May 25, 2015
Longtime Blue Note President Bruce Lundvall passed away on May 19 at 79 years old. Bruce revived a dormant Blue Note in 1984 and made it what it is today, the longest-running & most-revered jazz label in the world, presiding over a prosperous 30-year period of the label’s history. Read remembrances of Bruce by Blue Note artists:
“Bruce was always in your corner. The guiding light to a safe harbor. The in-the-trenches-with-you kind of friend. The confidant. The joy to be around. His spirit was ever abounding with generosity. He genuinely loved the people around him, and for him “love” was always an active verb—as well as for its recipients. Bruce Lundvall was the best of the best. Bruce had been president of Columbia Records and was president of Blue note when he took my call at a time I was largely unknown. I vividly recall the first time we met. He was a tall majestic presence; white hair sprinkled with pepper. He had a resounding voice, a huge welcoming smile and razor-focused blue eyes. He was Santa Claus’s cooler brother impeccably dressed in a Savile Row suit tailored to a tee. Always elegant…always jolly. I invited him to my concert, and he showed up just like he said he would…(just like he always has). I felt like I’d always known him—which ended up being the case for the next 28 years. Bruce was my friend, first and last. Everything in the middle was the journey whose constant companion was love and respect. Bruce was among the greatest blessings in my life, and whose legacy is far greater still. Eternal joy my friend.”
—Dianne Reeves
“There are many images and memories that have weighed heavily on me the last few hours, and I find myself doing what I have done in the past after the loss of a loved one: fall apart, pull myself together and once again try to understand and accept the reality of and reasons nchedfor the parting. Bruce was a visionary. He was a being with a sublime ability to recognize talent. He was keen to hear, sense opportunities and to take risks. He had an uncanny ability to talk with and negotiate with any parties at all levels, always in love with music and the arts. He was simple, clear and authentic in his actions, with a deep commitment to help individuals with enthusiasm and to create events and circumstances of collective benefit. And most importantly, he was, is and will always be my friend. This is the Bruce Lundvall I know. I will never forget how Bruce and Blue Note positively changed my life, and he and his family will remain in my prayers forever. Eternal Thanks.”
—Gonzalo Rubalcaba
“Bruce Lundvall was a visionary, he perfectly knew how to anticipate the future of music, signing artists because he truly believed in their original voice. Bruce deeply loved music, Jazz and he loved artists even more. Bruce signed me to Blue Note Records in 2006, he gave me the chance to be part of the Blue Note family. He believed in me and I will always be grateful to him. Bruce will be deeply missed, but will remain his beautiful mind and his legacy.”
—Lionel Loueke
“Bruce Lundvall was a dear friend and mentor. He was a gentleman in an ungentlemanly business. He trusted his artists, he fought for us, he guided us. Bruce and I became very good personal friends. We shared a two-person book club, trips, evenings out tracing musical lineage of the performer onstage, lunch, letters, gossip, problems, long phone calls to and from all over the world. He taught me about the music business, music, life. There will never be another Bruce Lundvall. He chose to represent the best virtues of the 20thc he loved; he was not interested in being expedient. With his passing I am losing a best friend. But Bruce was Huge and important to so many. We are all losing a man whose honor, generosity, consideration and passion we shall not see again.”
—Patricia Barber
“What I know to be true about Bruce is that he was, as I called him, a true fan and dedicated ‘soldier’ for the music. He defended and stood behind all of my artistic decisions and went to bat on my behalf many times. I have an unlimited amount of respect for him and I’ll always be indebted to him for his efforts in allowing me to express myself as I wished.”
—Greg Osby
“Bruce was the most enthusiastic musician of all of us. I cannot thank him and the Blue Note team enough for pushing me into the life I always dreamed of.”
—Jacky Terrasson
“I met Bruce on my 21st Birthday and it was life changing. It would be easy to say that he gave me my career, but it goes beyond that. He guided me and helped me to make good decisions. When I was too green to make them he told me the path to take, and when I figured out who I was as an artist he let me fly. Mostly, he was a great friend who taught me a lot about life in general. I will miss our 4 hour lunches. Bruce’s passing is a huge loss to our Blue Note Family and the many who love him.”
