Jazz Music: Rocking the 1950-60's

Rocking out,

So a few years back I became very interested in Jazz music specifically Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus, and others. The type of jazz they perpetuated was called bebop and it is what dominated the New York music scene for decades. Set up in little clubs with cigarette smoke no doubtably filling the place, these innovators took from their predecessos (Charlie Parker, Dizzy G, Duke Ellington) and generated a revolution of sound which could not have been nearly as powerful without the volume of music being played and produced at that time. 

These guys were so legit they spent all of their time playing music and getting ripped on whatever drugs were the most popular at the time. It is noted that Coltrane and Davis both had overwhelming addictions to heroin. Now some don't judge fun based on music, partying, doing sweet drugs, or rocking, but in my opinion these individuals took advantage of their time in the sun and were productive none the less. More importantly than that they set forth a foundation for black musicians in the streets of New York City; their popularity would inevitably begin to pave the way for future generations of fusion music: rap, hip-hop, jam band.

If you haven't given jazz a try I believe now is the time. Start with Miles Davis: Kind of Blue and go from there.