The Jazz Messengers – Hard Bop (1957)

Columbia – CL 1040Rec. Dates : December 12, 1956, December 13, 1956Stream this Album Drums : Art BlakeyAlto Sax : Jackie McLeanBass : Spanky DeBrestPiano : Sam DockeryTrumpet : Bill Hardman Billboard : 10/28/1957Score of 80 A leaping, boppish session that is notable for wealth of stark, emotionally direct solos, and integrated thrust of group as a whole. Most memorable

Duke Ellington and his Orchestra – Such Sweet Thunder (1957)

Columbia – CL 1033Rec. Date : late 1956Stream this Album Piano : Duke EllingtonAlto Sax : Johnny Hodges, Russell ProcopeBaritone Sax : Harry CarneyBass : Jimmy WoodeBass Clarinet : Harry CarneyClarinet : Jimmy Hamilton, Russell ProcopeDrums : Sam WoodyardOrchestration : Billy StrayhornTenor Sax : Paul Gonsalves, Jimmy HamiltonTrumpet : Cat Anderson, Clark Terry, Ray Nance, Willie CookTrombone : Quentin Jackson, John Sanders, Britt Woodman Army TimesTom Scanlan : 10/19/1957 Speaking of The

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers – Drum Suite (1957)

Columbia – CL 1002Rec. Dates : December 13, 1956, February 22, 1957Stream this Album Percussion : Art Blakey, Jo Jones, Charles Wright, Cándido, SabúAlto Sax : Jackie McLeanBass : Spanky DeBrest, Oscar PettifordCello : Oscar PettifordPiano : Sam Dockery, Ray BryantTrumpet : Bill Hardman Billboard : 06/24/1957Album Cover of the Week Excellent color photograph by Arnold Newman effectively highlights the eerie, grotesque African masks and figurine.

Don Byrd / Gigi Gryce – Jazz Lab (1957)

Columbia – CL 998Rec. Dates : January 13, 1957, February 4, 1957, February 5, 1957, March 13, 1957Stream this Album Trumpet : Donald ByrdAlto Sax : Gigi GryceBaritone Sax : Sahib ShihabBass : Wendell MarshallDrums : Art TaylorFrench Horn : Julius WatkinsPiano : Wade Legge, Tommy FlanaganTrombone : Jimmy Cleveland, Benny PowellTuba : Don Butterfield Billboard : 06/24/1957Special Merit Jazz Album Unusually well-conceived program of modern

Dave Brubeck Quartet – Jazz Impressions of the U.S.A. (1957)

Columbia – CL 984Rec. Dates : November 16, 1956, November 26, 1956, February 4, 1957Stream this Album Piano : Dave BrubeckAlto Sax : Paul DesmondBass : Norman BatesDrums : Joe Morello Army TimesTom Scanlan : 07/06/1957 The Brubeck Club, which still has many members, will want to hear Dave’s latest called Jazz Impressions of the U.S.A. as will others who are only occasional

Miles Davis – ‘Round About Midnight (1957)

Columbia – CL 949Rec. Dates : October 26, 1955, June 5, 1956, September 10, 1956Stream this Album Trumpet : Miles DavisArranger : Gil Evans, Teo MaceroBass : Paul ChambersDrums : Philly Joe JonesPiano : Red GarlandTenor Sax : John Coltrane Billboard : 03/30/1957Spotlight on… selection Davis‘ Columbia debut disk is the mellowest and, for the average joe, the most accessible of his

J.J. Johnson – J is for Jazz (1957)

Columbia – CL 935Rec. Dates : July 24, 1956, July 25, 1956, July 27, 1956Stream this Album Trombone : J.J. JohnsonBass : Percy Heath, Wilbur LittleDrums : Elvin JonesFlute : Bobby JasparPiano : Tommy Flanagan, Hank JonesTenor Saxophone : Bobby Jaspar Billboard : 01/12/1957Score of 83 Johnson, after several years’ experimentation in trombone sonorities with Kai Winding, is heard now in a different

Harry Edison and his Orchestra – Sweets (1957)

Clef – MGC 717Rec. Date : UnknownStream this Album Trumpet : Harry EdisonBass : Joe MondragonDrums : Alvin StollerGuitar : Barney KesselPiano : Jimmy RowlesTenor Sax : Ben Webster Army TimesTom Scanlan : 03/16/1957 There is much talk and a good many theories concerning just where jazz is heading. Meanwhile back at the ranch down home for a stimulating reminder of

Serge Chaloff – Blue Serge (1957)

Capitol – T-742Rec. Date : March 14, 1956, March 16, 1956Stream this Album Baritone Sax : Serge ChaloffBass : Leroy VinnegarDrums : Philly Joe JonesPiano : Sonny Clark Billboard : 02/23/1957Score of 81 Of the jazz sets out by Capitol in the last few years by small modern groups, the only real standouts have been Chaloff‘s first, Boston Blowup and this one.

Charles Mingus – East Coasting (1957)

Bethlehem – BCP 6019Rec. Date : August 6, 1957Stream this Album Bass : Charles MingusAlto Sax : Shafi HadiDrums : Dannie RichmondTrombone : Jimmy KnepperPiano : Bill EvansTenor Sax : Shafi HadiTrumpet : Clarence Shaw American Record GuideMartin Williamson : March, 1958 Mingus has no fear of originality. A colleague has justly called Jimmy Knepper the first original trombonist J.J. Johnson, and, like Mingus, he