Blue Note: The Album Cover Art

by Glyn Callingham and Graham Marsh

Book Overview

Music lovers have been attracted to the distinct style and sleek sound of jazz since its birth at the turn of the century. The album covers collected in this comprehensive volume under the well-known Blue Note record label embody classic design and pioneering typography. Two hundred color photographs of the album sleeves, an informative history of the Blue Note record company, and a portrait of Reid Miles, who designed nearly 500 album covers, capture...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811800369
• ISBN13: 9780811800365
• Release Date: August 1991
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (CA)
• Length: 127 Pages
• Weight: 1.90 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 11.8" x 11.8"

Customer Reviews

Cover notes

If you don't have the large two-volume Blue Note cover books settle for this compact version. Admittedly the reduced size does not quite have the impact of the originals (the two books were just a bit smaller than LP covers featured inside) but I don't think it lessens the impact of these great designs Most of the work is by Reid Miles and over fifteen years he created about five hundred LP covers, frequently using the gutsy black and white photos of musicians taken by Francis Wolf. There are two stunning books of his work: The Blue Note Years: The Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff and Blue Note: Jazz Photography of Francis Wolff (they are actually different books). Many of these great photos have a black background because they were taken in the windowless studio of Blue Note's main recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Considering that plenty of these cover designs are well over forty years old they still look fresh and dynamic. I think it is because they are really quite simple, a great photo, straightforward typography and perhaps Reid Miles secret: the clever use of space. Flick through the pages and cover after cover have empty areas, these helped to create the Blue Note look. Most LP covers were usually designed to avoid empty space, "fill that hole with the track titles" was no doubt a common cry in record company marketing departments. This compact paperback is a lovely reminder of some wonderful work by a designer who created so much from so little. ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

Classic

Blue Note Records not only released Classic Albums but also had Classic Album Covers that covered so much more.the Book displays the many images & stylings.if you get a chance watch the special on Blue Note Records which goes into full depth about the Music,Artists,Owners of the Label & those Classic album covers. enjoy.

Wonderful, but the binding is lousy

...the contents are great but after a month the binding has already come apart. The individual pages are bound together seperately, but the cover and spine has seperated from them. Otherwise, I would give this 5 stars. Great reproductions, the colors are fantastic. This makes a great coffee table book.

Blue Note: Best Jazz & Best Jazz Album Covers

Poor your favorite beverage; play your favorite jazz album; then sit down and enjoy this wonderful collection. If jazz were a book, this would be it! The artwork is stunning and the layout is exceptional. The covers tell a history of jazz that words cannot convey, a story of innovation, rhythm, and of music that comes from the heart.

Timeless music, timeless design.

This book is a great homage to the graphic work of Reid Miles and the amazing talent Blue Note records has had in it's history. In a nice, album- sized format, this book has a great collection of clean, smart graphic design. Heavy on type and simplicity, "Blue Note: The Album Cover Art" is a must for designers and jazz lovers alike. If you're both-then hot damn, you're in luck!