Love for jazz: Universal Music Group launches Blue Note Africa

Good news for jazz artists as Universal Music Group launches Blue Note Africa.

The legendary jazz label Blue Note Records and Universal Music Group Africa have announced the creation of Blue Note Africa, an exciting new imprint dedicated to signing Jazz artists from across the African continent.

They plan to bring African jazz artists to a global audience and promote the cultural exchange of ideas that transcend borders.

Blue Note Africa will resume operations with the release of the album The Spirit Of Ntu by South African pianist and composer Nduduzo Makhathini.

“Blue Note has stood the test of time by continuing to adapt but keeping its focus on discovering and introducing jazz talent to the world,” CEO of Universal Music Africa Sipho Dlamini said.

If you trace the roots of American Jazz back to its source, the path leads to Africa, and the exchange of musical ideas between the two continents is a thread that runs throughout the entire progression of Jazz music throughout the 20th century to this day.

The jazz culture in Kenya is presumably growing now that it is being embraced wholesomely, with jazz bars and restaurants opening in Nairobi and allowing artists to display their talent.

Festivals that also promote jazz music like Safaricom Jazz Festival bring jazz lovers together.

“African music has been a major creative tributary for nearly every album in Blue Note’s extensive catalogue,” Blue Note President Don Was said.

“So it’s a great honour for us to partner with Sipho and his talented Universal Music Africa team in this new endeavour. Together, we will shine a global light on the incredible music emanating from Africa today.”

In 1947, the legendary American Jazz drummer and Blue Note legend Art Blakey visited Africa for the first time, a trip that was meant to be a few months but ended up lasting a couple of years as Blakey travelled to Nigeria and Ghana.

The pianist McCoy Tyner further explored African-American connections on his late-60s and early-70s Blue Note albums with pieces like “African Village,” “Message from the Nile,” and “Asante.”

 In 2008, the brilliant Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke released ‘Karibu’, the first of several boundary-pushing Blue Note albums that seamlessly blended the sound of both continents.

They plan to spread their roots from South Africa to the rest of the continent.

Now the partnership between Blue Note Records and Universal Music Group Africa expands with the creation of Blue Note Africa.