Great Bebop Jazz Albums

Bebop is a style of jazz that developed in the mid 1940s and continuted evolve as a contemporary musical form through the 1960s. For many, the Bebop style is the definative sound of Jazz music and it contributed significantly to 1950s counter-culture.

This list is comprised of recordings from that era, and includes Bebop, "Hard-Bop", and "Post Bop" music. While most items on this list were originally released in LP format, it is important to note that much of the music of the genere was recorded as singles as the LP record format was not commercially available until 1948. Therefore, many early Bebop recordings have been compiled and released in loger formats, such as CD.

The Amazing Bud Powell. Volume 1 / Powell, Bud (1951)
Bud Powell, piano; Fats Navarro, trumpet, Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; with Tommy Potter and Curly Russell, bass; Roy Haynes and Max Roach, drums.

Ballads / John Coltrane Quartet (1962)
John Coltrane, tenor and soprano saxophone; McCoy Tyner, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Elvin Jones, drums.

Bird and Diz / Parker, Charlie (1950)
Charlie Parker, alto saxophone; Dizzy Gillespie, trumpet; Thelonious Monk, piano; Curly Russell, bass; Buddy Rich, drums

Birth of the Cool / Davis, Miles (1950)
Miles Davis, trumpet; Kenny Clarke, drums; J.J. Johnson, trombone; Lee Konitz, alto sax; John Lewis, piano; Gerry Mulligan, baritone sax; Max Roach, drums; Kai Winding, trombone and others.

Brilliant Corners / Monk, Thelonious (1953)
Thelonious Monk, piano; Sonny Rollins, tenor saxophone; Max Roach, drums Ernie Henry, alto saxophone, Oscar Pettiford, bass; Clark Terry, trumpet; Paul Chambers, bass.

Go! / Gordon, Dexter (1962)
Dexter Gordon, tenor saxophone; Sonny Clark, piano; Butch Warren, bass; Billy Higgins, drums.

Maiden Voyage / Hancock, Herbie (1965)
Freddie Hubbard, trumpet; George Coleman, tenor saxophone; Herbie Hancock, piano; Ron Carter, bass; Anthony Williams, drums

My Favorite Things / Coltrane, John (1962)
McCoy Tyner, piano; Steve Davis, bass; Elvin Jones, drums.

Pithecanthropus Erectus / Mingus, Charles (1956)
Charles Mingus, bass; Jackie McLean, alto saxophone; J.R. Monterose, tenor saxophone; Mal Waldron, piano; Willie Jones, drums.

Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at the Opera House / Getz, Stan (1957)
Stan Getz, tenor sax; J.J. Johnson, trombone; Oscar Peterson, piano; Herb Ellis, guitar; Ray Brown, bass; Connie Kay, drums.

Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane / Monk, Thelonious (1957)
John Coltrane and Coleman Hawkins, tenor saxophone; Gigi Gryce, alto saxophone; Ray Copeland, trumpet; Wilbur Ware, double bass; Shadow Wilson and Art Blakey, drums.

Marin County Free Library

Great Bebop Jazz Albums