Essential Albums of the 1950s
The 1950s records we keep coming back to, listed in order of release.
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1Chet Baker SingsChet Baker
Chet Baker Sings
Fragile, intimate vocal jazz that became a cult favourite, all cool understatement. Tender and timeless. A late-night essential.
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2Study in BrownClifford Brown & Max Roach
Study in Brown
A peak of hard-bop craft, Brown's lyrical trumpet to the fore. Swinging and warm. A genre classic.
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3Pithecanthropus ErectusCharles Mingus
Pithecanthropus Erectus
An early, ambitious peak of programmatic jazz and collective fire. Bold and influential. A landmark.
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4Ellington at NewportDuke Ellington
Ellington at Newport
The electrifying live comeback that revived Ellington's career. Thrilling and historic. One of the great live jazz records.
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5Ella and LouisElla Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
Ella and Louis
A warm, effortless pairing of two jazz giants on standards. Charming and timeless. A beloved record.
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6Saxophone ColossusSonny Rollins
Saxophone Colossus
A definitive hard-bop statement, melodic and muscular, home to the calypso 'St. Thomas'. Effortlessly inventive. One of the great tenor records.
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7Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm SectionArt Pepper
Art Pepper Meets the Rhythm Section
A peak of West Coast cool, Pepper paired with Miles's rhythm section. Lyrical and beloved. A classic.
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8Birth of the CoolMiles Davis
Birth of the Cool
The recordings that codified cool jazz, trading bebop's heat for relaxed, arranged elegance with a nonet. Their influence on West Coast jazz was immense. Restrained, sophisticated and historically pivotal.
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9Way Out WestSonny Rollins
Way Out West
A relaxed, piano-less trio peak of cowboy-themed swing. Inventive and beloved. A classic.
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10A Night at the Village VanguardSonny Rollins
A Night at the Village Vanguard
A landmark piano-less live trio date. Inventive and beloved. A high point.
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11Brilliant CornersThelonious Monk
Brilliant Corners
Knotty, angular compositions played with Monk's unmistakable touch, the title track so hard it had to be spliced together. Idiosyncratic and brilliant. Essential Monk.
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12Monk's MusicThelonious Monk
Monk's Music
A robust septet session of Monk's angular tunes. Swinging and acclaimed. A strong record.
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13Everybody Digs Bill EvansBill Evans
Everybody Digs Bill Evans
An early peak of lyrical piano trio work. Beautiful and acclaimed. A cornerstone.
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14Lady in SatinBillie Holiday
Lady in Satin
A devastating late-career record of frayed voice and deep feeling, backed by strings. Raw and moving. A poignant landmark.
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15Somethin' ElseCannonball Adderley
Somethin' Else
A relaxed, blue hard-bop session featuring Miles Davis, anchored by a gorgeous 'Autumn Leaves'. Cool and assured. A Blue Note favourite.
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16Blue TrainJohn Coltrane
Blue Train
Coltrane's lone Blue Note session as leader, hard-bop perfection with a stellar sextet. Tuneful and accessible, it is one of the easiest classic-jazz entry points. A reliably great listen.
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17MilestonesMiles Davis
Milestones
A pivotal modal-leaning hard-bop peak with the first great quintet expanded. Swinging and assured. A bridge to Kind of Blue.
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18Moanin'Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
Moanin'
A soulful, hard-swinging hard-bop classic anchored by its gospel-tinged title track. Tight and joyful. Essential Blue Note.
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19Mingus Ah UmCharles Mingus
Mingus Ah Um
A vivid, swinging survey of jazz tradition through Mingus's restless imagination, from the elegiac 'Goodbye Pork Pie Hat' to gospel-charged blowing. Endlessly rich. One of the great large-group records.
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20Time OutDave Brubeck
Time Out
An experiment in unusual time signatures that became an unlikely smash, led by the 5/4 'Take Five'. Cool, accessible and hugely popular. A perfect jazz starter record.
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21Blowin' the Blues AwayHorace Silver
Blowin' the Blues Away
A soulful, swinging hard-bop peak. Tuneful and beloved. A high point.
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22Moanin' in the MoonlightHowlin' Wolf
Moanin' in the Moonlight
A foundational compilation of Wolf's early Chicago-blues power. Raw and historic. Essential blues.
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23Gunfighter Ballads and Trail SongsMarty Robbins
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
A cinematic Western-country landmark, home to 'El Paso'. Vivid and beloved. A genre classic.
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24Kind of BlueMiles Davis
Kind of Blue
The best-selling jazz album of all time and the gateway record for countless listeners, built on modal improvisation and an unmatched band. Cool, spacious and endlessly calming, it never wears out. If you own one jazz record, start here.
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25Porgy and BessMiles Davis
Porgy and Bess
A lush Gershwin reworking with Gil Evans's orchestrations. Gorgeous and beloved. A high point.
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26The Shape of Jazz to ComeOrnette Coleman
The Shape of Jazz to Come
The album that announced free jazz, melodic yet liberated from chord changes. Revolutionary and surprisingly tuneful. A pivotal record.