A collection of BLUE NOTE covers found at the Yanesen One-Box Used Book Market

Alfred Lion, the man who spotted new talent

Whenever I hear or see the words "BLUE NOTE: Blue Note," my heart skips a beat. "BLUE NOTE" is a representative jazz record label born in New York in 1939.

The founders were German immigrants Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff. Lion, who had a knack for producing and spotting new talent, brought many masterpieces and top-tier artists to the world, leaving a significant mark on the history of jazz.

In particular, he hired new musicians who had not yet seen the light of day and lesser-known sidemen. For example, Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins, Bud Powell, and Sonny Clark all gained attention through BLUE NOTE.

Delivering the studio atmosphere, cover and all

One of the charms of BLUE NOTE is its thorough dedication to sound. The sound recorded by recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder was filled with a sense of presence, as if the very air of the studio had been captured.

Another charm is the cover design. Since one of the founders, Francis Wolff, was a photographer, he was adept at capturing the casual expressions of artists during recording sessions. These were used for the cover photos.

The house designer who worked on approximately 400 record covers was Reid Miles. Using photos taken by Wolff, he created covers that made you feel like you could hear the jazz.

An encounter at the One-Box Used Book Market held in Yanesen

About 12 or 13 years ago, I went to the "One-Box Used Book Market" held in the Yanesen area (Shinobazu Book Street). This is a flea market-style event where used books are displayed and sold in cardboard boxes.

The reason my office is now along the Hebi-michi in Sendagi is because the impression from that time was so strong. A used book market was also being held at the entrance of a nearby nursing home. I remember buying a novel by Kenji Nakagami. Thinking about it now, it was a mysterious connection.

I also entered the Shanghai home-style cooking restaurant "Haishanghai" in Nezu and the tiny commercial facility "HAGISO" in Yanaka for the first time during that visit, both of which I visit from time to time. I felt that "Yanesen is interesting," but I never imagined I would set up an office there.

A treasure-like book obtained for 2,000 yen

I had been browsing the used book market since before noon, and when I thought about heading home around 3:00 PM, I found "BLUE NOTE THE ALBUM COVER ART." I believe it was 2,000 yen. I picked it up and exclaimed "Oh!" in my heart.

This book is a collection of "BLUE NOTE" album covers. It was published in Japan in 1991, and the book size is that of an LP record. It is a luxurious book introducing 71 musicians with 233 color plates (including 51 full-size ones).

Every page is exciting. This spread features Dizzy Reece, Jackie McLean, Baby Face Willette, and Johnny Griffin on the left page, and Grant Green on the right.

Time spent listening to favorite jazz while gazing at the covers

I have purchased and listened to about 30 albums released by "BLUE NOTE" so far. All of them have great covers. I think I probably bought some of them just for the covers.

Listening to my favorite jazz while opening this book. It is just that, but when I follow the sound while imagining the recording scene and the expressions of the musicians behind the cover photos, the usual songs sound different.

I think I will open this book again today and listen slowly while gazing at the covers. Come to think of it, I have never listened to Dizzy Reece or Baby Face Willette. I wonder what they sound like.