1959

Sun Ra and his Arkestra are best known for their avant-garde explorations into Afro-futurism, but before they went in that direction they were a tight traditional big band, with a sound somewhere… Audio

In Bill Evans' album Portrait in Jazz, Scott LaFaro's bass playing moved from its traditional accompanying role to be an equal partner with Bill Evans' piano. In doing so it helped redefine the piano… Audio

Although John Coltrane wrote the tune "Giant Steps" as an exercise, something about it appealed to jazz musicians- and the album it headlines became one of Coltrane's most influential.  Audio

Dave Brubeck's Time Out manages to be both an exercise in unusual time signatures, and a signature album in the West Coast cool jazz movement. Audio

It's a pretty presumptuous title for an album, but Ornette Coleman's 1959 release manages to live up to its name. Coleman dispenses with harmonic accompaniment and frees up his musicians to improvise… Audio

Blue Mitchell's trumpet sound combined the warmth of this native Florida, the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple, and the chilled-out West Coast cool school. This is one of the vital albums of 1959, a… Audio

Nick celebrates the 60^th anniversary of Charles Mingus’ landmark album Mingus Ah Um. Audio

Arguably the greatest jazz record of all time. Miles Davis put together an all-star band, gave them a few sketches, and stood back to let them work. The result changed the sound of jazz. Audio

Charles Mingus' extended tribute to his ancestors is a masterful collection of tunes, which together illustrate his gruff and uncompromising genius. The best place to start if you want to get into his… Audio

Miles Davis' partnership with Gil Evans was a match made in jazz heaven. Evans' atmospheric arrangements perfectly suited Miles' fragile trumpet tone, and nowhere more so than on their take on the… Audio