On Internet since 1999

The Birka Jazz Archive
Records we have bought and sold over the years - the rare and the beautiful!

Please note!
Birka Jazz record store is closed but Birka Jazz Archive is still available. Scroll down and use the links to browse this comprehensive archive of rare jazz album covers

AMERICAN LABELS

COLUMBIA RECORDS
The pioneers of album cover design

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (1)
David Stone Martin

CLEF, NORGRAN, VERVE (2)
The photographic covers

BLUE NOTE 10" LPs
Searching for a modern jazz identity

BLUE NOTE 1500 series
Defining the hard bop style

BLUE NOTE 4000 series
Masterpieces of Reid Miles

PRESTIGE RECORDS
Images of East Coast jazz

RIVERSIDE RECORDS
Street cred with Thelonious Monk

PACIFIC JAZZ
Moods of Chet and Claxton

CONTEMPORARY
Cool West Coast, great Sound

SAVOY RECORDS
Masterworks by Charlie Parker

DIAL RECORDS
Small label, big Bird sound

ATLANTIC RECORDS
Bold and striking albums

EMARCY RECORDS
The classic drummer logo label

BETHLEHEM RECORDS
The beautiful design of Burt Goldblatt

DEBUT RECORDS
Artist-operated jazz label with Mingus & Roach

CANDID RECORDS
Legendary, early 1960s LPs

ESP-DISK
Free jazz and silk screened covers

IMPULSE RECORDS
Edgy, experimental, deluxe

RCA VICTOR
The high spirit of Jim Flora

VARIOUS US labels (1)
ABC-Paramount, Aladdin, Argo, Capitol, Coral, Dawn, Decca,
and more

VARIOUS US labels (2)
Epic, Fantasy, HiFi, Imperial, Jazzland, Jazz West, Jubilee, Mercury, Mode, and more

VARIOUS US labels (3)
Roost, Signal, Storyville, Tampa, Transition, United Artists, Vee Jay, and more

EUROPEAN LABELS

SWEDEN (1)
The EP era and Metronome Records in 1950s

SWEDEN (2)
The LPs in the 1950s, and Swedish jazz abroad

SWEDEN (3)
Changing times in the 1960s

SWEDEN (4)
New energy to Swedish jazz in the 1970s

DENMARK
Montmartre, Debut Records and the heydays in Danish jazz

NORWAY
Krog and Garbarek, greats in Norwegian jazz

FINLAND
Plenty of merged styles in Finnish jazz

FRANCE
Americans in Paris, force in French jazz

ENGLAND
Esquire and Tempo, classic labels in British jazz

GERMANY
Jazz labels with strong identity

ITALY
Rare Italian jazz covers

HOLLAND
From Diamonds to ICP in
Dutch jazz

POLAND
Unique series of Polish jazz on Muza

OTHER COUNTRIES
Jazz labels around the world

Blue Note 10" LP

Searching for
a modern jazz identity

BLUE NOTE was established in 1939 by Alfred Lion. He joined forces by Francis Wolff a couple of years later. They recorded on the 78 rpm format the first ten years, then on 10" LPs into 1955.

In the early 1950s about 30 albums were issued in the 7000 series, featuring traditional jazz mostly recorded in the 1940s.

But Blue Note was searching for a contemporary identity, and it was with the modern jazz 5000 series they found it.

70 album in this series were issued. These 10" LPs are interesting in many ways, not least for their unique cover designs. Most of the music were later reissued on 12" records, but then with new cover designs. So the first covers are in general only found on the original 10" albums.

PAUL BACON was the first designer at Blue Note. He designed most of the company´s albums in the early 10" LP 7000 series. Among them the James P. Johnson album, shown next top to the right.

He also created the first design for Blue Note´s Modern 5000 Series and continued to work for Blue Note some years. Then Paul Bacon went on to become a distinguished art director for the Riverside label.

JOHN HERMANSADER was a friend to Paul Bacon and began to design covers as a freelance for Blue Note in the late 1940s. He established a studio in New York and continued to work for the company during the first half of 1950s, creating many of the classic 10" LP albums.

In his designs for the 10" covers, John Hermansader evoked the feeling of the music. His graphics, and Francis Wolff´s photographs, laid the groundwork for the Blue Note look and the graphic style of 1950s modern jazz. It was then accomplished by Reid Miles, who took over as art director in 1956.

John Hermansader continued to create some 12" designs for Blue Note and also made covers for Prestige and other labels. He died in 2005, at the age of 89.

FRANCIS WOLFF was born in 1907 in Germany. With Alfred Lion he managed the Blue Note record label through its life as an independent company.

