Kenny Burrell - Midnight Blue - Blue Note Records

Guitarist Kenny Burrell debuted on Blue Note Records in 1956 and over the following 7 years made a series of excellent albums for the label that culminated with his masterwork Midnight Blue. Recorded in 1963, the album waded deep into the blues, conjuring an alluring late-night vibe with a profoundly soulful cast including tenor saxophonist Stanley Turrentine, bassist Major Holley, Jr., drummer Bill English, and Ray Barretto on congas. Burrell originals including �Chitlins con Carne,� �Midnight Blue,� �Saturday Night Blues,� and the stunning solo guitar piece �Soul Lament� set the tone for this timeless classic adorned by one of the all-time great Reid Miles cover designs.

Hank Mobley - Soul Station - Blue Note Records

Tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley had already led nine dates for Blue Note Records by the time he arrived at Rudy Van Gelder�s studio on February 7, 1960 with pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers, and drummer Art Blakey, but on that day the quartet laid down what would become his masterpiece: Soul Station. The crystalline six-song set was a showcase for Mobley�s lyrical flow from the breezy opening take on Irving Berlin�s �Remember� through bluesy originals like �Dig Dis� and the title track, and the swinging up-tempo numbers �This I Dig of You� and �Split Feelin�s.� Soul Station endures as a jazz classic for the ages.