0013 - Miles Davis - Birth of the Cool [1957]

Who: Jazz legend Miles Davis (1926-1991, trumpet) and his nonet (i.e., 9-piece ensemble: piano, bass, drums, trumpet, tuba, trombone, French horn, and alto and baritone saxophone).

What: A collection of recordings Davis made in 1949-1950, this album is remarkable for a number of reasons. First, it features a nine-piece band (nonet)—a rare thing in jazz—which places it at a critical position between the big bands of 1940s swing and the stripped down ensembles of bebop jazz. Second, this is the foundational record of "cool jazz": while the bebop bands played fast and hot, these songs are smooth and cool, even incorporating elements of classical music into jazz. This record is the first of several that established Miles Davis as one of the most important American musicians of all time.

Where: New York, NY through and through.

The jazz clubs on 52nd St where Davis played, New York, 1948.

When: Hosting a late-night cocktail party.

Why: This record is jazz music as elegant and cool as it gets. It is a rare jazz album that manages to be both accessible, even to those who aren't jazz fans (especially given that the average track length is three minutes) and cutting-edge (it is one of the first to incorporate classical elements into jazz). 

Davis and the nonet in the recording sessions for Birth of the Cool, New York, 1949-50.

Microdose: While these songs are short by jazz standards, this is a seamless album from which there is no real "standout" track. We've chosen "Boplicity" because it is one of the few tracks on the album written by Davis (in collaboration with Gil Evans and credited to the pseudonym Cleo Henry).

Additional Dose: This 1946 recording of "A Night in Tunisia" features Davis playing trumpet in the band of the great Charlie Parker, one of the founders of bebop jazz. Davis played in Parker's band before becoming the leader of his own, immediately prior to the recordings that became Birth of the Cool. (Parker died in 1955, never making an LP album in his lifetime, and thus, not featured in our initial list of records).

0012 - Sabu - Palo Congo [1957]

 

Who: Famous conguero (conga player) Louis "Sabú" Martínez and his band.

What: One of the most important Latin jazz and world fusion albums, this record has nothing to do with the stereotypical "Latin" sound. Horns are nowhere to be found here; rather, these songs consist almost entirely of polyrhythmic Afro-Cuban drumming and chanting, with sporadic guitar flourishes. This is purely elemental, and often trance-like stuff that draws on the Afro-Cuban religion of Palo (which was brought by slaves from the Congo to Cuba) and was profoundly influential on the incorporation of Latin and Afro-Cuban elements into jazz music.

Where: Recorded in New York, NY, based on Afro-Cuban rhythms.

Sabu, ca. 1950s.

When: After hours.

Why: This is primal music that is mystical and spiritual, while also profoundly energizing. While the chanting and the complex rhythms might intially be challenging to some listeners, the songs are powerful enough to pull you in and transport you to another world. It will touch you at your core, but also get you on your feet.

A Palo Congo shrine in Cuba.

Microdose: In many ways, it is the anomaly on the album–it is instrumental (no chanting) and guitar-led–but the sparkling "Rhapsodia del Marvilloso" is simply breathtaking in its beauty.

 

Additional Dose:  An incredible Palo dance troupe from Cuba performing to Afro-Cuban music very similar to that featured on the album.

0011 - Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners [1957]

Who: Legendary jazz pianst and composer Thelonious Monk (1917-1982) and a six-piece ensemble. 

What: This is one of the most influential and important jazz records of all time. The traditional big band of swing music is pared down to the elemental essentials and while the far out experiments of free jazz are yet to come the compositions are extraordinarily complex. Indeed, this record is on the same level as some of the most important classical music of all time.

Where: New York, NY–and quintessentially so. This music moves will all the different energies of the city.

Monk (L) and others outside of legendary jazz club Minton's Playhouse, NYC, 1947.

When: You want to be moved.
 
Why: This is a stunning record of unimpeachable quality. That all but one of the songs are Monk's own compositions, rather than improvisations on existing songs, makes it even more impressive. Like classical music, this music dynamically conveys an incredible range of moods and feelings without the need of lyrics.  This is music that will take you places.

