Whilst it’s undoubtedly the music that brought the greatest musicians to prominence, have played an important role in catching the eye and developing a memorable style for both the musicians and the record labels involved.
We thought it would be a fun exercise to highlight some of the more striking ones, with a run down of some of the best…!
Famous Record Label Covers
Certain record labels in the history of have placed a big focus on developing not just a consistent sound and style, but also a visual image.
Covers
The most iconic label of the 1960s hard bop era, covers were a partnership between the iconic photography of label co-founder and the distinctive design work and bold typography of .
Under the artistic direction of this team, the of the era succeeded in not just catching the eye visually, but also promoting the bandleader themselves.
Out To Lunch by

Go by Dexter Gordan

Moanin’ by Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers

ECM Records Covers
At the other end of the Germany’s ECM Records has built up an equally distinctive visual style. spectrum, both musically and aesthetically,
Their impressive output of European-influenced music is matched with moody, abstract photos which lean, in the words of label founder Manfred Eicher, towards “silence, poses, thoughtfulness, contemplativeness…The is a metaphoric translation”
Budapest Concert by Keith Jarrett

Remember Me, My Dear by Jan Garbarek & The Hilliard Ensemble

avid Stone Martin by D
Born in 1913, ‘s work may have transcended one specific label, but with more than 400 on his CV, his unique style deserves a closer look.
Studying at the Art Institute of Chicago and favouring a crow quill pen for his work, he is responsible for covers on labels including Verve, Clef, Norgran, Mercury, RCA and Smithsonian Folkways for artists including Oscar Peterson, , Charlie Parter and Lester Young.
Whilst these three are responsible for many iconic albums, we wanted to pick out some other individual offers which also take a deserved place not just in famous lists, but in terms of brilliant visuals…
Bird & Diz by Charlie Parker and Dizzie Gillespie

Lester Young with The Oscar Peterson Trio

These Are The Blues by Ella Fitzgerald

More Famous
Bitches Brew by
Not just one of the greatest albums of all time, this early offering’s striking design also makes it a prized part of any vinyl collection… fusion

At Carnegie Hall, Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane

Head Hunters by
While the sound of this is breathtaking, the itself is something to behold! All the members of the band sit behind Hancock in faded blue tones with their instruments.
This striking visual, along with the remarkable sound of the , brought -Funk to the mainstream and this became Hancock’s most influential and sought after .

Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins

Louis and The Good Book by Louis Armstrong

Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet

Mingus Ah Um by

Final Thoughts
is much more than just a series of notes; the style much more than a way of playing them.
So whilst putting on your favourite record can be done at the click of a button these days, taking the time to appreciate the artwork can be an important part of the puzzle when it comes to getting a sense of the people and the personalities involved in making them.
And, on top of that, they’re great fun to look at and collect!
Hopefully this brief round up has given you some insight into the topic and opened the door for some further listening!
Looking for more classic jazz?
Check out our round up articles including 50 of the most famous albums of all time and our pick of the most important live jazz albums in history.

International jazz booking agent, manager and host of Jazzfuel.
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Your choices are all excellent, but I think you should include one of the photo cover photos by Lee Friedlander as an example of his outstanding work. Some of the best include Bags & Trane, Soul Brothers (Milt Jackson and Ray Charles), and several Coltrane including Giant Steps and My Favorite Things
Thanks for the tip!
Hi Matt …the iconic Santana album of 1969.
Nice choice!
Miles on the corner
Great one Martin
I am partial to Herbie Hancock. I have always enjoyed his music. The cover is great.
Agreed!
CTI branded their own distinct look with a stylized color photography more art than traditional record cover. Creed Taylor (CTI) is both loved and despised for creating a new sub jazz genre with it’s distinct use of strings, horns, and pop-soul jazz arrangements. While the aesthetics in sound and packaging was distinctly different, you can’t argue with the quality of the musicians in CTI’s bullpen – Herbie Hancock, Jack DeJohnette, Ron Carter, Airto, Stanley Turrentine, Bob James, George Benson, Milt Jackson, and many more of the “old school” players. One of my favorite CTI Records is George Benson’s White Rabbit album cover and his magnificent treatment of “California Dreaming” with a young Earl Klaugh on second guitar.
Enjoy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW5rVC4QJmc&list=PLonJ-T5hxx6e4K25OLKf3xPbRqlj1ocFN
Thanks Jim!
We actually just published something on CTI too: https://jazzfuel.com/cti-records/
You included a few of my favorites but missed Heavy Weather by Weather Report and Romantic warrior by Return To Forever.
I enjoy your newsletter, please keep them coming.
Thanks Marc
Miles In The Sky… by far
TIME OUT & SANTANA ABRAXSAS