Tag: 1950s Jazz

Live Jazz Albums From The 1950s

By the time we get to the 1950s, there are a lot of live jazz albums featuring many of the all time great jazz artists.

Below, you’ll find a list of the live albums featured on this website together with a readers poll to find the best live jazz albums.

Live Jazz Albums recorded in the 1950s include:

The Cannonball Adderley Quintet in San Francisco 1959
Louis Armstrong The Columbia & RCA Victor Live Recordings 1947 1956
Louis Armstrong Satchmo At Pasadena 1951
Louis Armstrong Live at the University of North Carolina 1954
Louis Armstrong At The Crescendo 1955 Complete Edition
Louis Armstrong The Great Chicago Concert 1956 Complete
Louis Armstrong Live At The 1958 Monterey Jazz Festival
Count Basie Class of 54
Count Basie Lester Young And The Stars Of Birdland On Tour 1955
Count Basie At Newport 1957
Count Basie The Atomic Band Live In Europe 1959
Count Basie Complete Live At The Americana Hotel 1959
Count Basie The Complete Roulette Live Recordings of Count Basie and His Orchestra 1959-1962
Count Basie Corner Pocket
Art Blakey & Clifford Brown A Night At Birdland Vol 1 1954
Art Blakey Live in Zurich 1958
Clifford Brown Live at Music City 1955 & More
Clifford Brown / Max Roach Quintet More Live At Bee Hive Chicago June 30 1955
Dave Brubeck Quartet In Europe Live in Copenhagen March 5 1958
Ornette Coleman Complete Live at The Hillcrest Club 1958
Miles Davis Live Recordings 1948-1957
Miles Davis Birdland 1951
Miles Davis John Coltrane Miles & Coltrane 1955 1958
Miles Davis Live In St Louis 1956
Miles Davis John Coltrane Live In New York 1957 to 1963
Miles Davis At Newport 1958
Miles Davis Jazz At The Plaza Vol 1 1958
Duke Ellington Live At The Blue Note 1952
Duke Ellington The 1952 Seattle Concert
Duke Ellington Rare Live Recordings 1952 – 53
Duke Ellington The 1953 Pasadena Concert
Duke Ellington At Newport 1956
Duke Ellington Live at the Blue Note 1959
Ella Fitzgerald Ella In Rome The Birthday Concert 1958
Ella Fitzgerald Billie Holiday Carmen McRae At Newport 1957
Ella Fitzgerald At the Opera House 1957
Ella Fitzgerald Live At Mister Kelly’s 1958
Erroll Garner Concert by the Sea 1955
Stan Getz Chet Baker Quartet Live At The Haig 1953
Dizzy Gillespie At Newport 1957
Dizzy Gillespie A Night in Tunisia Big Band Live 1957
Dizzy Gillespie Cool Breeze Big Band Live 1957
Coleman Hawkins Roy Eldridge At Newport 1957
Coleman Hawkins Jamestown NY 1958
Billie Holiday Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You Live Radio TV and Film Recordings 1934-1958
Billie Holiday Rare Live Recordings 1934 – 1959
Billie Holiday Jazz at the Philharmonic The Billie Holiday Story vol 1 1945 to 1958
Billie Holiday Banned From New York City Live 1948-1957
Billie Holiday At Storyville 1951 1953
Billie Holiday Lady Love Live in Basel 1954
Billie Holiday The Essential Billie Holiday Carnegie Hall Concert 1956
Billie Holiday At The Stratford Shakespearean Festival 1957 1958
Charles Mingus at the Bohemia 1955
Charles Mingus In Wonderland 1959
The Charles Mingus Quintet & Max Roach 1955
Modern Jazz Quartet At Music Inn Guest Artist Sonny Rollins 1958
Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane At Carnegie Hall 1957
Thelonious Monk John Coltrane Complete Live At The Five Spot 1958
Thelonious Monk In Action 1958
The Gerry Mulligan Quartets in Concert 1957 1962
Charlie Parker Complete Live Performances on Savoy September 29 1947 to October 25 1950
Charlie Parker Liveology 1948 to 1952
Charlie Parker Bird At St. Nick’s 1950
Charlie Parker Complete Live at Cafe Society 1950
Charlie Parker Complete Live at Birdland May 17 1950
Charlie Parker Live with the Big Bands 1951-1954
Charlie Parker At Jirayr Zorthian’s Ranch, 14 July 1952
Charlie Parker Boston 1952 1954
Charlie Parker The Washington Concerts 1953
Charlie Parker Complete Bird at The Open Door 1953
Charlie Parker At Storyville 1953
Charlie Parker Complete Live At The Rockland Palace 1950 to 1952
Charlie Parker The Washington Concerts 1953
Charlie Parker Chet Baker Bird & Chet Live at the Trade Winds 1952
Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie Complete Live at Birdland
The Oscar Peterson Trio At The Stratford Shakespearean Festival 1956
The Oscar Peterson Trio at Zardi’s 1955
Bud Powell Jazz At Massey Hall Vol 2 1953
The Quintet Jazz At Massey Hall 1953
Sonny Rollins A Night At The Village Vanguard 1957
Nina Simone At Town Hall 1959
Lester Young Boston 1950
Lester Young In Washington DC 1956 Vol 1
Lester Young In Washington DC 1956 Vol 2
Lester Young In Washington DC 1956 Vol 3
Lester Young In Washington DC 1956 Vol 4