Monk and the "Jazz Baroness" Pannonica de Koenigswarter, 1964.

Microdose: "Pannonica," a moving and haunting ode to his friend Pannonica de Koenigswarter, the infamous "Jazz Baroness" (a member of the Rothschild dynasty who left her family behind to become a patroness, champion, and friend of many of the most important jazz musicians of the 20th century). Here, Monk plays the celeste instead of the piano, which greatly adds to the song's dreamlike soundscape.

Additional Dose: An incredible solo performance by drummer Max Roach. While drummers often get the least recognition, Roach played on this album as well as many others by jazz legends such as Charlie Parker, Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus, and Miles Davis.

0010 - Count Basie & His Orchestra - Atomic Mr. Basie [1957]

Who: Pianist and bandleader Count Basie (1904-1984) and his 15-piece orchestra.

What: A mid-career album by one of the most important big band swing leaders of the 1940s. Like Duke Ellington's 1956 Newport record, this album is critical in the history of jazz as it works to revitalize swing music (which had started to fall out of fashion by the mid 1950s) by incorporating bold and innovative jazz elements and arrangements. And like Ellington's record, this album gave a fresh boost of energy to Basie's career and reminded listeners not to count out the older players.

Where: New York, NY.

Count Basie (piano) and his orchestra, ca. 1950s.

When: Starting to get into jazz.

Why: In its fusion of big band swing and improvisational jazz, this is a perfect point of entry for listeners who are new to jazz. But the album is also a must-listen for even seasoned jazz fans, if only for the flawless quality of the performances. The cover and the album title are perfectly representative: the fast numbers are explosive, red-hot, and the band plays at breakneck speeds, while the slower numbers are smooth and smoky.

Count Basie

Microdose: While during many songs, Basie is content to let his orchestra members have the spotlight with impressive solos while he keeps the pulse on the piano, the opening song of the album "The Kid from Red Bank" appropriately places Basie center stage, showing off his literally dynamite piano skills that make it sound like the piano is on fire.

Additional Dose: A live 1965 performance of the Basie Orchestra's signature song "One O'Clock Jump" (originally from 1935).

0009 - The Crickets - The "Chirping" Crickets [1957]

Who: Buddy Holly (1936-1959, lead vocals and guitar), Jerry Allison (drums), Joe Mauldin (1940-2015, bass), and Niki Sullivan (1937-2004, rhythm guitar).

What: This is, perhaps, the single most influential rock album of all time. While Elvis's 1956 album is a bric-à-brac of styles, this record is 12 tracks of straightforward rock and roll. This album also shows the importance of Texas in the development of the traditional rock sound: while the r&b from the South is dominated by piano and the country influences from Tennessee use acoustic guitar, this album is one of the first to feature electric guitar as the central, driving force of the music.

Where: While the songs on this album were recorded at different studios, the band formed in and is representative of Lubbock, TX.

A postcard from Lubbock, TX, ca. 1950s.

When: When learning how to play rock and roll.

Why: This is another truly surprising album that is much more hard-edged than Elvis's debut. While much of it still has a "rockabilly" sound, it may indeed be the first bona fide rock album—the country influences here are different and less apparent than the Nashville and Memphis sounds. In these guitar-driven songs, one can already hear the future sounds of bands like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and even punk.

The poster for Buddy Holly's concert at the Kato Ballroom in Mankato MN, January 25, 1959.

Mircodose: Though it draws heavily on Bo Diddley's pioneering use of Afro-Caribbean clave rhythms (called the "Bo Diddley beat"), "Not Fade Away" best captures the rocking spirit of Buddy Holly and his band.

Additional Doses:  On February 3, 1959—known as "the day the music died" since Don Maclean's 1971 classic "American Pie"—the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and the Big Bopper from the show in Clear Lake, IA to Moorhead, MN crashed in a field in Iowa. Here are the most famous songs by Valens and the Big Bopper, who were only 17 and 28 when they died. Who knows what these three would've gone on to do?

