(CelebrityAccess) — Blue Note Records and Universal Music Group Africa have partnered to launch Blue Note Africa, a new imprint focused on signing jazz artists from across the African contintent and helping to bring them to international audiences.
The new imprint will launch this spring with the debut of a new album, “In 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,” says Sipho Dlamini, CEO of Universal Music Africa. “The opportunity to create Blue Note Africa and provide a channel for African Jazz talent to have a home in the U.S., with a dedicated and passionate team lead by a legend in his own right – Don Was, is very exciting. We can now walk the African Jazz journey, from Cape to Cairo to California.”
“African music has been a major creative tributary for nearly every album in Blue Note’s extensive catalog,” says Blue Note President Don Was. “So it’s a great honor for us to partner with Sipho and his talented Universal Music Africa team in this new endeavor. Together, we will shine a global light on the incredible music emanating from Africa today.”