As a photographer he chronicled the working lives of Blue Note musicians from 1939 to 1967, and he did almost all of the Blue Note's photography.

Though the pictures mostly are taken in studios, there is a presence of spontaneity and nightclub atmosphere. And the sharp contrasts of light and shade gives his photographs a moody film noir look.

GIL MELLÉ is one of few top jazz musicians who also designed great jazz album covers. He was a young bohemian in Greenvich Village in New York, playing saxophone, when he met Alfred Lion and became a member of the Blue Note family.

He recorded six LPs for the label and his interest in art gave him also the opportunity to design album covers. He made several 10" covers for Blue Note before he left for Prestige in 1956.

Gil Mellé was a versatile and experimental nature. He was interested in sound engineering and introduced Rudy van Gelder for both Blue Note and Prestige. He has been successful in fine art and other fields like electronic music and composing for movies and television.

Alfred Lion and Fracis Wolfff, photo

Alfred Lion and Francis Wolff

Gile Melle, photo

Gil Mellé

Horace Silver, Blue Note 5058 Horace Silver Quintet Label: Blue Note 5058 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Blue Note 10" LP

Sidney Bechet Blue Note 7001 Sidney Bechet with Wild Bill Davison Label Note 7001 10" LP 1951
Photo: Francis Wolff

Edmond Hall - Sidney De Paris: Jamming in Jazz Label Note 7007 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

Sidney Bechet - Bunk Johnson: Days Beyond Recall Label Note 7008 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

George Lewis, Blue Note 7010 George Lewis: Echoes of New Orleans Label Note 7010 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

James P. Johnson, Blue Note 7012 James P. Johnson: Jazz Band Ball Label Note 7012 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

James P. Johnson, Blue Note 7017 Albert Ammons: Boogie Woogie Classics Label Note 7017 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

Thelonious Monk, Blue Note 5002 Art Hodes: Out of the Back Room Label: Blue Note 7021 10" LP 1951
Design: John Hermansader

Various, Blue Note 5002 Various Artists: Mellow The Mood Label: Blue Note 5001 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

Thelonious Monk, Blue Note 5002 Thelonious Monk: Genius of Modern Music Label: Blue Note 5002 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

Bud Powell, Blue Note 5003 The Amazing Bud Powell Label: Blue Note 5003 10" LP 1951
Design and illustration: Paul Bacon

Fats Navarro, Blue Note 5004 Fats Navarro Memorial Album Label: Blue Note 5004 10" LP 1951
Design: Paul Bacon

James Moody, Blue Note 5006 James Moody and his Modernists Label: Blue Note 5006 10" LP 1951
Design: Julien Alberts

Thelonious Monk, Blue Note 5009 Thelonious Monk: Genius of Modern Music, vol. 2 Label: Blue Note 5009 10" LP 1952
Design: Paul Bacon

Milt Jackson, Blue Note 5011 Milt Jackson: Wizard of the Vibes Label: Blue Note 5011 10" LP 1952
Design: Paul Bacon

Howard McGhee, Blue Note 5012 Howard McGhee Sextet Label: Blue Note 5012 10" LP 1952
Design: Paul Bacon Photo: Francis Wolff

Miles Davis, Blue Note 5013 Miles Davis: Young Man with a Horn Label: Blue Note 5013 10" LP 1952
Design and photo: Burt Goldblatt

Dizzy Gillespie, Blue Note 5017 Dizzy Gillespie: Horn of Plenty Label: Blue Note 5017 10" LP 1953
Design: Paul Bacon

Horace Silver, Blue Note 5018 Introducing Horace Silver Trio Label: Blue Note 5018 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader

Gil Melle, Blue Note 5020 Gil Mellé Quintet / Sextet Label: Blue Note 5020 10" LP 1953
Design: Gil Mellé

Lou Donaldson, Blue Note 5021 Lou Donaldson Quintet Label: Blue Note 5021 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader

Miles Davis, Blue Note 5022 Miles Davis, vol. 2 Label: Blue Note 5022 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Kenny Drew, Blue Note 5023 Introducing the Kenny Drew Trio Label: Blue Note 5023 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Howard McGhee, Blue Note 5024 Howard McGhee Sextet, vol. 2 Label: Blue Note 5024 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader

Wynton Kelly, Blue Note 5025 Wynton Kelly: Piano Interpretations Label: Blue Note 5025 10" LP 1953
Design: Gil Mellé

Edmond Hall, Blue Note 5026 Edmond Hall - Charlie Christian Label: Blue Note 5026 10" LP 1953
Design: Gil Mellé