0008 - Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers! [1956]

Who: Frank Sinatra, coming off of the most critcally acclaimed album of his career (1955's In the Wee Small Hours).

What: The Spring to In the Wee Small Hours's Winter, this record reinterprets beloved romantic traditional standards in a hip and fashionable way, with assertive and jazzy performances by Sinatra set to energetic and sophisticated orchestrations (arranged, like In the Wee Small Hours, by Nelson Riddle). Both this album and In the Wee Small Hours focus on one theme. This one, however, isn't an epic; rather, each song is like its own little fling.

Where: Hollywood, CA.

The famous Capitol Records building in Hollywood, where the album was recorded, ca. 1950s.

When: Hosting a dinner party.

Why: These are definitive versions of some of the most enduring songs in the Great American Songbook. This record, much like Sinatra himself, captures the optimism and exuberance of the mid-fifties U.S. While In the Wee Small Hours is Sinatra at his artistic peak, this is quintessential Sinatra—upbeat, confident, witty.

Sinatra in the studio, 1956.

Microdose: This great take on Cole Porter's "I've Got You Under My Skin," in which the orchestra and Sinatra really play off each other, is the highlight of this record and became one of his signature performances.

Another dose: The fabulous Neneh Cherry transformed "I've Got You Under My Skin" for an AIDS benefit compliation of Cole Porter songs from 1990 entitled Red Hot + Blue.

0007 - Fats Domino - This is Fats [1956]

Who: New Orleans icon and legendary r&b performer, Antoine "Fats" Domino (b. 1928).

What: One of the most influential albums of early rock and r&b that pioneered the New Orleans sound (and influences it to this day). Drawing on Afro-Caribbean rhythms and New Orleans "Dixieland" jazz, this record consists of tight, rollicking songs led by Domino's mellow vocals and driving piano, accompanied by an energetic New Orleans brass band. 

Where: New Orleans, LA.

New Orleans, 1950s.

When: Sunday brunch (with a bloody mary!).

Why: This is quintessential New Orleans music—like the city itself, it is both laid-back and lively. It creates a truly unique sound: while it is rock, it is not rockabilly or guitar-based, and while it features a brass section, it is not improvisational jazz. This is a key piece of rock history that transcends the genre and still sounds fresh today. 

Fats Domino (piano) and the Billy Diamond Orchestra at the Hideaway Club, New Orleans 1949.

Microdose: "Blueberry Hill" is the biggest hit on the album, but "What's the Reason (I'm Not Pleasing You)?" is the most exciting.

Additional Dose: In late 50s Jamaica, the mix of traditional mento folk music (as exemplified by Harry Belaftone's Calypso [1956]) with New Orleans r&b (as exemplified by Fats Domino) gave rise to ska (which later lead to reggae in the late 1960s). In this early song by Bob Marley & the Wailers (a pre-reggae ska from 1965), one can easily hear the blending of the two influences: the melody and vocal style of mento with the rhythm and instrumentation of the New Orleans sound.

0006 - Harry Belafonte - Calypso [1956]

Who: One of the most legendary live entertainers and political activists of the 20th century, and the most successful Caribbean-American performer of all time. 

What: The first million-selling LP ever, this record consists of lively yet understated re-interpretations of traditional folk songs from Jamaica (mento) and Trinidad (calypso). This is not cruise ship "calypso" with steel drums and horn section and songs about partying in the sun; rather, this music draws on the West African music brought to the Caribbean by slaves—the instrumentation is mostly acoustic guitar, percussion, and flute and the lyrics, like all folk music, tell of everyday life.

Where: Recorded in New York, NY, based on songs from Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.

A Jamaican mento band.

When: You need an elevation of the spirit.

Why:  For listeners who only know of tourist "calypso" music and think of Harry Belafonte as just another crooner from the 50s, this will be a truly surprising album. It is a beautiful and sparkling record that creates a wonderful mood: the melodies are uplifiting, the vocals are smooth, the rhythms are lively and the lyrics are often deeply political. This is perhaps the most danceable political folk album ever.

Harry Belafonte, 1950s.

