Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

2018

Documentary / History / Music

Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh 95% · 22 reviews
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright 80%
IMDb Rating 7.3/10 10 649 649

jazz blue note records

Plot summary

Explore the vision behind the iconic American jazz record label. Since 1939, Blue Note artists have been encouraged to push creative boundaries in search of uncompromising expressions. Through current recording sessions, rare archive and conversations with iconic Blue Note artists, the film reveals an intimate perspective of a legacy that continues to be vital in today’s political climate.

Director

Sophie Huber Photo
Sophie Huber

Top cast

Kendrick Lamar Photo
Kendrick Lamar as Self
Don Was Photo
Don Was as Self
Herbie Hancock Photo
Herbie Hancock as Self
Meade 'Lux' Lewis Photo
Meade 'Lux' Lewis as Self
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
794.75 MB
1280*720
English 2.0
NR
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 26 min
Seeds 2
1.59 GB
1920*1080
English 5.1
NR
Subtitles
23.976 fps
1 hr 26 min
Seeds 8

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by jazfro

how do you create and nurture an innovation factory?

There are three parts to this informative but incomplete documentary -it is incomplete because an authoritative history of the blue note record label would require interviews and testimonies from many more of the witnesses and participants. It is informative because it gives enough time to the interviews to be developed. In my view here are the three parts of the piece: 1. it provides a potted history of blue note, its founders, and key participants. Factually informative. I had read about the rudy van gelder studio, but this is the first time I could see it on film and that was nice. 2. around the third quarter of the movie there's an extended piece about a recording with herbie hancock and wayne shorter, which captures many insights about playing jazz, what improvization is really about, and how this is an opportunity to learn about creativity, teamwork, and leadership. 3. The last chapter of the doco connects the dots between jazz and hip-hop in a very nice way - though this was perhaps the weaker theme of the film. Overall a very watchable and well researched piece. I recommend it highly to anyone curious about jazz, hip-hop, and how this connects to popular culture.
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Reviewed by Henry_Seggerman 9 / 10

a huge pleasure

If you have any appreciation whatsoever for Jazz, you must watch this movie. I had no idea at all that these two German refugees -- with no real knowledge of music or business -- had started this extraordinary company, one which defied all the norms of the mercenary recording industry. A pleasure from start to finish.

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