Jay Jay Johnson, Blue Note 5028 Jay Jay Johnson with Clifford Brown Label: Blue Note 5028 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Elmo Hope, Blue Note 5029 Elmo Hole Trio Label: Blue Note 5029 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Clifford Brown, Blue Note 5030 Clifford Brown - Lou Donaldson Label: Blue Note 5030 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Clifford Brown, Blue Note 5032 Clifford Brown: New Star on the Horizon Label: Blue Note 5032 10" LP 1953
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Gil Melle, Blue Note 5033 Gil Mellé Quintet, vol. 2 Label: Blue Note 5033 10" LP 1953
Design: Jerome Kuhl

Horace Silver, Blue Note 5034 Horace Silver Trio, vol, 2 Label: Blue Note 5034 10" LP 1953
Design: Jerome Kuhl Photo: Francis Wolff

Sal Salvador, Blue Note 5035 Sal Salvador Quintet / Quartet Label: Blue Note 5035 10" LP 1954
Design: Jerome Kuhl Photo: Francis Wolff

Urbie Green, Blue Note 5036 Urbie Green Septet Label: Blue Note 5036 10" LP 1954
Design: Gil Mellé Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Blakey, Blue Note 5037 Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland, vol. 1 Label: Blue Note 5037 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Blakey, Blue Note 5038 Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland, vol. 2 Label: Blue Note 5038 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Art Blakey, Blue Note 5039 Art Blakey: A Night at Birdland, vol.3 Label: Blue Note 5039 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Miles Davis, Blue Note 5040 Miles Davis, vol. 3 Label: Blue Note 5040 10" LP 1954

Bud Powell, Blue Note 5041 Bud Powell, vol.2 Label: Blue Note 5041 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Tal Farlow, Blue Note 5042 Tal Farlow Quaret Label: Blue Note 5042 10" LP 1954
Design: Bill Hughes Photo: Francis Wolff

Frank Foster, Blue Note 5043 Frank Foster Quintet Label: Blue Note 5043 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Elmo Hope, Blue Note 5044 Elmo Hope Quintet Label: Blue Note 5044 10" LP 1954
Photo: Francis Wolff

George Wallington, Blue Note 5045 George Wallington Label: Blue Note 5045 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Clifford Brown, Blue Note 5047 Clifford Brown Quartet Label: Blue Note 5047 10" LP 1954
Design: Gil Mellé

Clifford Brown, Blue Note 5048 Gigi Gryce - Clifford Brown: Jazztime Paris Label: Blue Note 5048 10" LP 1954
Design: Gil Mellé Photo: Francis Wolff

Julius Watkins, Blue Note 5053 Julius Watkins Sextet Label: Blue Note 5053 10" LP 1954
Design and Photo: Bill Hughes

Gil Melle, Blue Note 5054 Gil Mellé Quartet Label: Blue Note 5054 10" LP 1954
Photo: Bill Hughes

Lou Donaldson, Blue Note 5055 Lou Donaldson Sextet Label: Blue Note 5055 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Jutta Hipp, Blue Note 5056 Jutta Hipp Quintet Label: Blue Note 5056 10" LP 1954
Design: Trudi Farmilant

Jay Jay Johnson, Blue Note 5057 The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson Label: Blue Note 5057 10" LP 1954
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Fats Sadi, Blue Note 5061 The Swinging Fats Sadi Label: Blue Note 5061 10" LP 1955
Design: Reid Miles

Horace Silver, Blue Note 5062 Horace Silver Quintet Label: Blue Note 5062 10" LP 1955
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Gil Melle, Blue Note 5063 Gil Mellé Quintet Label: Blue Note 5063 10" LP 1955
Design: Gil Mellé Photo: Francis Wolff

Julius Watkins, Blue Note 5064 Julius Watkins Sextet Label: Blue Note 5064 10" LP 1955
Design: Reid Miles Photo: Francis Wolff

Kenny Dorham, Blue Note 5065 Kenny Dorham: Afro-Cuban Label: Blue Note 5065 10" LP 1955
Design: Gil Mellé

Hank Mobley, Blue Note 5066 Hank Mobley Quartet Label: Blue Note 5066 10" LP 1955
Design: John Hermansader Photo: Francis Wolff

Herbie Nichols, Blue Note 5068 The Prophetic Herbie Nichols Label: Blue Note 5068 10" LP 1955
Design: Martin Craig

Herbie Nichols, Blue Note 5069 The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, vol. 2 Label: Blue Note 5069 10" LP 1955
Design: Martin Craig

Jay Jay Johnson, Blue Note 5070 The Eminent Jay Jay Johnson, vol. 3 Label: Blue Note 5070 10" LP 1955
Photo: Frances Wolff

NEXT PAGE BACK TO START