25. Sea Shells
Artist: Peggy Lee
Genre: English Folk
Seemingly out of nowhere, Peggy Lee transitioned from swingin’ pop diva to English folk chanteuse. Accompanied by only a harp and a harpsichord — and featuring four instrumentals and two spoken-word poems — Sea Shells is by far the strangest (and most interesting) anomaly of Ms. Lee’s illustrious career.
24. Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet
Artist: Miles Davis
Genre: Hard Bop
Featuring the classic lineup of Davis-Coltrane-Garland-Chambers-Jones, Relaxin’ is another memorable collection culled from the Great Quintet’s legendary 1956 recording sessions at Van Gelder Studios. This time out, Davis and his cohorts are perfectly content to play it cool; the LP should be called Chillin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet. Continue reading…
23. Have ‘Twangy’ Guitar, Will Travel
Artist: Duane Eddy
Genre: Rock and Roll
Despite the fact that the album bears one of the lamest titles in pop music history, Duane Eddy’s instrumental debut, Have ‘Twangy’ Guitar Will Travel, is somewhat of a rock ‘n’ roll tour-de-force. Raunchy in all the right places, the album showed that the fledgling genre could also be thought-provoking and mature. Continue reading…
22. Blue Train
Artist: John Coltrane
Genre: Hard Bop
Although John Coltrane was still a young bandleader, he was already a seasoned vet in terms of technical ability. His prior experience with Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and the Miles Davis Quintet had paid off. You only need to listen to Blue Train for a few seconds to realize that Mr. Coltrane was a generational talent. Continue reading…
21. Sonny Rollins and the Contemporary Leaders
Artist: Sonny Rollins
Genre: Hard Bop
The “Contemporary Leaders” include guitarist Barney Kessel, pianist Hampton Hawes, bassist Leroy Vinegar and drummer Shelly Manne. Sonny Rollins, as you probably already know, is more legendary than all four musicians put together. But that’s also why they work together so well. This LP — the last one Rollins recorded before his four-year hiatus — features some of Rollins’ most taut arrangements. Continue reading…
