Best albums of the 50's

[bc1991]

As promised, here is my 50's list:

1.- Miles Davis - Kind of Blue 1959
2.- Charles Mingus - Mingus Ah Um 1959
3.- Ornette Coleman - The Shape of Jazz to Come 1959
4.- Thelonious Monk - Monk's Music 1958
5.- Charles Mingus - Pithecanthropus Erectus 1956
6.- Frank Sinatra - Songs for Swingin' Lovers! 1956
7.- Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out 1959
8.- Little Richard - Here's Little Richard 1957
9.- Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Ella and Louis 1956
10.- Elvis Presley - Elvis Presley 1956
11.- Chuck Berry - Chuck ..Berry Is on Top 1959
12.- Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins - Thelonious Monk & Sonny Rollins 1957
13.- Frank Sinatra - In the Wee Small Hours 1955
14.- Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Porgy and Bess 1958
15.- Sonny Rollins - Saxophone Colossus 1957
16.- Art Blakey - Moanin 1959
17.- Thelonious Monk - Brilliant Corners 1957
18.- Sarah Vaughan - Sarah Vaughan 1955
19.- Billie Holiday - Lady in Satin 1958
20.- Duke Ellington - Ellington at Newport 1956
21.- Buddy Holly - The "Chirping" Crickets 1957
22.- Ravi Shankar - Three Ragas 1956
23.- John Coltrane - Blue Train 1958
24.- Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong - Porgy and Bess 1958
25.- Charlie Parker & Dizzy Gillespie - Bird and Diz 1952

[AfterHours]

I like your list bc. Easily the weakest major decade (between 50's thru 90's)...not much worthy of masterpiece status...top 2 are the only ones to me, though Pithecanthropus has made it before and could make a swift return anytime:

1. The Shape of Jazz To Come-Ornette Coleman (1959)
2. Kind of Blue-Miles Davis (1959)
3. Pithecanthropus Erectus-Charles Mingus (1956)
4. Brilliant Corners-Thelonious Monk (1956)
5. Mingus Ah Um-Charles Mingus (1959)

[Mr. Shankly]

That's primarily because the single was still the dominant art form at least in rock n roll.

[AfterHours]

Yep, I definitely agree.

Jazz grew up quite a bit in 1959, which opened up the following decade full of masterpieces, and rock grew up quite a bit in 1966 the leader being Dylan's Blonde On Blonde.

[bc1991]

Yes I agree of being a weak decade in music, although some of these artists created rock and put it in to form, so that's a plus. Another thing to add, on the first five years of the decade, the records were mainly 10" diameter, and are considered more as EP's than LP's, so this can be another disadvantage of this decade.

P.S. The very first real concept album can be found here, In the Wee Small Hours by Frank Sinatra.

[Mr. Shankly]

and rock grew up quite a bit in 1966 the leader being Dylan's Blonde On Blonde.

True, and with Rubber Soul and Revolver.

[Mr. Shankly]

[bc1991]

If you like the title track, you will like the whole album, all the songs walk on the same atmosphere, but they are different from each other though.
A jazz-oriented record in which a blue, melancholic Sinatra sings about the suffering love. He sounds vulnerable and fragil, you can feel his desperation and sadness on this album.
I'm not only recommeding it, but I also think it is essential in every music fan's collection.

[banana brother]

I agree, not the strongest decade, but here are some albums worth mentioning
Miles Davis Quintet - Relaxin'
Miles Davis - The Birth of Cool
Cannonball Adderley - Something Else
Charles Mingus - Blues & Roots
Duke Ellington - Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
Bill Evans - Portrait In Jazz
Thelonious Monk - Thelonious Monk with John Coltrane

[TrippyT]

John Coltrane - Blue Train is my favourite from this era