Reid Miles

Reid Miles was an American designer and photographer who created iconic, minimalist album covers for Blue Note Records throughout the 1950s and 1960s. His work heavily defined the visual identity of the legendary jazz label.

His style is famous for its bold minimalism, relying heavily on striking typography, clever use of negative space, and single-color backgrounds. He frequently utilized striking photographs taken by label co-founder Francis Wolff.

Yes, during his time at Blue Note Records in the 1950s and 1960s, he designed covers for legendary artists like John Coltrane and Herbie Hancock. His typography choices became just as iconic as the music contained on the vinyl.

While he was primarily a graphic designer for Blue Note Records, he was also a photographer who occasionally shot the images used on the covers himself. However, his most famous works predominantly feature the photography of his collaborator, Francis Wolff.