Shades of Blue opens with the declaration that "We are now having a little cooking session for Blue Note right here on the scene..." Madlib was afforded the opportunity to mine the crates of Blue Note. On Shades of Blue, Madlib delivers remixes and brand spanking new interpretations of Blue Note classics. Whether funking out Ronnie Foster's original "Mystic Brew" and transforming it into the "Mystic Bounce," or giving Wayne Shorter's "Footprints" a go with Yesterday's New Quintet, rest assured that Madlib's innovative sonic vocabulary will fill the ears. Other artists receiving a Madlib reimagination include Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, Bobby Hutcherson, Horace Silver, The Three Sounds and many more.