“Young Man with a Horn” – Miles Davis
“Young Man with a Horn” features fantastic soloing over straightforward arrangements, as Miles Davis fully develops his trumpet talent.
“Bird and Diz” Album Review
“Bird and Diz,” a 1952 collaboration between saxophonist Charlie Parker and trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie, features one of the greatest jazz lineups of all time. The quartet is rounded out by Thelonious Monk on piano and Buddy Rich on drums.
“Genius of Modern Music (Volume Two)” – Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk’s 1952 “Genius of Modern Music (Volume Two)” LP is one of the decade’s most consistent bebop albums.
“Genius of Modern Music (Volume One)” – Thelonious Monk
Thelonious Monk’s “Genius of Modern Music (Volume One)” collection contains some of the most iconic jazz songs of all time.
“Mary Lou Williams” (1951) – Mary Lou Williams
The self-titled 1951 LP of pianist Mary Lou Williams is a tremendous example of her singular, impressionistic, bebop style.
“The New Sounds” – Miles Davis
Miles Davis’ debut LP “The New Sounds” (released in 1951) is a standout album of early bebop.
“Zodiac Suite” Album Review
“Zodiac Suite” is one of jazz music’s greatest masterpieces, having inspired everyone from Miles Davis to John Coltrane.
Ellington at Newport
One of the most famous live albums in jazz history, featuring one of the greatest solos of all time.
Grade: A
Bud Powell’s Moods
Bud Powell’s Moods builds on the nervous energy found in his previous LPs.
Grade: A-
Thelonious Monk continued his hot streak into 1955
Reviews of two Thelonious Monk LPs from 1955.
In a Romantic Mood – Oscar Peterson
One of the more underrated LPs in the jazz catalogue.
Grade: A
The Many Guises of Stan Getz
Before he gained international stardom with his early ‘60s bossa-nova recordings, tenor saxophonist Stan Getz made his bones by practicing with the greats in Scandinavia. Stints with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Horace Silver, Al Haig and Max Roach bolstered the young Getz’s reputation as a standout performer. He first gained recognition as […]