Blue Note 7 Celebrates Label’s 70 Years With New Releases And Tour

By I Sep. 24, 2008

On Jan. 13, Blue Note Records will commemorate the label’s 70th anniversary with the release of Mosiac: A Celebration of Blue Note Records, an eight-song collection of classic Blue Note repertoire re-envisioned by The Blue Note 7, an all-star septet comprising pianist, musical director, and current Blue Note recording artist Bill Charlap with trumpeter Nicholas Payton, tenor saxophonist Ravi Coltrane, alto saxophonist/flutist Steve Wilson, guitarist Peter Bernstein, bassist Peter Washington and drummer Lewis Nash.

“The Blue Note 7 is a true collaboration, an all-star band comprised of the next generation of major players, all leaders in their own right,” said Bruce Lundvall, President of Blue Note Records, who is also celebrating 25 years since he relaunched the label in 1984 after a hiatus. “They are also the A-list of accomplished arrangers and composers, steeped in the Blue Note tradition, re-imagining this time-honored repertoire in a fresh way.”

Each track on Mosaic was arranged by a band member, with the exception of two tracks arranged by pianist Renee Rosnes: McCoy Tyner’s “Search for Peace” and Herbie Hancock’s “Dolphin Dance.” Charlap points out that song choice was determined by the band’s desire to cover diverse tunes with different moods and arranging approaches. “Although each player is a leader in his own right, it’s the chemistry between these musicians that makes the band. We’re relatively young guys who have a lot of experience collectively, and we’ve had the opportunity to perform with many of the major Blue Note artists.”

The Blue Note 7 tour, which begins on Jan. 7 in Yakima, Washington, continues with concerts at universities and concert halls in 50 cities across North America. The tour will culminate in a six-night run in mid-April at Birdland in New York. European dates will also be announced for Fall 2009.

More info: bluenote.com