Microdose: "The Banana Boat Song (Day-O)" is Belafonte's signature song, and "Man Smart, Woman Smarter" has to be one of the first feminist folk songs, but "Jamaica Farewell" captures the delightful spirit of the album.

Additional Dose: This fabulous performance in Zimbabwe—from the 1988 tour for his album Paradise in Gazankulu, made in support of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa—features Belafonte reinterpreting many of his most beloved songs (including many from the Calypso record) in the South African mbaqanga style.

0005 - Duke Ellington - Ellington at Newport [1956]

Who: Duke Ellington (1899-1974), the greatest jazz composer of all time, and his 15-piece orchestra.

What: This album is a live recording of Ellington's legendary performance at the 1957 Newport Jazz Festival, which is widely considered the best performance of his career. At the time of the performance, Ellington's career (and the big band swing of the 1940s that he pioneered) was in decline due to the rise of bebop jazz. Here, Ellington and his band reinterpret his older classics in a hip way that not only revitalized his career, but also provided some of the most famous and important improvisational work of 1950s jazz.

Where: The Newport Jazz Festival in Newport, RI.

Paul Gonsalves, the saxophone soloist from "Dimenuendo and Crescendo in Blue," with Ellington, ca. 1950s.

When: Anytime, but it was simply wonderful on a sunny spring morning.

Why: This is a stunning and sophisticated album that even listeners who don't like jazz can enjoy. It strikes a perfect balance between traditional big band song structures and forward-thinking improvisation. The atmosphere between the band and the audience after the performance of "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" has to be among the most thrilling live moments captured on record.

Elaine Anderson dancing during Ellington's performance at Newport RI, July 7, 1956.

Microdose: This isn't really a "microdose" because it is the longest song of the concert by far, but this electrifying performance of "Diminuendo and Crescendo in Blue" (originally from 1937) must be heard to be believed. It features Paul Gonsalves's iconic 27-chorus saxophone improvisation, which was spurred on when Elaine Anderson (known simply as the "white woman in the black dress" for decades) jumped out of her box seat and started dancing at the stage, causing the rest of the audience to join her. According to those in attendance, the crazier she danced, the crazier the solo became. After the song ended, the audience was so energized and demanding that the band had to play three encores, while Ellington tried to calm them down.

Additional Dose: Ellington and Gonsalves are reunited 15 years later. This live footage from 1972  demonstrates the effortlessness and mutual admiration of the duo, as they glide into the smooth number.

0004 - Louis Prima - The Wildest! [1956]

Who: Bandleader, singer, and trumpeter Louis Prima (1910-1978, born in New Orleans to Italian immigrants), singer Keely Smith (his then-wife), saxophonist Sam Butera and the Witnesses.

What: A studio recreation of Prima's raucous late-night show at the Sahara which was, at the time, the most popular show in Vegas, this album is a high-spirited big band romp. This is quintessential swing music, drawing on jazz, rock, traditional pop, and New Orleans brass, with comedic vocal performances by Prima and Smith.

Where: Recorded in Los Angeles, CA, but based on Prima's show at the Sahara in Las Vegas.

Prima on the marquee at the Sahara in Las Vegas, June 1955.

When: To get the cocktail party started—or when the late-night party needs a boost of energy.

Why: While it borders on kitsch, this spirit of this album is simply infectious. It perfectly captures a swingin' Vegas party in the 1950s (or so we imagine)—rather than going for complex jazz arrangements, it simply tries to have fun. Even the most cynical listener couldn't listen to this without smiling.

Prima, Smith, and the band at the Sahara.

 

Mircodose: The most famous track on this album is "Jump, Jive, an' Wail" (mostly due to Brian Setzer's cover of it during the "swing revival" in the late 90s) and the closer "(I'll Be Glad When You Are Dead) You Rascal You" is great, but the bawdy "The Lip" best showcases the attitude of the album.

Additional Dose: Prima famously voiced the character of King Louie in Disney's The Jungle Book (1961)—here's his central song "I Wanna Be Like You."