*** You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk ***

What Are The Best Live Jazz Albums Of All Time

I don’t have a readers poll to find the best live albums of the 1950s but there is a poll to find the all time best live jazz albums with plenty of albums from the 1950s included:

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*** You can get these albums from Amazon.com – Amazon.co.uk ***

The Other Decades Of Live Jazz Albums

1930s – 1940s – 1950s – 1960s – 1970s – 1980s – 1990s – 2000s – 2010s

Live Album Polls For The Great Jazz Artists

I have polls for the following artists: – Louis Armstrong – Count Basie – John Coltrane – Miles Davis – Eric Dolphy – Duke Ellington – Dizzy Gillespie – Billie Holiday – Charles Mingus – Thelonious Monk – Charlie Parker – Lester Young –

Billie Holiday Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You Live Radio TV and Film Recordings 1934-1958

Gee Baby Ain’t I Good To You: Live Radio TV and Film Recordings 1934-1958 is a comprehensive collection of live recordings by Billie Holiday.

For the sources of the 44 songs on the album, I’m grateful for the review on Amazon.com by Barry McCanna.

CD ONE
1: Oct 1934. Duke Ellington. Paramount Film Studios (soundtrack from “Symphony in Black”)
2 & 3: 30 June 1937. Count Basie. Savoy Ballroom, Harlem, NY. (broadcast)
4 – 6: 18 Jan 1944. Esquire All-American All-Stars. Met Opera House, NY
7: 3 June 1946. JATP Concert, Carnegie Hall, NY
8&9: late 1946. Louis Armstrong. Hal Roach Studios, Culver City, LA (soundtrack from “New Orleans”)
10: 13 Jan 1947. Arthur Godfrey Time, NY (CBS radio broadcast)
11&12: 27 Aug 1949. Eddie Condon Floor Show. NBC TV broadcast, NY
13: 24 May 1950. Apollo Theatre concert, NY.
14: August 1950. Count Basie. Film short, Hollywood.
15 – 17: 28 Oct 1951. Al Haig 4 + Stan Getz. Storyville Club, Copley Square Hotel, Boston. WMEX radio broadcast.
18 – 22: 28 Oct 1951. Buster Harding Trio. Venue etc. as above

