Jimmy Smith – A Date With Jimmy Smith, Volume One (1957)

Blue Note – BLP 1547Rec. Dates : February 11, 1957, February 13, 1957 Organ : Jimmy SmithAlto Sax : Lou DonaldsonDrums : Art Blakey, Donald BaileyGuitar : Eddie McFaddenTenor Sax : Hank MobleyTrumpet : Donald Byrd Strictlyheadies : 02/24/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 07/15/1957 First of a series of LPs built around organist Jimmy Smith and featuring top artists from Blue note roster – D. Byrd, H.

Lou Donaldson Quintet – Wailing With Lou (1957)

Blue Note – BLP 1545Rec. Date : January 27, 1957 Alto Sax : Lou DonaldsonBass : Peck MorrisonDrums : Art TaylorPiano : Herman FosterTrumpet : Donald Byrd Strictlyheadies : 02/22/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 07/01/1957Score of 72 Second Donaldson set for Blue Note in last two months. Tho the material and blowing is typically boppish, the straight-ahead, uncluttered feeling of the performances lend

Lou Donaldson – Quartet Quintet Sextet (1957)

Blue Note – BLP 1537Rec. Dates : June 20, 1952, November 19, 1952, August 22, 1954 Alto Sax : Lou DonaldsonBass : Gene Ramey, Percy HeathDrums : Arthur Taylor, Art BlakeyPiano : Horace Silver, Elmo HopeTrombone : Matthew GeeTrumpet : Blue Mitchell, Kenny Dorham Strictlyheadies : 02/14/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 04/27/1957Score of 74 Donaldson, one of the less-touted Charlie Parker followers, is one of the best, from

Thad Jones – The Magnificent Thad Jones (1957)

Blue Note – BLP 1527Rec. Date : July 14, 1956 Trumpet : Thad JonesBass : Percy HeathDrums : Max RoachPiano : Barry HarrisTenor Sax : Billy Mitchell Strictlyheadies : 02/04/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 01/12/1957Score of 80 Since winning the 1956 Down Beat critics’ poll as best new trumpet star, Thad Jones has come to throw more and more weight around on the

Clifford Brown – Memorial Album (1956)

Blue Note – BLP 1526Rec. Dates : June 9, 1953, August 28, 1953 Trumpet : Clifford BrownAlto Sax : Lou Donaldson, Gigi GryceBass : Percy HeathDrums : Philly Joe Jones, Art BlakeyFlute : Gigi GrycePiano : Elmo Hope, John LewisTenor Sax : Charlie Rouse Strictlyheadies : 02/03/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 09/29/1956Score of 80 Two sessions cut in 1953 and issued originally on two 10-inch

Art Blakey – A Night At Birdland, Volume Two (1956)

Blue Note – BLP 1522Rec. Date : February 21, 1954 Drums : Art BlakeyAlto Sax : Lou DonaldsonAnnouncer : Pee Wee MarquetteBass : Curly RussellPiano : Horace SilverTrumpet : Clifford Brown Strictlyheadies : 01/30/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 01/05/1957Score of 81 Tremendous modern “hard bop” session cut at the jazz clue during working hours in 1954. Line-up is constructed much like Blakey‘s current

Art Blakey – A Night At Birdland, Volume One (1956)

Blue Note – BLP 1521Rec. Date : February 21, 1954 Drums : Art BlakeyAlto Sax : Lou DonaldsonAnnouncer : Pee Wee MarquetteBass : Curly RussellPiano : Horace SilverTrumpet : Clifford Brown Strictlyheadies : 01/29/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 09/01/1956Score of 78 Re-issue of material formerly on 10-inch, and worthy inventory for all ships with modernist clientele. The prophetic label once again has

Thelonious Monk – Genius of Modern Music, Volume Two (1956)

Blue Note – BLP 1511Rec. Dates : October 15, 1947, October 24, 1947, November 21, 1947, July 23, 1951, May 30, 1952 Piano : Thelonious MonkAlto Sax : Danny Quebec West, Sahib Shihab, Lou DonaldsonBass : Eugene Ramey, Robert Paige, Al McKibbon, Nelson BoydDrums : Art Blakey, Max RoachTenor Sax : Billy Smith, Lucky ThompsonTrumpet : Idrees Sulieman, George Taitt, Kenny DorhamVibes : Milt Jackson Strictlyheadies : 01/19/2019Stream this Album Liner Notes

Milt Jackson – And The Thelonious Monk Quintet (1956)

Blue Note – BLP 1509Rec. Dates : July 2, 1948, July 23, 1951, April 7, 1952 Vibes : Milt JacksonAlto Sax : Sahib Shihab, Lou DonaldsonBass : John Simmons, Al McKibbon, Percy HeathDrums : Shadow Wilson, Art Blakey, Kenny ClarkePiano : Thelonious Monk, John Lewis Strictlyheadies : 01/17/2019Stream this Album Billboard : 05/12/1956Score of 76 Basically, this is a re-mastering of a 10-inch LP (BLP 5011), adding