Blue Note: A Story of Modern Jazz

The soundtrack to a documentary on the Blue Note label's history, Blue Note: A Story of Modern Jazz also works quite well as a introductory sampler for neophytes. The mix ranges from bebop (Howard McGhee and Fats Navarro's "Boperation") to some free-form hard bop (Grachan Moncur II's "Evolution"), with plenty of distinct voices to hear along the way. The full list is predictably stunning, including as it does the likes of Miles Davis, Monk, Herbie Hancock, Lee Morgan, Joe Henderson, Hank Mobley, and Bud Powell; the extensive support cast is equally impressive. So, whether you go in for boogaloo grooves (Morgan's "Sidewinder") or a bit of prickly bop (Elmo Hope's "Crazy"), this audio history of one of the most important record labels in music will no doubt provide a bevy of listening pleasures.