My all-time favorite Duke Ellington LP.
Grade: A
Introducing Paul Bley – Paul Bley
A semi-confident debut from a technically accomplished pianist.
Grade: A-
Doris Day
Blondie with the pretty face can act, and sing too. Discography Lullaby of Broadway (1951) B On Moonlight Bay (1951) B I’ll See You In My Dreams (1951) B+
The Music of 1953
Reviews for albums released in 1953 can be found below. The album reviews are categorized by genre and alphabetical order. Top 10 Albums of 1953 Jazz Introducing Paul Bley (Paul Bley) A- Jazz at Oberlin (Dave Brubeck Quartet) A Blue Period (Miles Davis) A- Miles Davis Volume 2 (Miles Davis) A- The Duke Plays Ellington (Duke Ellington) A Jazz at Massey Hall (The Quintet) A New Concepts […]
Top 10 Albums of 1952
My picks for the best albums of 1952.
Johnnie Ray: Underrated as Shit
Johnnie Ray’s charismatic vocals are an early antecedent to rock’n’roll.
Grade: A-
Billie Holiday Sings – Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday’s debut album is an essential LP for fans of the idiosyncratic crooner.
Grade: A-
Wizard of the Vibes – Milt Jackson
“…an essential recording for both bebop and vibraphone enthusiasts.”
Grade: A
Classical Check-Up – 1952
A quick rundown of the classical music of 1952.
Ellington Uptown – Duke Ellington
The greatest album by one of jazz’s greatest musicians.
Grade: A
The Amazing Bud Powell – Bud Powell
A statement LP from one of the most underrated jazz pianists of all time.
The Nat King Cole Conundrum
One of the most popular African American artists of the early 1950s suffered from a lack of identity.
