The Blue Note style was largely carried out by Reid Miles, a graphic designer turned art director. His ability to create bold typographic layouts was world-class, and he used the session photography of Francis Wolff, Blue Note’s co-founder, in creative and often playful ways.
Miles designed well over 500 album covers for Blue Note between the mid-’50s and late ’60s, and his influence lives on. One example of that legacy is the countless homages other artists have paid to Blue Note’s album cover aesthetic, from Barack Obama portraits to Wu-Tang Clan albums.
The video above provides an inside look into the graphic design decisions Miles made by deconstructing some of his most iconic album covers. For more Vox videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.
Sourse: vox.com
