The Best of 1960s Jazz Music

The 1960s were a time of great change in the world of jazz music. This blog will take a look at some of the best jazz music from that decade.

The Birth of Jazz

In the early 20th century, a new kind of music was born in the United States. This music was influenced by the music of Africa and Europe. It was also influenced by the blues. This new kind of music was called jazz.

The Evolution of Jazz

The term “jazz” was first used in Chicago in about 1915. It is thought to be derived from a West African word, “jasm,” meaning to pep up or invigorate. From its earliest beginnings in the early 1900s, jazz was a melting pot of many different cultures and musical styles. New Orleans was a major center for jazz and gave birth to some of its most important innovators, such as Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton and Sidney Bechet.

Jazz began to spread beyond New Orleans in the early 1900s with the help of traveling musicians and new technology, such as the phonograph and radio. By the 1920s, jazz was being played all over the United States and Europe. The 1930s saw the rise of big band jazz, characterized by Swing music, which remained popular throughout the decade.

In the 1940s, a new style of jazz called Bebop emerged. Bebop was faster and more complex than Swing music and was often Played by small groups of musicians instead of big bands. Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie were two of the most Important innovators of Bebop.

The 1950s marked a return to popularity for big band jazz, led by artists such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie. But by the end of the decade, another new style of jazz was beginning to take shape. This style came to be known as Hard Bop and combined elements of Bebop with Gospel music and blues. John Coltrane and Miles Davis were two of the most important innovators of Hard Bop.

In the 1960s, jazz continued to evolve with even more new styles emerging, such as Free Jazz, Modal Jazz and Latin Jazz. Jazz musicians continued to experiment with different sounds and techniques, resulting in some truly innovative and unique music.

The Influences of Jazz

jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, United States. It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries from roots in blues and ragtime. Jazz is seen by many as “America’s classical music”. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, jazz has become recognized as a major form of musical expression. It then emerged in the form of independent traditional and popular musical styles, all linked by the common bonds of African-American and European-American musical parentage with a performance orientation. Jazz is characterized by swing and blue notes, complex chords, call and response vocals, Polyrhythms and improvisation. Jazz has roots in West African cultural and musical expression, and in African-American music traditions including blues and ragtime.

During its gestation period from approximately 1886 to 1917, jazz developed from combining earlier brass band marches, French quadrilles, biguine, ragtime and blues with collective polyphonic improvisation. As jazz spread around the world, it drew on national, regional, and local musical cultures, which gave rise to different styles. New Orleans jazz began in the early 1910s, combining earlier brass band marches with ragtime, blues Ottoman & North African music influences; Louis Armstrong & Sidney Bechet were notable early performers. The Chicago style (developed in the mid-west) was influenced by New Orleans jazz but also took onboard European classical & operatic elements; early practitioners included Joe “King” Oliver & Jelly Roll Morton but it was Benny Goodman who rose to prominence as a bandleader with his big bands of the 1930s onwards which included clarinetist Artie Shaw & guitarist Django Reinhardt). Dixieland refers to an early style of jazz; initially it was just one of several types which became known as “New Orleans”, “Chicago” or just plain “jazz”. The exact origins are unclear: some contend it originated with Nick LaRocca’s Original Dixieland Jass Band while others suggest that various groups were playing similar music (albeit not under that name) at about that time including Charles Lavenson’s Louisiana Five (not to be confused with Paul Mares’ Original Crescent City Five), Jelly Roll Morton etc; this type of jazz generally features a lead cornet or trumpet playing “tailgate” style (i.e. without vibrato) along with trombone or clarinet countering with some improvised riffs while everyone plays kickin’ rhythms on banjo or guitar backed up by tuba or string bass keeping time on percussion instruments such as drums or washboard; often there is a “clarinet lead” where one or more clarinets take turns playing extended solos while everyone else plays riff-based accompaniment figures; typical tunes include “When The Saints Come Marching In”, Basin Street Blues”, Ain’t Misbehavin'”, Tiger Rag”, Royal Garden Blues”.

The Best of 1960s Jazz Music

The 1960s was a great decade for jazz music. Many new artists emerged and made their mark on the genre. Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk were just a few of the greats who released groundbreaking albums in the 1960s. Let’s take a look at some of the best jazz albums of the 1960s.

The Best Jazz Albums of the 1960s

The 1960s was a decade of tremendous change in the world of jazz music. Artists began to experiment with electric instruments and amplified sound, and the genre began to be influenced by rock, soul, and blues. This decade saw the rise of some of the most influential jazz musicians of all time, including Miles Davis, John Coltrane, and Thelonious Monk.

The 1960s was also a decade of great jazz albums. Here are five of the best:

1. Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (1959)
2. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme (1965)
3. Thelonious Monk – Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane at Carnegie Hall (1957)
4. Ornette Coleman – The Shape of Jazz to Come (1959)
5. Cecil Taylor – Unit Structures (1966)

The Best Jazz Songs of the 1960s

The 1960s was a decade of great change in the world of Jazz music. The traditional big band sound gave way to smaller groups and more experimental styles. This list features some of the best Jazz songs of the 1960s.

“So What” by Miles Davis
Miles Davis’ “So What” is one of the most iconic Jazz songs of all time. It was recorded in 1959 but released in 1960, and it instantly became a jazz standard. The song is built around a simple two-chord progression, but Davis’ solo is anything but simple. His use of space and playing outside of the chord changes helped define the modal jazz style that would become popular in the 1960s.

“My Favorite Things” by John Coltrane
John Coltrane’s “My Favorite Things” is another jazz standard that was originally recorded in 1960. The song is based on the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical “The Sound of Music,” and it became one of Coltrane’s most popular recordings. The version featured on this list is a live recording from 1965, which showcases Coltrane’s mastery of improvisation.

“Take Five” by Dave Brubeck Quartet
Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” is one of the most popular Jazz songs ever recorded. It was written by Paul Desmond and originally released in 1959, but it didn’t become a hit until 1961. The song’s odd 5/4 time signature makes it unique among Jazz standards, and its popularity helped make Brubeck one of the best-selling jazz artists of all time.

“All Blues” by Miles Davis
Miles Davis’ “All Blues” is another classic from his 1959 album “Kind of Blue.” The song features an extended blues jam that allows each member of the band to stretch out and showcase their skills. “All Blues” has been covered by countless artists over the years, but there’s nothing quite like the original version.

The Best Jazz Musicians of the 1960s

The 1960s was a decade of great change and upheaval, and the jazz world was no exception. A new generation of musicians was emerging, and they were hungry to make their mark. While some traditionalists bemoaned the changes that were taking place, there was no denying that the 1960s was a golden age for jazz. Here are some of the best jazz musicians of the 1960s.

Miles Davis: Davis was one of the most influential figures in jazz, and his impact is still felt today. He was a master of improvisation, and his style ranged from bebop to fusion.

John Coltrane: Coltrane was one of the most important saxophonists in jazz history. His style was angular and exploratory, and he pushed the boundaries of harmonic possibilities.

Cannonball Adderley: Adderley was a master of the alto saxophone, and his style combined bebop with gospel music. He was also an accomplished bandleader, and he led several notable ensembles in the 1960s.

Bill Evans: Evans was one of the greatest pianists in jazz history, and his work with drummer Paul Motian is some of the finest ever recorded. His approach to harmony helped define the sound of modern jazz piano.

Wayne Shorter: Shorter is a saxophonist and composer who came to prominence in the 1960s as a member of Miles Davis’s band. He went on to co-found the influential jazz-fusion band Weather Report.