A bunch of stars of UK jazz, soul and R&B has lined up for Blue Note Re:imagined, a new studio album that takes a collection of 16 classic Blue Note tracks and reworks them for today.
Jorja Smith, Yazmin Lacey, Ezra Collective, Shabaka Hutchings, Nubya Garcia, Emma-Jean Thackray, Jordan Rakei, Mr Jukes, Steam Down, Poppy Ajudha and more contribute to the set that represents a bridge between the ground-breaking label’s past and future.
Jorja Smith’s version of St Germain’s Rose Rouge has been released as a single. The track, for which St Germain originally sampled Marlena Shaw’s Cookin’ With Blue Note At Montreaux album, takes its cues from classic soul, jazz and reggae and perfectly captures the enduringly relevant Blue Note aesthetic.
The album, meanwhile, reflects the melting pot of diversity in the UK’s new jazz scene and shines a light on an energetic, free-flowing movement that continues to flourish.
Says Ezra Collective:
“This project means so much to us in Ezra Collective. For us, Blue Note encapsulates everything that jazz is…. Footprints was a song we learnt as teenagers, and a song we’ve haven’t left alone since. It felt the perfect opportunity to pay homage to a hero of ours, Wayne Shorter, as well as document the journey we’ve made as a band since then.”
The album will be released on September 25.
