Quality articles about the golden age of music
Peter Daltrey vividly remembers the songs that formed a new direction for music in his mind. As a member of The Key, a band that started as The Sidekicks in 1963, he recalls listening to The Beatles album Revolver in 1966. Like countless musicians at the time, he regarded the album as a revelation. Yet [ ] The post 1967: Kaleidoscope appeared first on Music Aficionado .
“A great many people are going to be surprised by this set” reads the opening statement of the liner notes on Lennie Tristano’s 1955 self-titled album. Indeed, the pianist’s first album on Atlantic Records caused a controversy among critics and listeners alike. It is also a milestone recording in its incorporation of overdubbing and tape [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Lennie Tristano appeared first on…
In 1955 Frank Sinatra was two years into his contract with Capitol Records. When the label signed the singer in 1953, Sinatra was deep in a five-year slump. His last studio album with Columbia Records was released in 1950, after a series of lukewarm albums and songs. Sinatra was heading towards a has-been status when [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Frank Sinatra appeared first on Music Aficionado .
On Valentine’s Day 1955 Billie Holiday went into a recording studio in New York for a session organized by Norman Granz, head of Clef Records. A year later that label would become the foundation from which Verve Records emerged. The musicians assembled for this session included Charlie Shavers on trumpet, Tony Scott on clarinet, Budd [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Billie Holiday appeared first on Music…
This article is dedicated to two jazz singers who were on a similar trajectory in 1955. Both were signed to the EmArcy label, the jazz subsidiary of Mercury Records. They both split their career between popular and jazz recordings, and shared the same producer with Bob Shad. And curiously, they both released fantastic albums that [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan appeared…
1955 was a year of two halves for Chet Baker. After winning his second consecutive Trumpet player of the year award in Downbeat’s Critic’s Poll, in the first half of the year he recorded for Pacific Jazz as an instrumentalist and vocalist. In the second part of 1955 he toured extensively and moved to Europe [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Chet Baker appeared first on Music Aficionado .
In the first half of 1955 Miles Davis was in a much better shape than he was in a long time. After kicking his heroin habit at his father’s house in 1953, he came back to New York City a more complete musician. His tone on the trumpet improved and so his ability to lead [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Miles Davis appeared first on Music Aficionado .
1955 was a pivotal year for the Modern Jazz Quartet. They made their last recordings for Prestige Records, before starting an enduring run of albums with Atlantic Records. That year also saw their last line up change before settling on the classic group that became known worldwide or their elegant chamber jazz. In this article [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Modern Jazz Quartet appeared first on Music…
The second article in the 1955 jazz series about artists who recorded for Blue Note Records is dedicated to an unsung hero of modern jazz. Herbie Nichols, an innovative pianist and composer, has barely seen anything written about him during his lifetime. Most record labels stayed away from recording him, and the majority of his [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: Herbie Nichols appeared first on Music…
The first two articles in the 1955 jazz series are dedicated to artists who recorded for Blue Note Records that year. This episode focuses on a group of musicians who formed the first incarnation of the Jazz Messengers. The albums we will review here involve a number of recording sessions held at Rudy Van Gelder’s [ ] The post 1955 Jazz: The Jazz Messengers appeared first on Music Aficionado .