Introducing Jazz Stories – a curated celebration of five seminal jazz labels

It’s official: jazz is firmly back in the spotlight again. From the vital vibrations coming out of the UK jazz scene to Kamasi Washington and Robert Glasper taking the blueprint to new levels, the current wave of musicians are building on a legacy that’s now incredibly over 75 years deep.

To celebrate jazz history and to mark International Jazz Day, we’ve teamed up with Jazz FM to create an essential new series of playlists that showcase the work of five of the most important jazz labels of all-time. From Blue Note’s untouchable heritage to Impulse! Records’ allowing John Coltrane the artistic freedom to create the groundbreaking “Live! at the Village Vanguard”, all of the playlists have been curated by Jazz FM presenters and include commentary and words to accompany the music.

First up is a showcase of the Impulse! catalogue, as selected by Jazz FM’s Helen Mayhew, and the Blue Note story as told by Chris Philips. Spanning several decades, you’ll find Coltrane, of course, and other legends of the genre, Donald Byrd, Dianne Reeves, Thelonious Monk, Pharoah Sanders, Gregory Porter and many more. With golden nuggets of info about the stories behind the music alongside the choice cuts, it’s unmissable for jazz fans new and old.

Listen to Jazz Stories – Impulse!

Listen to Jazz Stories – Blue Note

In future weeks, you can enjoy curated playlists for Colombia, ECM and Atlantic, lovingly chosen by Jazz FM’s Jez Nelson and David Freeman. The series explores the roots before ending up at today’s branches. It’s a family tree that continues to make jazz such an exciting and enduring genre to this day.

Want some new jazz? Check out our State of UK jazz playlist.

Catch Jazz Stories exclusively on Deezer from April 30 2018.