Hard bop is a subgenre of jazz that is an extension of bebop music. Journalists and record companies began using the term in the mid-1950s to describe a new current within jazz that incorporated influences from rhythm and blues, gospel music, and blues, especially in saxophone and piano playing.
Henry Mobley was an American tenor saxophonist and composer. Mobley was described by Leonard Feather as the "middleweight champion of the tenor saxophone", a metaphor used to describe his tone, that was neither as aggressive as John Coltrane nor as mellow as Lester Young, and his style that was laid-back, subtle and melodic, especially in contrast with players such as Coltrane and Sonny Rollins. The critic Stacia Proefrock claimed him "one of the most underrated musicians of the bop era." Mobley's compositions include "Double Exposure", "Soul Station", and "Dig Dis".
Paul Laurence Dunbar Chambers Jr. was an American jazz double bassist. A fixture of rhythm sections during the 1950s and 1960s, he has become one of the most widely-known jazz bassists of the hard bop era. He was also known for his bowed solos. Chambers recorded about a dozen albums as a leader or co-leader, and over 100 more as a sideman, especially as the anchor of trumpeter Miles Davis's "first great quintet" (1955–63) and with pianist Wynton Kelly (1963–68).
William McKinley "Red" Garland Jr. was an American modern jazz pianist. Known for his work as a bandleader and during the 1950s with Miles Davis, Garland helped popularize the block chord style of playing in jazz piano.
Douglas Watkins was an American jazz double bassist. He was best known for being an accompanist to various hard bop artists in the Detroit area, including Donald Byrd and Jackie McLean.
Blue Train is a studio album by the jazz saxophonist and composer John Coltrane. It was released through Blue Note Records in January 1958. It is Coltrane's only session as leader for Blue Note. The recording took place at Rudy Van Gelder's studio on September 15, 1957.
Workin' with the Miles Davis Quintet is an album by the Miles Davis Quintet which was released c. January 1960 through Prestige Records. It was recorded in two sessions on May 11 and October 26, 1956 that produced four albums — this one, Relaxin' with the Miles Davis Quintet, Steamin' with the Miles Davis Quintet and Cookin' with the Miles Davis Quintet.
Miles: The New Miles Davis Quintet is a studio album by the jazz musician Miles Davis which was released in April 1956 through Prestige Records. It is the debut record by the Miles Davis Quintet, and generally known by the original title Miles as indicated on the cover.
The Last Trane is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1966 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7378.
Coltrane Jazz is a studio album by the jazz musician John Coltrane. It was released in early 1961 on Atlantic Records. Most of the album features Coltrane playing with his former Miles Davis bandmates, pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Jimmy Cobb during two sessions in November and December, 1959. The exception is the track "Village Blues", which was recorded October 21, 1960. "Village Blues" comes from the first recording session featuring Coltrane playing with pianist McCoy Tyner and drummer Elvin Jones, who toured and recorded with Coltrane as part of his celebrated "classic quartet" from 1960 to 1965.
Trane's Blues is a compact disc credited to the jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1999 on Blue Note Records, catalogue 98240. It comprises recordings from sessions for Blue Note and United Artists Records with Coltrane as a sideman for Paul Chambers, Sonny Clark, Johnny Griffin, and Cecil Taylor. These recordings were issued respectively on their Whims of Chambers, Sonny's Crib, A Blowin' Session, and Hard Driving Jazz albums. Two selections are from Coltrane's own 1957 Blue Train, and "One for Four" had been previously unissued. "Trane's Blues" had been issued on the compilation High Step in 1975, previously known as "John Paul Jones" and named after himself, the bass player Chambers, and the drummer Philly Joe Jones. Like Prestige Records before them, as Coltrane's fame grew long after he had stopped recording for the label, Blue Note used varied recordings, often those where Coltrane had been merely a sideman, and reissued them as a new album with Coltrane's name prominently displayed. In this case, the Big Four conglomerate EMI continued that earlier practice.
High Step is a jazz double album credited to bassist Paul Chambers and saxophonist John Coltrane, issued in 1975 on Blue Note Records, catalogue BN-LA451. It is a compilation taken from the 1956 Chambers' Music on the Jazz West label and Whims of Chambers, along with two unissued recordings from a session in Boston, Massachusetts, "Trane's Strain" from that session previously appearing on an anthology. Originally, all of these sessions were led by Chambers, but like Prestige Records before them, as Coltrane's fame grew long after he had stopped recording for the label, Blue Note used varied recordings where Coltrane had been merely a sideman, and reissued them with Coltrane's name more prominently displayed.
Interplay for 2 Trumpets and 2 Tenors is a jazz album released in November 1957 by Prestige Records. It is credited to Idrees Sulieman, Webster Young, John Coltrane and Bobby Jaspar, with Mal Waldron, Kenny Burrell, Paul Chambers and Art Taylor.
Winner's Circle is a 1958 album by jazz musicians who came first or second in Down Beat's critics' poll of 1957.
Sonny's Crib is a studio album by the jazz pianist Sonny Clark. It was released through Blue Note Records in March 1958. The sextet assembled for the recording session consists of horn players Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller, and John Coltrane and rhythm section Paul Chambers and Art Taylor. The first half of the album comprises three jazz standards, while the second half contains two original compositions by Clark. The recording was made on September 1, 1957.
Bohemia After Dark is an album by jazz drummer Kenny Clarke, featuring the earliest recordings with Cannonball Adderley and Nat Adderley. It was released by Savoy Records in September 1955.
Presenting Cannonball is the 1955 debut album by jazz saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, released on the Savoy label, featuring a quintet with Nat Adderley, Hank Jones, Paul Chambers, and Kenny Clarke. A 1994 Japanese CD release also included alternate takes of tracks from Adderley's recording debut previously released as Kenny Clarke's Bohemia After Dark (1955).
6 Pieces of Silver is an album by the Horace Silver Quintet, recorded on November 10, 1956 and released on Blue Note later that year. The quintet features brass section Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley and rhythm section Doug Watkins and Louis Hayes.
All Day Long is a jazz album by the Prestige All Stars, later credited to trumpeter Donald Byrd and guitarist Kenny Burrell, released in 1957 on the Prestige label. All tracks were composed by the members of the band.
Taylor's Wailers is the debut album by drummer Art Taylor, released in 1957 on Prestige. It features tracks recorded mainly on February 25, 1957 plus a track from a different session featuring John Coltrane on saxophone.