0003 - The Louvin Brothers - Tragic Songs of Life [1956]

Who: Brothers Ira (1924-1965, mandolin) & Charlie (1927-2011, guitar) Louvin, a country and gospel singing duo from Appalachian Alabama.

What: One of the great records of traditional country before the rise of the slick "Nashville sound" and rockabilly, this album consists mostly of covers of traditional Appalachian folk and earlier country ballads with tragic themes (including many traditional murder ballads). While this record draws on a bluegrass sound, the instrumentation features only mandolin and guitar (no fiddle or banjo) and pioneers the use of the close harmonies of gospel singing in country music, which gives the dark content of the songs a slightly warmer feeling.

Where: Nashville, TN.

The Louvin Brothers in amazing suits, performing for WSM Nashville, ca. 1950s.

When: On a road trip through the country.

Why: This record is not for everyone—the similarity in the sound, tempo, and lyrical content of each song, as well as the distinctively Appalachian (one might say "hillbilly") tone of the vocals and instrumentation—might turn off those who are not fans of country music. However, this is a rare example of a real country album that blends the sounds of Appalachia with the production quality of Nashville without sanitizing the spirit of the music.  

The Louvin Brothers in front of an Appalachian cabin, ca. 1950s.

Mircodose: "In the Pines," an almost-bluegrass take on the traditional Appalachian folk song that best captures the Brothers' fusion of gospel harmonies and the spirit of Appalachian music.

Additional Dose: A much darker version of "In the Pines" from the 1940s by the great Lead Belly (1888-1949).

Bonus Dose: Nirvana's absolutely brooding and sinister cover of the Lead Belly version from their 1994 MTV Unplugged.

0002 - Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley [1956]

Who: A 20-year old Elvis Presley, fresh off his first million-selling single "Heartbreak Hotel."

What: One of the most iconic and influential records in music history, this is not only Elvis's first album, but one of the first rock studio LPs ever (record labels previously thought that the teenage fans of rock music could only afford singles). All of Elvis's styles are represented on this dynamic and eclectic debut: pop ("Blue Moon"), rockabilly ("Blue Suede Shoes"), r&b ("I Got a Woman"), and country ("I Love You Because").

Where: Memphis, TN.

Sun Records in Memphis where Elvis recorded, ca. 1950s.

When: Learning about the history of rock. 

Why: Besides capturing Elvis's charisma and the excitement of early rock, this album's greatest value is that it is an incredible historical document: it is difficult to imagine a single record that better archives the diverse influences of rock music—country, pop, rockabilly, r&b—before they became conglomerated. One can hear the next half-century of popular music of nearly every sort contained on this record in embryonic form.

Elvis's first national T.V. appearance, January 1956.

Microdose: While "Blue Suede Shoes" is legendary and the reverb-drenched "Blue Moon" is a must-listen, this rollicking version of "One-Sided Love Affair" is perhaps the quintessential example of Elvis's swagger.

Additional Dose: "Hound Dog," from Elvis's notorious appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, October 1956.

0001 - Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours [1955]

Who: A 40-year old Frank Sinatra in the middle of a career slump and a divorce from Ava Gardner.

What: On his first "concept" album (organized around a theme rather than a random collection of songs), Sinatra gives moody and emotive—even jazzy—performances of traditional pop standards and torch songs from the Great American Songbook accompanied by highly cinematic orchestrations arranged and conducted by Nelson Riddle.

Where: Hollywood, CA.

Time, August 29, 1955

When: Feeling smoky, lonely, blue, heartbroken.

Why: From start to finish, this album—the soundscapes, the vocal performances, the song selection, and even the cover art—captures a specific mood so consistently and palpably that it is stunning. While the limited scope of its explorations might make it seem monotonous at first, its narrow focus enables it to reveal a surprising depth and richness, much like an aural version of Yves Klein's monochromes.

Yves Klein, Untitled (IKB 46), 1955

Microdose:  There isn't really a "standout" on this album, and this may actually be the most upbeat track, but Sinatra's version of Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo" perhaps most literally encapsulates the record as a whole.

 
Additional dose: "Blue" (composed by Alec Wilder) from Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color (1956).