that good.
It’s been called as elegant a record as the Blue Note label ever released, and from the beginning of Chittlins Con Carne - which highlights a nice and sweet back-and-forth between Turrentine’s horn and Burrell’s guitar - it is late night blues personified.
Kenny Burrell is a highly respected jazz artist and educator. He was Duke Ellington’s go-to guitarist. Over the years he played with many of the greatest: Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane among others.
He has certainly been prolific, having recorded almost 100 albums and appeared as a sideman on more than twice that number.
As an educator, Burrell developed the first college course on the music of Duke Ellington to be taught in the United States. Born in Detroit, Burrell started playing the guitar at age 12, and first entered a recording studio as a sideman on a Dizzy Gillespie session at age 19.
His influences included Charlie Christian and Oscar Moore, best known as Nat King Cole’s guitarist.
The genesis for Midnight Blue, came during a conversation Burrell had with Blue Note owner Alfred Lion about doing an album based on the blues. Burrell was so focused on the album and the statement he wanted to make that he even came up with the concept for the album cover.
The session took place on one day, April 21, 1967, and featured one "standard" song and seven Burrell originals.
Released in early May, 1963, Midnight Blue immediately garnered attention and praise from both blues and jazz musicians and critics. It was fresh and new and - almost - perfect.
Looking for the perfect album to show that jazz and blues work perfectly well together?
Here it is.
Recorded in April, 1963, at Rudy Van Gelder’s studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey Midnight Blue is killer from beginning to end. From the very first note it’s clear why this LP was so popular when it was first released and continues to be just as popular today.
It's just that good.
It’s been called as elegant a record as the Blue Note label ever released, and from the beginning of Chittlins Con Carne - which highlights a nice and sweet back-and-forth between Turrentine’s horn and Burrell’s guitar - it is late night blues personified.
Kenny Burrell is a highly respected jazz artist and educator. He was Duke Ellington’s go-to guitarist. Over the years he played with many of the greatest: Oscar Peterson, Coleman Hawkins, Billie Holiday, Benny Goodman, Sonny Rollins, and John Coltrane among others.
He has certainly been prolific, having recorded almost 100 albums and appeared as a sideman on more than twice that number.
As an educator, Burrell developed the first college course on the music of Duke Ellington to be taught in the United States. Born in Detroit, Burrell started playing the guitar at age 12, and first entered a recording studio as a sideman on a Dizzy Gillespie session at age 19.
His influences included Charlie Christian and Oscar Moore, best known as Nat King Cole’s guitarist.
The genesis for Midnight Blue, came during a conversation Burrell had with Blue Note owner Alfred Lion about doing an album based on the blues. Burrell was so focused on the album and the statement he wanted to make that he even came up with the concept for the album cover.
The session took place on one day, April 21, 1967, and featured one "standard" song and seven Burrell originals.
Released in early May, 1963, Midnight Blue immediately garnered attention and praise from both blues and jazz musicians and critics. It was fresh and new and - almost - perfect.
