Ike Quebec’s ‘Bossa Nova Soul Samba’ Receives Blue Note Vinyl Reissue

[Hannah Zwick]

Saxophonist Ike Quebec’s take on the bossa nova craze, 1962’s Bossa Nova Soul Samba, is one of Blue Note’s August picks to be reissued through their Tone Poet Vinyl Series. Quebec’s The Complete Blue Note 45 Sessions was reissued through the same series last year.

Quebec is joined on the record by Kenny Burrell, Wendell Marshall, Willie Bobo, and Garvin Masseaux. Blending Brazilian bossa nova rhythms with his blues influences, Quebec offered a unique take on the genre.


Originally a pianist, Quebec switched to tenor in the early ’40s when he was in his early 20s. It was clear he made the right decision on his 78s recorded with Blue Note and Savoy, including his hit “Blue Harlem.” As a sideman, he worked with Benny Carter, Kenny Clarke, Roy Eldridge, and Cab Calloway.

In the late ’40s, Quebec did a bit of freelancing as a Blue Note A&R man and brought Thelonious Monk and Bud Powell to the label. Drug problems kept Quebec from recording for most of the 1950s, but he made a triumphant comeback in the early ’60s. Though he came back as strong a player as ever, he was suffering from lung cancer, which claimed his life at the age of 44 in 1963.

The Tone Poet Vinyl Edition of Bossa Nova Soul Samba was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at RTI, and packaged in a deluxe tip-on gatefold jacket. Recent releases in the series include works from Jackie McLean, Michel Petrucciani, Big John Patton, and Curtis Amy.

“During the 2026 season of Tone Poet we’ll revisit rare gems, bold under-appreciated dates, and, of course, beloved titles from the Blue Note catalog that fans have been patiently waiting for,” Harley shared earlier this year.

Shop the Blue Note Tone Poet series now.

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[Stargazer6]

omg this is so exciting!!! i honestly forgot this album even existed until now... i remember stumbling across it years ago when i was deep in a jazz rabbit hole and fell in love with quebec’s tone?? like that warm, lush sax feel is just *chef’s kiss* for rainy days... lol i havent bought vinyl in ages but this might actually tempt me back in, especially with the tone poet series being so good about sound quality. did anyone here grab that earlier 45 sessions reissue?? was the mastering any good on it?? also totally random but this album always reminds me of how bossa nova kinda exploded in the us after ‘girl from ipanema’ and then everyone was scrambling to put their spin on it quebec’s version is so chill compared to some of the more energetic stuff from that wave. also random astronomy fact but did yall know jupiter’s red spot is shrinking?? was reading about that earlier and now im picturing giant space storms while listening to bossa nova in my head... anyway, def gonna check this out when it drops!!

 

[PurpleFencepost]

yeah i grabbed the 45 sessions reissue... mastering was fine but honestly i think they leaned a little too hard into teh 'warm' side of things, almost muddied the highs for me. this new one though? tone poet series has been solid so far so im kinda curious if they nail the balance better this time. plus, cant deny that album just feels like it was made for lazy sunday mornings or when its pouring outside... might be worth picking up just to test if it still hits the same on vinyl vs streaming idk man, analog just hits different sometimes...

 

[TurboGamingQueen]

yeah that album definitely has a vibe!! lazy sunday morning is spot on i streamed it ages ago and remember it hitting different on a gloomy day. vinyl reissue could be cool if they get the mastering right — sometimes the warmth just doesnt come through on digital. i havent gone for ne poet series stuff yet but this might be the one to jump in on if it captures that nostalgic rainy-day feel. plus, must protect the carbs of good jazz albums on vinyl, yknow??