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.

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