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History of Jazz Time Line: 1959
- George Russell's Lydian Chromatic Concept is written about use of the modes in Jazz. This is probably the first important text on Jazz theory. Modal Jazz will soon emerge in full force.
- Miles Davis reorganizes his group, replacing drummer Philly Joe Jones with Jimmy Cobb and replacing pianist Red Garland with Bill Evans. The new sextet (along with Wynton Kelly, who will eventually replace Evans) records Kind of Blue in March and April. Kind of Blue will become the best selling classic jazz album ever, and will have a huge influence on jazz artists for generations to come.
- Miles Davis is clubbed for loitering by police outside of Birdland. Miles was playing at Birdland at the time and had just stepped outside for a break.
- In September, Coltrane plays on George Russell's big band recording New York, New York (Decca) along with some of the biggest names in jazz.
- About two weeks after his work on Davis's Kind of Blue, John Coltrane records Giant Steps (Atlantic), an eloquent demonstration of his "sheets of sound" style. Along with Blue Train, this is one of his most influential early recordings.
- Coltrane also records Coltrane Jazz (Atlantic), which experiments with tone polytonality. Polytonality involves playing a melody in one key over a chord sequence in another.
- Coltrane discovers the soprano saxophone by accident in another musician's suitcase. He begins to explore the possibilities of this new instrument.
- Influential tenor sax player Sonny Rollins takes another sabbatical from Jazz. People think that he's off inventing a new kind of Jazz. At this point in time most people believe Sonny to be as important to Jazz as Coltrane.
- Ornette Coleman arrives in New York.
- The Ornette Coleman Quartet's stint at the Five Spot splits the Jazz world. Contributed by Blaine Fallis, Jazz Editor About.com.
- Ornette Coleman records Tomorrow Is The Question in March. This album features Ornette on alto sax, Don Cherry on trumpet, Percy Heath or Red Mitchell on bass and Shelly Manne on drums and is available on OJC.
- Ornette Coleman records Change Of The Century in October. This album features Ornette on alto sax, Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums and is available on Atlantic LP.
- Ornette Coleman records This Is Our Music in October. This album features Ornette on alto sax, Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass and Ed Blackwell on drums and is available on Atlantic LP.
- Ornette Coleman begins work on The Shape of Jazz to Come in October. It is not finished until July of 1960. This album features Ornette on alto sax, Don Cherry on pocket trumpet, Charlie Haden on bass and Billy Higgins on drums and is available on Atlantic LP.
- Charles Mingus records Better Git It in Your Soul on the LP Mingus Ah Um.
- Charles Mingus records the song Fables of Faubus on the LP Mingus Ah Um. This is a sarcastic song which criticizes Orval Faubus, the Governor of Arkansas who fought against school integration in Little Rock in 1957. Mingus is censured by Columbia for this one.
- Thelonious Monk leads a large orchestra at Town Hall in February.
- Bill Evans forms trio with brilliant young bassist Scott LaFaro and drummer Paul Motian. Their work can be found on the excellent Portrait In Jazz on OJC.
- Wynton Kelly replaces Bill Evans in the Miles Davis group.
- Trumpeter Kenny Dorham releases his debut album Quiet Kenny. He chooses nostalgic tunes for the record. His renditions do not lean toward flashy showmanship.
- Dave Brubeck and his quartet record Time Out, one of the best selling Jazz albums of all time. The most identifiable tune on the album, Take Five was written by Paul Desmond.
- Cannonball Adderley hears little known guitarist Wes Montgomery playing with organist Melvin Rhyne and drummer Paul Parker in a west side Indianapolis club called the Missile Room. Adderley is so impressed, he calls Riverside producer Orin Keepnews about Wes and convinces Keepnews to record him. The result is Montgomery's first album The Wes Montgomery Trio, which propels him into Jazz guitar history.
- Bud Powell has made some recovery. He moves to Paris and he is playing better again.
- Art Farmer and Benny Golson form their Jazztet.
- Saxman Jackie McLean switches from Prestige to Blue Note.
- Saxophonist Archie Shepp graduates from college, moves to New York and begins playing in coffee houses there.
- Ellington contributes the film score for Hitchcock's Anatomy of a Murder and wins the Downbeat Critics poll.
- Armstrong finishes fifth in the Music USA all-time great Jazz musician poll.
- Sidney Bechet dies in Paris on May 14 - his birthday. A bust of him is erected in Juan-les-Pins.
- Lester Young dies in New York City on March 15.
- Billy Holiday dies in New York City on July 17.
- The French Jazz group Les Double Six is formed.
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