Blue Note Records' founders Alfred Lion (left) and Francis Wolff in 1965

Blue Note, the world-famous record label founded in 1939, turns 80 today.

It was on Jan. 6, 1939 that the label’s co-founder, German immigrant Alfred Lion, produced its first recording session in New York City, featuring the boogie-woogie piano of Meade Lux Lewis and Albert Ammons.

To draw attention to its important legacy, Blue Note will keep the 80th-anniversary celebration going throughout the year. That means a fall tour including three current label signees: James Carter, Kandace Springs, and James Francies; a series of vinyl reissues beginning in April that are organized around various themes and co-curated by Don Was, the label’s president since 2012; a new volume (number three) in the Blue Note Review box set subscription series; and canvas art prints of classic album covers, among other things.

Several new playlists on Spotify and Apple Music, including a special edition of  https://bluenote.lnk.to/BlueNoteMonthly" rel="nofollow - The Blue Note Monthly , are devoted to overviews of the label’s formidable back catalogue. A documentary,  https://jazztimes.com/reviews/videos/blue-note-records-beyond-notes/" rel="nofollow - Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes , which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2018, will see wider distribution this year. And the PDX Jazz Festival in Portland, Ore., will pay tribute to the label with a special string of performances called “Blue Note at 80.”

Another component of the anniversary festivities,  https://www.bluenoteatsea.com/" rel="nofollow - a Caribbean cruise from Jan. 26-Feb. 2 featuring a wide array of the label’s artists , is already sold out.

Eighty years after its founding, Blue Note is still going strong. For instance, Emanon,  https://jazztimes.com/features/wayne-shorter-other-worlds/" rel="nofollow - the three-disc Wayne Shorter set  released by the label last year, was picked by JazzTimes‘ critics as  https://jazztimes.com/departments/criticspicks/year-in-review-top-50-albums-2018/" rel="nofollow - the No. 1 album of 2018  and was recently  https://jazztimes.com/news/2019-grammy-nominations-announced/" rel="nofollow - nominated for a Grammy .

from https://jazztimes.com