The club was opened on September 30, 1981, by owner and founder Danny Bensusan, with the Nat Adderley Quintet being the featured performers for the night. Bensusan's belief was "that if he brought big acts into a comfortable environment with great food, he could pack the house night after night."[2] The Blue Note was soon established as New York City's premier jazz club, with Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Lionel Hampton, Oscar Peterson and the Modern Jazz Quartet among prestigious regular performers there.[3] Bensusan booked Ray Charles for a full week every year.[2] The Blue Note is still considered one of the world's most famous jazz venues and one of the best known and most expensive in New York.[4]Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, Oscar Peterson, Dizzy Gillespie, and James Carter have all recorded live albums at the Blue Note.[5]
Blue Note Entertainment Group hosted the inaugural Blue Note Jazz Festival in New York City in June 2011, with more than 80 performances in 15 venues throughout New York City. The annual, month-long event features artists who have been integral to the club's history, including Chris Botti,[7]Dave Brubeck, McCoy Tyner, Nancy Wilson, and many others.
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