Coleman Hawkins - The Hawk Flies High (1957)

A comeback of sorts for the great tenor, which sees him working with some hotshot young guns - including trumpeter Idrees Sulieman and trombonist J J Johnson. Playing with artists decades his junior, Hawk more than holds his own - especially on longer tracks 'Juicy Fruit' and 'Sanctity'. The other standout performer is pianist Hank Jones.

1.Chant

2.Juice Fruit

3.Think Deep

4.Laura

5.Blue Lights

6.Sancticity

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Gerry Mulligan & Ben Webster - Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster (1959)

Aside from being a giant of the baritone sax, Mulligan was a deft arranger of music. He rose to stardom in the early-50s while paired with Chet Baker, but a drug bust put him out of business until his release from jail in 1954. Here he teams with tenor Ben Webster to produce a minor classic. Avoid versions with excessive alternate takes.

01. Chelsea Bridge (Billy Strayhorn) [07:18]
02. The Cat Walk (Mulligan, Ben Webster) [05:42]
03. Sunday [07:22]
04. Who’s Got Rhythm? [07:37]
05. Tell Me When [05:02]
06. Go Home (Chester Conn, Bennie Krueger, Ned Miller, Jule Styne) [10:02]

CLASSICSJAZZ

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Johnny Smith - Moonlight in Vermont (1953)

1 Where Or When

2 Tabu

3 Moonlight In Vermont

4 Jaguar

5 Jaguar (Alternate Take)

6 A Ghost Of A Chance

7 Vilia

8 My Funny Valentine

9 Sometimes I'm Happy

10 Stars Fell On Alabama

11 Nice Work If You Can Get It

12 Tenderly

13 Cavu

14 I'll Be Around

15 Yesterdays

16 Cherokee

17 What's New

18 I'll Remember April

19 Lullabye Of Birdland

CLASSICSJAZZ

John Coltrane - Blue Train (1957)

1- Blue Train

2- Moment's Notice

3- Locomotion

4- I'm Old Fashioned

5- Lazy Bird

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John Coltrane - Giant Steps (1959)

The album's title says it all. While still with Miles Davis' group, Trane managed to push bop to the limits and beyond. His all-original compositions here are built around solos, which was a deconstruction of the modal jazz he was playing with Davis at the time. Most won't notice too much, as it all sounds conventionally pleasing. Essential.

1. Giant Steps

2. Cousin Mary

3. Countdown

4. Spiral

5. Syeeda´s Song Flute

6. Naima

7. Mr. P.C.

8. Giant Steps [Alternate Take]

9. Naima [Alternate Take]

10. Cousin Mary [Alternate Take]

11. Countdown [Alternate Take]

12. Syeeda´s Song Flute [Alternate Take]

CLASSICSJAZZ

Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)

1.Lonely Woman

2.Eventually

3.Peace

4.Focus on sanity

5.Congeniality

6.Chronology

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Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners (1956)

1. Brilliant Corners (Monk)

2. Ba-lue Bolivar Ba-lues-are (Monk)

3. Pannonica (Monk)

4. I Surrender, Dear (Barris-Clifford)

5. Bemsha Swing (Monk-Best)

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Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers - Moanin' (1958)

1. Moanin'

2. Soulful Mr. Timmons

3. My Ideal

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4.Free For All

5. Angel Eyes

6. A Night in Tunisia (Bt.)

CLASSICSJAZZ2

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out (1959)

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Miles Davis - Kind of Blue (1959)

Regarded as a landmark record in Davis' conceptual development of modal jazz. The songs are built on chords & scales rather than the key in which they are played. The result is a moving record of haunting beauty - played to perfection by Davis, John Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers and Jimmy Cobb.

1. So What

2. Freddie Freeloader

3. Blue In Green

4. All Blues

5. Flamenco Sketches

6. Flamenco Sketches (bonus alternate take)

CLASSICSJAZZ

Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um (1959)

Mingus pays homage to jazz history through tracks laced with gospel, soul, blues, swing, hard bop and a touch of the avant-garde. The bassist would go on to record at least three more great records in the coming decade. This album, however, is the best place to start for listeners looking for a soulful introduction to this great musician's work.

CLASSICSJAZZ