CD TWO
1 – 4: 14 Nov 1952. Duke Ellington 25th Anniversary (2nd concert) Carnegie Hall, NY.
5 – 10: early Oct 1953. Carl Drinkard Trio. Venue etc. as 15 – 22 above.
11: 22 January 1954. ditto Jazz Club USA Concert, Cologne.
12: 6 May 1955. Count Basie. Carnegie Hall concert, NY.
13. 10 Feb 1956. Steve Allen Tonite. NBC TV broadcast, NY.
14: 27 May 1956. Martha Raye charity show. TV broadcast, NY.
15: 29 Aug 1956. Band Stand USA. Radio broadcast, Red Hill Inn, Pennsauken, NJ.
16 & 17: 27 Oct 1956. Carl Drinkard Trio. Olivia Davis Patio Lounge. Radio broadcast, Washington DC.
18: 9 Dec 1956. Percy Faith. Woolworth Jazz Hour. Radio broadcast, LA.
19 & 20: 10 July 1958. Art Ford Jazz Party. WNTA TV broadcast, Newark, NJ.
21 & 22: 17 July 1958. Rest as for 19 & 20.

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Count Basie The Atomic Band Live In Europe 1959

The Atomic Band Live In Europe is a live album by Count Basie.

It was recorded at the Theatre Beaulier in Lausanne, Switzerland on 3rd February 1959 except for two tracks, The Deacon and Cute which were recorded at the Kongresshaus, Zurich, 6th February 1959.

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Billie Holiday Rare Live Recordings 1934 – 1959

Rare Live Recordings 1934 – 1959 is a 5 CDs collection of Billie Holiday performing live.

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Miles Davis Live Recordings 1948-1957

Live Recordings 1948-1957 is a massive 13 CD collection by Miles Davis.

This is an extremely extensive look at Miles Davis and his live performances. I’ve taken this summary of the performances from Discogs and only 1954 is missing:

CD 1 Tracks 1 to 8 – September 11, 1948 – NYC at the Royal Roost
CD 1 Tracks 9 to 11 – September 18, 1948 – NYC at the Royal Roost
CD 1 Track 12 – March 31, 1946 – Los Angeles at Streets Of Paris with the Benny Carter Orchestra
CD 1 Tracks 13 & 14 – August 1948 – Chicago, Pershing Ballroom
CD 2 Tracks 1 to 4 – September 25, 1948 – NYC : Royal Roost
CD 2 Tracks 5 to 7 – January 17, 1949 – NYC, WPIX Radio : All Star Jam Session
CD 2 Tracks 8 to 11 – February 19, 1949 – NYC, Royal Roost
CD 2 Tracks 12 & 13 – February 26, 1949 – NYC : Royal Roost
CD 3 Tracks 1 to 10 – May 8 – 15, 1949 – Paris : Salle Pleyel
CD 3 Track 11 – May 15, 1949 – Paris : Salle Pleyel
CD 3 Tracks 12 to 14 – December 25, 1949 – NYC Carnegie Hall “The Stars Of Modern Jazz”
CD 4 Tracks 1 to 4 – February 18, 1950 – WNYC Radio Broadcast Jazz Festival
CD 4 Tracks 5 to 8 – June 30, 1950 – NYC : Birdland
CD 5 Tracks 1 to 4 – June 30, 1950 – NYC : Birdland
CD 5 Tracks 5 to 8 – February 17, 1951 – NYC : Birdland
CD 6 Tracks 1 to 3 – June 2, 1951 – NYC : Birdland
CD 6 Tracks 4 to 6 – September 29, 1951 – NYC : Birdland
CD 6 Tracks 7 to 9 – April 25, 1952 – NYC : Birdland
CD 6 Tracks 10 & 11 – May 2, 1952 – NYC : Birdland1952 – St. Louis, MO : The Barrel
CD 8 Tracks 1 to 4 – May 3, 1952 – NYC : Birdland
CD 8 Tracks 5 to 11 – Beginning Of 1953 – Boston, MA : Hi-Hat Club
CD 9 Tracks 1 to 4 – Beginning Of 1953 – Boston, MA : Hi-Hat Club
CD 9 Tracks 5 to 9 – May 16, 1953 – NYC : Birdland
CD 9 Tracks 10 & 11 – May 23, 1953 – NYC : Birdland
CD 10 Tracks 1 to 3 – September 13, 1953 – Los Angeles, CA.
CD 10 Tracks 4 to 7 – July 17, 1955 – Newport, RI : Newport Jazz Festival
CD 10 Tracks 8 & 9 – November 18, 1955 – NYC : Basin Street Club TV Broadcast «The Steve Allen Tonight Show»
CD 11 Tracks 1 to 5 – February 18, 1956, Pasadena, CA, Civic Center
CD 11 Tracks 6 to 12 – July 14, 1956, St. Louis, MO, Peacock Alley
CD 12 Tracks 1 to 3 – July 21, 1956, , St. Louis, MO, Peacock Alley
CD 12 Track 4 – November 12, 1956, Sindelfingen, RFA, Stadthalle
CD 12 Tracks 5 & 6 – December 8, 1956, Philadelphie, Blue Note, Radio Broadcast Bandstand USA
CD 12 Tracks 7 to 10 – July 13, 1957, New York, Cafe Bohemia, Radio Broadcast Bandstand USA
CD 13 Tracks 1 & 2 – July 20, 1957, New York, Cafe Bohemia, Radio Broadcast Bandstand USA
CD 13 Tracks 3 & 4 – July 27, 1957, New York, Cafe Bohemia, Radio Broadcast Bandstand USA
CD 13 Tracks 5 & 6 – October 17, 1957, New York, Birdland, ABC Dancing Party
CD 13 Tracks 7 to 9 – December 18, 1957, Stuttgart, RFA, Beethoven Saal

