In the late 1940's and 1950's cool jazz evolved directly from bop. Essentially it was a mixture of bop with certain aspects of swing that had been overlooked or temporarily discarded. Dissonances were smoothed out, tones were softened, arrangements became important again and the rhythm section's accents were less jarring. Because some of the key pacesetters of the style (many of whom were studio musicians) were centered in Los Angeles, it was nicknamed "West Coast Jazz." Some of the recordings were experimental in nature (hinting at classical music) while some overarranged sessions were bland but in general this was a viable and popular style. By the late 1950's hard bop from the East Coast had succeeded cool jazz although many of the style's top players had long and productive careers. Among the many top artists who were important in the development of Cool Jazz were Lester Young, Miles Davis, Gerry Mulligan, Stan Getz, Shorty Rogers and Howard Rumsey (leader of the Lighthouse All-Stars).

(Scott Yanow)

coolb01

Stan Getz - At The Shrine

Listen to: Flamingo

Getz, Stan (ts); Brookmeyer, Bob (vtb); Williams, John (p); Anthony, Bill (b); Mardigan, Art (dr)

Recorded: 08-11-1954

[...Wikipedia]

coolb03

Johnny Smith - Moonlight In Vermont

Listen to: Moonlight In Vermont

Smith, Johnny (g); Getz, Stan (ts); Gold, Sanford (p); Safranski, Eddie (b); Lamond, Don (dr)

Recorded: 11-03-1952

[...Wikipedia]

coolb05

Dave Brubeck - Carnegie Hall

Listen to: St. Louis Blues

Brubeck, Dave (p); Desmond, Paul (as); Wright, Eugene (b); Morello, Joe (dr)

Recorded: 21-02-1963

[...Wikipedia]

coolb06

Chico Hamilton - Gongs East

Listen to: Gongs East

Hamilton, Chico (dr); Budimir, Dennis (g); Dolphy, Eric (as, fl, bcl); Gershman, Nathan (cello); Ruther, Wyatt (b)

Recorded: 29 & 30 December 1958

[...Wikipedia]

coolb07

Jimmy Giuffre - Three

Listen to: Gotta Dance

Giuffre, Jimmy (bs); Hall, Jim (g); Pena, Ralph (b)

Recorded: 24-12-1956

[...Wikipedia]

coolb08

Jimmy Giuffre - Western Suite

Listen to: Western Suite

Giuffre, Jimmy (cl, bs, ts); Brookmeyer, Bob (tb); Hall, Jim (g)

Recorded: 03-12-1958

[...Wikipedia]

coolb09

Shelly Manne - The West Coast Sound

Listen to: Grasshopper

Enevoldsen, Bob (vtb); Maini, Joe (as); Holman, Bill (ts); Giuffre, Jimmy (bs); Freeman, Russ (p); Pena, Ralph (b); Manne, Shelly (dr)

Recorded: 13-09-1955

[...Wikipedia]

coolb10

Teddy Charles - Teddy Charles Tentet

Listen to: Vibrations

Charles, Teddy (vib); Farmer, Art (tp); Gryce, Gigi (as); Monterose, J.R. (ts); Schlinger, Sol (bs); Butterfield, Don (tu); Raney, Jimmy (g); Waldron, Mal (p); Kotick, Teddy (b); Harris, Joe (dr)

Recorded: 17-01-1956

[...Wikipedia]

coolb11

Chet Baker - In Paris

Listen to: Mid Forte

Baker, Chet (tp); Twardzik, Dick (p); Bond, Jimmy (b); Littman, Peter (dr)

Recorded: 11-10-1955

[...Wikipedia]

coolb12

Chet Baker - Playboys

Listen to: Picture Of Heath

Baker, Chet (tp); Pepper, Art (as); Urso, Phil (ts); Perkins, Carl (p); Counce, Curtis (b); Marable, Larance (dr)

Recorded: 31-10-1956

[...Wikipedia]

coolb13

Modern Jazz Quartet - Last Concert

Listen to: The Cylinder

Jackson, Milt (vib); Lewis, John (p); Heath, Percy (b); Kay, Connie (dr)

Recorded: 25-11-1974

[...Wikipedia]

coolb14

Modern Jazz Quartet - European Concert

Listen to: Vendome

Jackson, Milt (vib); Lewis, John (p); Heath, Percy (b); Kay, Connie (dr)

Recorded: April 1960

[...Wikipedia]

coolb15

Lee Konitz - At Storyville

Listen to: Sound Lee

Konitz, Lee (as); Ball, Ronnie (p); Heath, Percy (b); Levitt, Alan (dr)

Recorded: 05-01-1954

[...Wikipedia]

coolb16

Paul Desmond - East Of The Sun

Listen to: You Go To My Head

Desmond, Paul (as); Hall, Jim (g); Heath, Percy (b); Kay, Connie (dr)

Recorded: 5-7 September 1959

[...Wikipedia]

coolb17

Hans Koller - The Saxophone Collection

Listen to: What's New

Mangelsdorff, Albert (tb); Koller, Hans (ts); Hipp, Jutta (p); Roeder, Shorty (b); Sanner, Karl (dr)

Recorded: May 1953

[...Wikipedia]