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Jazz guys: Bebop, Hard Bop etc.

I've been seriously into Jazz since I seriously became interested in high end gear (about 4 years). I listen primarily to jazz and primarily to Miles, Monk, Coltrane, and Rollins. I have many of the classic discs by these guys as well as some discs by Hank Mobley, Joe Henderson, Herbie Hancock, Gene Ammons, and Wayne Shorter. I have discs by Clifford Jordan, Andrew Hill, Dexter Gordon and Eric Dolphy. I think of these guys primarily as hard bop players. I also now that their playing spanned the genres of bebop, hard bop, and post bop. But as a jazz novice, I wonder, do the jazz classics by these artists generally fall into the hard bop genre or a combination of these other genres? Thanks for your insights.
foster_9
foster_9 OP
1,638 posts
 
Interesting Aldavis. I have Miles "Walkin","Kind of Blue" (seems like everyone has it),and "Miles Smiles", which is my favorite Miles disc. On the other hand, my wife has "Birth of the Cool", which repersents "cooljazz," but I'm not a fan of cool jazz, even though "Birth" is considered one of Miles' seminal recordings. The recording has always sounded like ancient jazz to me; slow and plodding, kinda of "Big Bandish." To coin an old 50's and 60's term "square."
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aldavis
202 posts
 
Foster 9, I understand what you are saying about Birth of cool. Remember it was quite early. Check out the ballads on "workin", "steamin","cookin", "relaxin", and "round about midnight". Terrific small group sessions with strong cool overtones. Some of the very best jazz period. Also ,as an example, though not a "cool" recording listen to Dexter Gordons "Doin Alright" track one "I was doin alright" and hear the obvious 'swing'. This reintroduction of swing is a cool element in an otherwise hot performance. It is amazing. - Jim
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knownothing
1,584 posts
 
All this is great stuff - the Rudy Van Gelder's Blue Note redbook re-releases of jazz artists recorded in the late fifties and early sixties are terrific. Don't miss Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder" or Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers' "Moanin'".
foster_9 OP
1,638 posts
 
Guys, thanks for the responses. I really don't have anyone to discuss jazz with since my uncle and I live in different cities now. If you don't have these, I highly recommend, 2 box sets, "Miles Davis, Seven Steps, The Complete Columbia Recordings, 1963-1964," and "Miles Davis and John Coltrane,The Complete Columbia Recordings." Also a simply outstanding value on Amazon.com is "The Great Thelonius Monk" 3CD Set, they were selling this a while back for only $8 plus shipping. Now I see they've upped the price to $19.99.

Aldavis, I have Miles' "Round Bout Midnight," "Steamin," and thought I had "Walkin" but I was mistaken. I've listened briefly to the others you mention from that time frame, I'll have to check them out again. Knownothing,
foster_9 OP
1,638 posts
 
Knownothing, I have Blakey's "Moanin" and can also recommend, his "Caravan," which I got as a JVC 20bit k2, which are usually high quality re-masters. I have many of the Blue Note RVG recordings, including "the Sidewinder," by Lee Morgan. My only problem with some of the Blue Note RVG discs is the recording/Re-mastering quality, but many are still "must-haves" for any real Jazz enthusiast.
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