For details of how is playing on the album, please see Discogs.

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Modern Jazz Quartet At Music Inn Guest Artist Sonny Rollins 1958

At Music Inn is a live album by The Modern Jazz Quartet with Guest Artist Sonny Rollins.

It was recorded at the Music Inn in Lenox, Massachusetts on August 3, 1958 and August 31, 1958. Sonny Rollins only appeared at the second concert and only plays on tracks 5 and 6.

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Billie Holiday Lady Love Live in Basel 1954

Lady Love: Live In Basel is a live album by Billie Holiday performing live in Switzerland in 1954. It was originally released as Ladylove in 1962.

The recording was originally attributed to a concert in Cologne from the same tour but tapes from that concert have been found and released separately.

The 2015 release on the Poll Winners Records labels also includes:

five earlier studio tracks that had previously been added to the Lady Love album,
four 1951 Aladdin sides with the Tiny Grimes Sextet,
her Capitol recording of ‘Trav lin Light‘ with the Paul Whiteman Orchestra,
the complete live performance in Brussels on the same tour in 1954.

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Stan Getz Chet Baker Quartet Live At The Haig 1953

Live At The Haig is a live album by the Stan Getz Chet Baker Quartet.

It was recorded in Hollywood, Los Angeles on June 16, 1953.

Stan Getz replaced Gerry Mulligan in this piano-less quartet for this concert. Playing on the album are:

Stan Getz – tenor sax
Chet Baker – trumpet
Carson Smith – bass
Larry Bunker – drums

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Lester Young In Washington DC 1956 Vol 2

In Washington DC 1956 Vol 2 is the second in the series of live albums by Lester Young.

It was recorded at Olivia’s Patio Lounge with Young backed by the house band, the Bill Potts trio.

The other albums are:

In Washington Vol 1
In Washington Vol 3
In Washington Vol 4
In Washington Vol 5

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Charlie Parker Complete Live At Cafe Society 1950

Complete Live At Cafe Society is a live album by Charlie Parker.

It was recorded in Manhattan, New York City between May and July 1950.

Playing on the album are:

Charlie Parker – alto saxophone,
Kenny Dorham – trumpet,
Al Haig – piano,
Tommy Potter – bass,
Roy Haynes – drums.

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Lester Young In Washington DC 1956 Volume 1

In Washington DC 1956 Volume 1 is a live album by Lester Young. It is the first of a series of five live recordings.

It was recorded at Olivia Davis’ Patio Lounge.

Playing on the album are:

Lester Young – Tenor Saxophone,
Bill Potts – Piano,
Norman Williams – Bass,
Jim Lucht – Drums.

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