—Norah Jones
“Bruce Lundvall was one of the greatest music industry visionaries of the 20th century. He made the impossible possible with Blue Note Records. Because of Bruce so many artists that you never expected to be on a jazz label are appearing on there now starting with Norah Jones who he discovered several years ago. He was never just interested in money. He truly loved good music and loved jazz. Bruce was responsible for me getting signed in 1973 to Columbia Records, which later became Sony Records. Clive Davis was the President at that time and signed me because of Bruce’s recommendation. Bruce was also responsible for me getting hired to do compose the score for the film ‘Round Midnight,’ directed by Bertrand Tavernier. My history and friendship with Bruce goes a long way back. He has left us in body but his legacy and extraordinary influence on the music industry will remain forever.”
—Herbie Hancock
“From the moment Bruce Lundvall approached me, gave me his card and asked me to call, we became fast friends and entered into a deep relationship of mutual respect, trust and love. That was around 1989 when I was playing at Sweet Basil in NYC with The Peter Erskine Band. I was also just joining The John Scofield Quartet at the time as John was about to sign with Blue Note Records. At our first meeting Bruce informed me that he was hip to me since my early days with Woody Herman. 1976 was Woody’s 40th anniversary year as a leader which was the year I joined the Thundering Herd. We played and recorded live at Carniege Hall for RCA. Bruce was there and was part of the production somehow. I had three featured moments in our set which also featured Stan Getz, Zoot Sims, Al Cohn, Jimmy Giuffre, Flip Phillips and others. That was the first time Bruce was in my audience but we didn’t meet. He said he was sleeping on me until that night at Sweet Basil where I really captured him. Soon after that first meeting I signed my first record deal with Blue Note Records. Over these last 25 years or so we’ve had countless meetings, lunches & dinners discussing the history of the music, the current scene and my ideas for future recordings and collaborations. During this period Bruce enabled me to create an amazing catalog of over 25 recordings for Blue Note Records of which I am humbled, grateful and proud. Mr. Lundvall was a visionary and a great communicator. His career was built on love, courage, instinct & trust which made him one of the most revered record executives of all time. Bruce was my main confidant & guiding light through the years and will always be… His ever-shining light will burn bright for all of us who were blessed to be a part of his joyous world of music. He loved and believed in the power of Music, especially Jazz, and will live on in the history alongside the Jazz Masters he knew, revered and embraced as a Jazz Master in his own right… Viva La Lundvall!!!!”
—Joe Lovano
“The loss of Bruce Lundvall is, in the words of so many who were close to him, devastating. How can you fault a guy whose primary passions are jazz, Italian food, wine and humor? Bruce not only loved the music; he loved the artists themselves and reveled in their company. I had the honor of working closely with him since he signed Dexter Gordon to Columbia Records in 1976. By the time he relaunched Blue Note in 1984, we were best of friends. Bruce had a way of making dreams come true for himself and everyone around him. He was a one-of-a-kind and he will be missed, but his good works live on.”
—Michael Cuscuna
“It’s with a heavy heart that I write about the passing of our courageous friend and Blue Note Records Chairman Emeritus and longtime President, Bruce Lundvall. He was a beautiful, one-of-a kind, larger-than-life human being whose joie de vivre was equaled only by his love for music, impeccable taste and kind heart. My deepest sympathy goes out to every one of you who knew him and loved him. To say that he profoundly impacted our lives is an understatement…in fact, it’s not out of line to say that there would be no Blue Note Records today without his Herculean efforts to keep the label up and running during his 30 years at the helm. This was a formidable task: running a company that trades in eclectic music and offers its artists ‘uncompromising expression’ contradicts most conventional business tenets. Bruce fought the law, defied the rules and proved that serving the music and the musicians was beneficial to both art and commerce. Through all the struggles, he never lost his innate coolness, his sense of humor, his enthusiasm or his profound human warmth. When his health began to fail and I was hired to assume some of his responsibilities, he took me under his wing and extended a vital hand of friendship and support. Without his guidance, wisdom and stellar example, I wouldn’t have lasted a month on the gig! No doubt, anyone who knew him has their own version of this story, as well…Let’s continue to tell these tales and honor the memory of our Hero. He will be sorely missed by all of us but his spirit will truly live forever in the music that he helped to create and preserve at Blue Note Records. Thank you, Bruce….we love you.”
—Don Was
