The late 50’s and 60’s was the golden age of modern jazz, and Blue Note’s archive of great material by the very greatest jazz artists of our time is bulging at the seams. Not only was the jazz arguably the most adventurous and exploratory, but the quality of recordings was such that it is hard to match, even with today’s technology. Much of the latter was due to the extraordinary skills and loving care of recording engineers and producers of the time, including the legendary Rudy Van Gelder. So, if you audiophiles out there are looking for music that will reveal the full potential of your undoubtedly major hi-fi investments, look no further. The even better news is that these superb revivals from Blue Note come under the category of middle-price offerings. In short, they are as cheap as chips and offer the best value in today’s music market.

This latest series of compilations is a fascinating one and a great place to start for those wishing to embark on their modern jazz love affair, or to have near at hand what the artists feel are their best songs on single CDs. THE ARTIST SELECTS is the name of the series and includes the very greatest jazz exponents and musicians. Right now I’m listening to the first of four CDs I received, and it’s Freddie Hubbard THE ARTIST SELECTS. Playing along with Hubbard on this selection are Art Blakey, Wayne Shorter, Philly Joe Jones, Hank Mobley, McCoy Tyner, Elvin Jones, James Spalding, Herbie Hancock, Joe Henderson and several others. Hubbard has chosen a diverse collection of material, with the common thread of soulfulness and emotion running through them. The Core opens his account with a song that fairly rattles along after a slow and sorrowful opening. It’s a nine-minute, explosive exploration of the best that jazz and Hubbard can offer, and it’s no surprise that it was chosen to open this fabulous collection. It’s followed immediately by another of his classics, Crisis with its superb bass and piano opening, a prelude to a complex song with several changes of pace and mood. Also included here are Up Jumped Spring, Prophet Jennings, Lament For Booker, Breaking Point, Karioka, The Melting Pot, and Birdlike. Reading the sleeve notes, I also noticed that the artists in question also chose the order of play of each of their songs, and it shows…

This is a wonderful collection and certainly one of the best in the Blue Note Revival series. It also includes selections by Lou Donaldson, Kenny Burrell and one of my great favourites, Gerald Wilson. All are essential listening.