
Music Lists Are Us: Favorite '50's Albums by Year with brief comments
Last updated: Tuesday March 29th, 2022
Report this blog
My Favorite '50s Albums, by year, with brief comments
1959
Kind of Blue by Miles Davis (the best-selling jazz album of all time)
What'd I Say? by Ray Charles (the title track was his concert closer for years; it was originally improvised to fill time)
Time Out by The Dave Brubeck Quartet (Take Five was a surprise hit by Paul Desmond & #1 selling jazz single ever)
The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald (The name Ella Fitzgerald is a mark of quality--I don't think she ever made a bad album)
The Genius of Ray Charles by Ray Charles
Giant Steps by John Coltrane
The Buddy Holly Story by Buddy Holly
The Shape of Jazz to Come by Ornette Coleman
Everybody Digs Bill Evans by Bill Evans
The George & Ira Gershwin Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Lightnin' Hopkins by Lightnin' Hopkins
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs by Marty Robbins
Mingus Ah Um by Charles Mingus
Blind Joe Death by John Fahey
Every Day I Have the Blues by Joe Williams
Ritchie Valens by Ritchie Valens
Moanin' by Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
What a Difference a Day Makes by Dinah Washington
1958
Lady Satin by Billie Holiday
Milestones by Miles Davis
Little Richard by Little Richard
Indigos by Duke Ellington
Everly Brothers by The Everly Brothers
Misterioso by Thelonious Monk
Chet by Chet Baker
Dance Mania by Tito Puente
Soultrain by John Coltrane
Come Fly With Me by Frank Sinatra
Sam Cooke by Sam Cooke
Sleep-Time Songs & Stories by Pete Seeger
Bo Diddley by Bo Diddley
Something Else!!!! by Ornette Coleman (Ornette's music still sounds modern 53 years later)
One Dozen Berries by Chuck Berry
1957
'Round About Midnight by Miles Davis
Here's Little Richard by Little Richard
Brilliant Corners by Thelonious Monk
After Midnight by Nat King Cole
Soulville by Ben Webster
Johnny Cash With His Hot and Blue Guitar by Johnny Cash
Thelonious Himself by Thelonious Monk
The Beat of My Heart by Tony Bennett
The Clown by Charles Mingus
West Side Story (original Broadway cast) by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim
Stormy Weather by Lena Horne
April in Paris by Count Basie
Blossom Dearie by Blossom Dearie
Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues by Odetta
1956
Elvis Presley by Elvis Presley
Duke Ellington Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Lady Sings the Blues by Billie Holiday
At Newport by Duke Ellington
The Cole Porter Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Saxophone Colossus by Sonny Rollins
My Fair Lady (Broadway Cast) by Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison et al
Rogers and Hart Songbook by Ella Fitzgerald
Elvis by Elvis Presley
Pithecanthropus Erectus by Charles Mingus
Rock and Rollin' with Fats Domino by Fats Domino
The Toshiko Trio by Toshiko Akiyoshi
Calypso by Harry Belafonte
1955
Study in Brown by Clifford Brown and Max Roach
Starring Sammy Davis by Sammy Davis Jr.
Dinah Jams by Dinah Washington
Les and Mary by Les Paul and Mary Ford
Satch Plays Fats by Louis Armstrong
Chet Baker Sings and Plays by Chet Baker
Clifford Brown With Strings by Clifford Brown
1954
Swing Easy by Frank Sinatra
Louis Armstrong Plays W.C. Handy by Louis Armstrong
After Hours With Miss "D" by Dinah Washington
Something Cool by June Christy
A Night at Birdland 1,2 and 3 by The Art Blakey Quintet
Songs for Young Lovers by Frank Sinatra
1953
Stringin' Along With Chet Atkins by Chet Atkins
Jazz at Massey Hall by The Quintet (Gillespie, Parker, Mingus, Roach & Powell)
Memorial Album by Hank Williams
New Concepts of Artistry in Rhythm by Stan Kenton
1952
Bird and Diz by Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie
Moanin' the Blues by Hank William's
Penthouse Serenade by Nat King Cole
Anthology of American Folk Music by Various Artists, compiled by Harry Smith
1951
City of Glass performed by Stan Kenton, composition by Bob Graettinger
Folk Song Favorites by Patti Page
1950
Birth of the Cool by Miles Davis
Ella Sings Gershwin by Ella Fitzgerald
Charlie Parker with Strings by Charlie Parker