Is this Jazz? #5: Favorites of 1957

1957 saw the rise of Sonny Rollins and Thelonious Monk, a startling new sax player who was finally on his own and a budding genius, respectively. Saxophone Colossus came out of Rollins' quartet work, but it was his trio work which was most interesting- which would come on Way Out West the March before Colossus. Cecil Taylor, who would soon become one of the best improvisers on the keys, plays Newport. Yusef Lateef began to make his mark as a spiritualist version of Dexter Gordon. Also notable was Mal Waldron's work with both Jackie Maclean and John Coltrane, who: kicked his heroin habit, devoted himself to the almighty, and met up with Johnny Griffin on the streets of Hackensack, NJ in April while he was on his way to record A Blowin' Session. Griffin's album was perhaps the most star-studded hard-bop session of all time, each player going onto achieve greatness in their own regard. The tenor trio of Coltrane, Griffin, and Hank Mobley was supported by trumpeter Lee Morgan, pianist Wynton Kelly, and the dynamic rhythm section of Paul Chambers and Art Blakey.

1. Johnny Griffin - A Blowin' Session
2. Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus/Way out West
3. Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners
4. Art Blakey - Jazz Messengers with Thelonious Monk
5. Miles Davis - Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet
6. Yusef Lateef - Jazz Moods
7. Max Roach - Max Roach Plus 4
8. Charles Mingus - The Clown
9. Mal Waldron - Mal/2
10. Cout Basie - The Atomic Mr. Basie