Don Was Tries to Revive Blue Note Records

[J.A.W.]

Wish I had those tapes.

Same here.

[.:.impossible]

I want to clarify. I'm not asking because I don't think he deserves his lot. I'm asking because I don't know! Everything I read skips from Was Not Was to Bonnie Raitt to Hootie to Brian, Grammy, etc. I'm genuinely curious.

[BFrank]

FWIW, Bruce Lundvall is still on board as "chairman emeritus."

[JSngry]

I want to clarify. I'm not asking because I don't think he deserves his lot. I'm asking because I don't know! Everything I read skips from Was Not Was to Bonnie Raitt to Hootie to Brian, Grammy, etc. I'm genuinely curious.

My guess would be that he made some pretty varied group of connections with WNW (on top of those he already had), and then spent time networking, working his way up by doing favors, "being there", etc., making new connections in the process, etc., lather rinse repeat.

Ambition & talent meeting opportunity, the same way it works anywhere else. The specifics will probably come out at some point in some other interview, eventually.

[.:.impossible]

I guess I just assumed dat dere was a skill set associated with being a producer, and being a musician with social skills and corporate know how wouldn't necessarily put you on that many smash pop records. Maybe it was his density.

[JSngry]

No, you're right, just social/musical skills alone doesn't guarantee that you'll get the opportunities, much less that you'll succeed at them. You still have to deliver stuff that pleases the patrons/clients/bosses at some level. But it seems to me that he did whatever it took probably a lot of "assisting" and/or "being there" to be finally given a shot, and that once he got it, he didn't fuck it up.

It's really just basic business, that's all. I wish I had known then what I know now about basic business-handling. Or at least known some of it. It's really not complicated in its basic form, but it does require a basic sobriety of thought.

Save the "flights of fantasy" for the music itself. Music is made for such things, and wonderfully so. Business isn't.

[Ed S]

Nah, I think the label name should live on. If Was can get them to make a few more albums like the last few Andrew Hills, or the Lovano-Jones ones, then that's fine. I don't think the label has to become what it was, and the change has already been done, and one could argue that it could become a trusted name in jazz again. And those guys that refer to Lovano as "that white Italian dude who just can't do it for me like Joe Henderson once did" --- those people really don't matter.

Besides, there is value in having a living label name with a connection to a storied past. It keeps that storied past active in a different way than if there were no active label.

I think Lon nailed it. I'd like it to become a trusted name in jazz again.

I'm as big a classic Blue Note era fan as there is on the board. Unlike most, I actually enjoy the later 60s and early 70s stuff too. After the label was reborn, I think they put out some really excellent stuff. I think I must have about 90% of what they put out after the revived the label up until the Norah Jones era. That's where they lost me. I stopped looking to Blue Note as a source of jazz, though I did pick up some stuff over the past few years by the likes of Lovano, Glasper, Cassandra Wilson and a few others.

I know that times have changes, but I'd like to see them have a decent sized roster of jazz artists. Even 5-10 years ago they had the likes of Don Byron, Osby, Scofield, Truffaz, Blanchard, Lovano, Brian Blade, Eliane Elias, MMW, Stefon Harris, Jason Moran and a few others I can't think of. It would be nice to have the label putting out some jazz on a consistent basis from a stable of artists again.

[7/4]

Isn't this sorta how the discussion started on the Organissimo forum, years ago?

[Dan Gould]

No, the discussion got started this way:

What the fuck happened? Jesus, they're awfully touchy about their new cash-cow Norah.

[7/4]

No, the discussion got started this way:

What the fuck happened? Jesus, they're awfully touchy about their new cash-cow Norah.

Exactly, a discussion about Blue Note.

[.:.impossible]

That was the first thread here?

[Shawn]

Wasn't the "Norah bashing" what caused them to shut down the BNBB in the first place? Which in turn inspired the creation of this board for us "homeless folk"?

[BFrank]

Wasn't the "Norah bashing" what caused them to shut down the BNBB in the first place? Which in turn inspired the creation of this board for us "homeless folk"?

Exactly.

[Ed S]

If I recall correctly, while Norah Jones might be considered the "epicenter" of the BNBB's demise, there was a whole lot of contributing factors.

By the time Norah had hit it big, the board was akin to a Wild West town with no Sheriff in sight. No one was running it - or policing it - as far as I remember. Bo was long gone and Tom at Blue Note was more or less a guy who was dishing out "corporate speak" to a clientele wanting more reissues, Conns, and Rare Grooves - irrespective of the economics. The political stuff was breeding a negative atmosphere through out the board and there was constant bickering and personal attacks. The naked babes thread and the free sharing of ripped material was just icing on the cake.

So when the legions of fans of Norah - most of whom I assume would be teenage and female - and/or the powers that be at whomever controlled Blue Note (was it EMI?) - finally paid attention to the BNBB, they found a lawless environment with naked babes, rampant bickering and absolute/complete bashing of their prized star - Norah Jones.

A few feeble attempts were made at restoring order, but the board members would have none of it - and soon, the BNBB was no more. IIRC

[Late]

... a lawless environment with naked babes ...

The Jazz Age!

[J.A.W.]

... a lawless environment with naked babes ...

The Jazz Age!

And that Jazz Age ended only nine years (and a bit) ago...

[BFrank]

Ahhhhhhhhhh, the good ol' days!

[Late]

Haven't talked to Al in a long time. Must do so.

And you saved that post! Understandable. "Classic" Blue Note Board. Ear in the dead wax and everything.

[David Ayers]

I've read that conversation so many times now I have to remind myself it never actually happened...

[jazzbo]

Was there a "babe thread" at Blue Note BB? I don't remember one til here.

[J.A.W.]

I've read that conversation so many times (...)

The expression ad nauseam comes to mind...

Was there a "babe thread" at Blue Note BB? I don't remember one til here.

I think there was one, but it was deleted at some point.

[7/4]

We had one, but it was deleted at some point.

[jazzbo]

Yes, that's the only one I remember. Fondly.

[danasgoodstuff]

Looks like BN is working on a much needed revamp of their website, "coming soon".

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

don was is the president of blue note?