Jazz from 1957 to 1967 was the most definitive.

Well said, Aldavis. I think you set the record straight.

There is nothing like a good debate to straighten things out."Bird" (Charles Parker), founded "Be Bop" and Miles Davis is given credit for "Hard Bop", which evolved from "Be Bop".
While I loved every "Hard Bop" musician, the music they made was not exclusively "Hard Bop", although it was exclusively "jazz". This is why I say "Hard Bop" was a description of the music as opposed to a seperate "genera".
"Walkin" by Miles, is a very good example of "Hard Bop". Seven of the hardest "Boppers" that ever "Bopped" got together on this one: Miles, J.J., Lucky Thompson, Horace Silver, Kenny Clark, Percy Heath, And David Schilkrout. "Love for sale", one of the cuts on this LP is definitely not "Hard Bop".
I have never enjoyed a discussion as much as I am enjoying this one. I am learning a lot and I am the one who started it.

03-26-10: Aldavis
Whoa whoa whoa. Bird is the founder of HARD bop ?

Aldavis, Bird pioneered "Bebop." "Hard Bop" descended from Bebop and is characterized by a different sound. How is Bird the founder of Hard Bop?

Foster and I suspect Orpheus 10 as well. Look carefully at Aldavis' sentence. It ends with a question mark. :-) So does the dispute I think.