The Blue Note Jazz Club is a jazz club and restaurant located at 131 West 3rd Street in Greenwich Village, New York City.[1] The club's performance schedule features shows every evening at 8:00 pm and 10:30 pm and a Sunday jazz brunch. The club has locations across the globe in New York, NY; Waikiki, Hawaii; Napa, CA; Tokyo, Japan; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; São Paulo, Brazil; Milan, Italy; Beijing and Shanghai, China.
![]() Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City, December 2016 | |
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Address | 131 West 3rd Street United States |
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Location | New York City |
Coordinates | 40°43′51″N 74°0′4″W / 40.73083°N 74.00111°W |
Type | jazz club |
Opened | September 30, 1981 |
Website | |
www |

History
editThe club was opened on September 30, 1981, by owner and founder Danny Bensusan, with the Nat Adderley Quintet being the featured performers for the night. Bensusan's belief was "that if he brought big acts into a comfortable environment with great food, he could pack the house night after night."[2] The Blue Note was soon established as New York City's premier jazz club, with Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson and the Modern Jazz Quartet among prestigious regular performers there.[3] Bensusan booked Ray Charles for a full week every year.[2] The Blue Note is still considered one of the world's most famous jazz venues and one of the best known and most expensive in New York.[4] Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, and James Carter have all recorded live albums at the Blue Note.[5]
Half Note Records
editHalf Note Records is the Blue Note's live record label, founded in 2001.[6] Numerous musicians have recorded live albums at the Blue Note and released them on this label, including James Carter, Avishai Cohen, Elvin Jones, Odean Pope, Charles Tolliver, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Kenny Werner, Arturo Sandoval, Kenny Garrett and others. Since its founding in 1998, the label has also expanded its scope to include studio releases, including McCoy Tyner's 2008 album Guitars and Kenny Werner's 2010 release, No Beginning, No End.
Blue Note Jazz Festival
editThe Blue Note Jazz Festival began in New York City in 2011. Since then it has expanded to encompass the Blue Note Jazz Festival Napa Valley, The Blue Note Jazz Festival "Black Radio Experience" and Blue Note Jazz Festival at the Hollywood Bowl.
Black Radio Experience
editThe Black Radio Experience, presented by Blue Note Jazz Festival is hosted yearly on Labor Day Weekend at The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa County, California.
For three days, legendary artists and passionate music lovers come together for a celebration unlike any other. From jazz, hip-hop, and R&B to soul, spoken word, and live DJ sets, we’re celebrating the sound, legacy, and future of music in all its forms.
Robert Glasper, the heart and soul of the festival, lead this iconic weekend, bringing his visionary energy to a lineup that will blow you away. In addition to amazing performances, dive into artist-led experiences, signature culinary events, and wine tastings that make the Black Radio Experience truly special.
Gallery
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Program at the Blue Note Jazz Club, New York City, December 10, 2016
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Chick Corea's and John McLaughlin at the club on Corea's 75th birthday, December 10, 2016
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The Blue Note Jazz Club, August 2012
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Chick Corea Elektric Band at the club in 2007
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Blue Note Jazz Club, New Year's Day, 2006
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Ravi Coltrane playing at the Blue Note, New York City, in 2023
References
edit- ^ Billboard. November 24, 2001. p. 44. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
- ^ a b Alison Morris, "Blue Note Jazz Club now a global brand" Archived March 21, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, Fox5NY, March 11, 2015.
- ^ Alex Beram, "Interview with Mega-Owner Steven Bensusan", Music Business Journal, Berklee College of Music, March 2008.
- ^ Otis, Ginger Adams; Greenfield, Beth (August 1, 2010). New York City. Lonely Planet. p. 308. ISBN 978-1-74179-591-2. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
- ^ "Blue Note - Jazz Club in New York | Portrait" (in German). Retrieved December 17, 2021.
- ^ Billboard. February 21, 2004. p. 40. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved November 3, 2012.
External links
edit- Official website
- New York City location
- Blue Note Hawaii location
- Blue Note Napa location
- Blue Note Los Angeles location
- Blue Note Tokyo, Japan location
- Blue Note Rio, Brazil location
- São Paulo, Brazil location
- Milan, Italy location
- Beijing, China location
- Black Radio Experience website