Blue Serge
The best album from one of jazz’s most tragic figures.
Grade: A
Bud Powell’s Moods
Bud Powell’s Moods builds on the nervous energy found in his previous LPs.
Grade: A-
Piano Interpretations
Piano Interpretations by Bud Powell is a rather routine effort. But routine for Powell is still amazing.
Grade: A-
Classical Check-Up – 1956
A rundown of the classical music of 1956.
Finger Style Guitar
An impressive showcase of instrumental country.
Grade: A-
Boss of the Blues
Big Joe Turner was not only the father of R&B, but also a godfather of rock & roll.
Grade: A-
The Unique Thelonious Monk
Ironically, “The Unique Thelonious Monk” is unique in the fact that it is conventional.
Grade: A
3 “Bad” Albums from 1956
Not every album from 1956 was good. Here’s 3 bad albums that level the playing field.
3 Underrated Miles Davis LPs
1957 was the year Miles Davis and his First Great Quintet began blazing new trails in the world of jazz. The foundations for that success mere made the year prior, in which Davis released three LPs showing his continued development in hard bop. His work in 1956 remains underrated in light of his future masterpieces. […]
1956: A Stan Kenton Resurgence
Reviews of two Stan Kenton albums from 1956.
The Music of 1956
A listing of the music of 1956, with links to reviews and pages.