Blue Note and Columbia Records jazz guru Bruce Lundvall dies aged 79

Throughout his life he remained a true jazz fan, ever respectful of the music and the artists, checking out the music in New York’s jazz spots until Parkinson’s Disease was diagnosed in 2010. Last year, when the effects of the disease necessitated him moving to an assisted living facility, his love of the music was such that he organised a miniature jazz festival in the institution’s grounds, with proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. When he died of a lung infection resulting from complications from the disease on Tuesday 19 May, he was 79 years old and had enjoyed a career in the recording industry that spanned almost 50 years.

Stepping from army service into a job with Columbia Records, he climbed up the ranks to president of Columbia and then of Columbia’s parent company, CBS Records. During that time he re-signed Miles Davis, oversaw a career renaissance for Dexter Gordon, supported Herbie Hancock’s successful foray in funk, and signed Wynton Marsalis to the label. In 1982, he left Columbia to form Elektra Records, making sure of a good jazz representation on the label with the likes of Steps Ahead, Sphere, Bobby McFerrin and Woody Shaw.

This was followed by a move to EMI where as chairman he oversaw the rebirth of the iconic Blue Note label, signing many of its former stars as well as new talent that included Stanley Jordan, John Scofield and Cassandra Wilson. He also had the vision to sign Norah Jones, who won eight Grammy awards, and became the best selling Blue Note artist of all time with her album Come Away With Me in 2002. It is now widely recognised her success effectively bankrolled other worthy, but less commercially successful artists on the label. When, in 2010 Parkinson’s disease forced him to step down, he accepted the role of chairman emeritus, which he held until his death.

– Stuart Nicholson