Hard Bop

Hard bop, a jazz subgenre, emerged in the late 1950s as a fusion of bebop and blues, soul, and gospel music. Characterized by its use of complex harmonies, modal interchange, and extended chord progressions, hard bop emphasized melodic simplicity and a strong rhythmic pulse, often with a walking bass line and syncopated drumming. With its roots in African-American urban culture, hard bop reflected the era's social and cultural upheaval, blending intellectualism with emotional intensity. During its peak in the 1950s and 1960s, hard bop became a defining sound of modern jazz, bridging the gap between cool jazz and the avant-garde. Notable for its fusion of jazz with R&B and gospel, hard bop showcased virtuosic soloing, rich horn textures, and a distinctive blend of tension and release, setting it apart from earlier bebop and later free jazz movements.

Latest Hard Bop Release
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Sleeping Beauty
Single - Released July 18, 2025

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Alec Taylor Trio
Alex Norris
Alex Sipiagin
Anders Mogensen
Archie Shepp
Art Blakey
Arthur Taylor Trio
Barney Wilen
Benny Benack III
Benny Golson
Billy Harper
Billy Hicks Quartet
Billy Taylor Trio
Bobby Watson
Brad Turner
Buster Williams
Carl Winther
Carl Winther Trio
Cecil Alexander
Charles Mingus
Christian McBride
Claus Waidtløw
Clifford Brown
Colin Steele Quartet
Copenhagen Jazzexperience
Daniele Cavallanti
David "Fathead" Newman
David Murray Quartet
David Pastor
Dawn Clement
Dennis Mitcheltree
Denny Zeitlin
Diego Rivera
Duke Jordan
Elliot Galvin
Eric Siereveld's Organic Quintet
Filip Ekestubbe
Fortune Morel Trio
Franck Amsallem
Frank Kimbrough
Freddie Hubbard
Geoffrey Dean
George Kuntz Four
Giacomo Smith
Greg Murphy
Hakan Başar
Harry Allen
Isaiah J. Thompson
Jack McDuff
Jacob Chung
Jakob Bänsch
Jeff "Tain" Watts
Jermaine Landsberger
Jerry Weldon
Jimmy Farace
Joan Casares
Joe Henderson
Joe Lovano
Joe Magnarelli
KTZ Players
Kaisa's Machine
Karl-Erik Trio
Kenny Dorham
Luke Marantz Trio
Marcello Carelli
Martin SjÖstedt
Massimo Biolcati
Massimo Faraò
Massimo Faraò Trio
Mathieu Clement
Michele Polga
Miles Davis
Mulgrew Miller
Myra Melford
NYC Jazz Quartett
Nathan Davis
Nick Osman Trio
Noah Preminger
Orange Jazz Quartet
Oskar Cederblad
Peter Bernstein
Posi-Tone Swingtet
Rahsaan Roland Kirk
Razz T
Richard Baratta
Rodney Whitaker
Roland Kirk Quartet
Ron Carter
Sean Imboden
Sharel Cassity
Sheila Jordan
Spike Wilner Trio
Sun Ra
Sun-Mi Hong
The Jazz Messengers
Timo Lassy Trio
Tommies Trio
Tony Miceli
Wayne Tucker
Webb Trio
John Coltrane
Miles Davis
Herbie Hancock
Cannonball Adderley
Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra
John Coltrane Quartet
Jeremy Brown
Paul Chambers
Red Garland
Luke Marantz Trio
Wes Montgomery
Massimo Faraò Trio
Jeff Laine & Co
Ryo Fukui
Hank Mobley
Donald Byrd
McCoy Tyner
Charles Mingus
Claus Waidtløw
Dizzy Gillespie
Horace Silver
Clifford Brown
Bobby Timmons Trio
Philly Joe Jones
Roddy Doyle Trio
Wynton Kelly
Saginaw Society
Art Blakey
Lou Donaldson
Ron Carter
Dan Chmielinski
Lee Morgan
Charlie Parker Quartet
Kenny Dorham
Art Taylor
Alec Taylor Trio
Pharoah Sanders
Karl-Erik Trio
Wes Montgomery Trio
Massimo Faraò
Benny Benack III
Cedar Walton
KTZ Players
LaSalle Street Trio
Jean Fines
Eli Starr Trio
Sonny Clark
Ike Quebec
Junior Mance
Orange Jazz Quartet
Ray Love
Tommy Flanagan
Paul Moretti Trio
NYC Jazz Quartett
Lee Konitz
Bud Powell
Cecil Andrews
Copenhagen Jazzexperience
Bill Charlap Trio
Lia Riggs Trio
Benny Golson
Drew Milner
Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers
Sun Ra
Carl Winther
The Modern Jazz Quartet
Joe Henderson
Bill Parker
Will Mays
Jimmy Smith
Arthur Taylor Trio
Sonny Stitt
Coleman Hawkins Quartet
Ellie Manne
Joe Wilson Trio
Freddie Hubbard
Anders Mogensen
Mose Allison
Norris Walker Trio
George Kuntz Four
Bill Walton
Belmont Central
Max Roach
Francis Graden
Al Fowler Trio
Sidney Hatfield Trio
Billy Buss Quartet
Mabon Clarke Quartet
Stephen Riley
Bobby Timmons
The Collective
Tyrone Coates & Friends
Art Farmer
Ray Horne
Max Roach Quintet
Ted Ross Quartet
Billy Hicks Quartet
Tim Walker-Price
Neo Fourths Trio
Jeremy Pelt