Giant Steps is the fifth studio album by jazz musician John Coltrane as leader, released in January 1960 on Atlantic Records. This was his first album as leader for his new label Atlantic Records. Many of its tracks have become practice templates for jazz saxophonists. In 2004, it was one of fifty recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry.

Porgy and Bess is a studio album by jazz musician Miles Davis, originally released on Columbia Records. The album features arrangements by Davis and collaborator Gil Evans from George Gershwin's 1935 opera of the same name. It is the second collaboration between Davis and Evans and has garnered much critical acclaim since its release, being acknowledged by music critics as the best of their collaborations. Jazz critics have regarded the album as historic.

Soultrane is one of the essential albums in John Coltrane’s career. Recorded during the first year of his Prestige contract, between his critical service in Thelonious Monk’s quartet and his return to the band of Miles Davis, it finds the tenor saxophonist displaying a new level of both technical and conceptual refinement, dispensing torrents of notes that annotator Ira Gitler famously dubbed "sheets of sound".

Lush Life is an album credited to jazz musician John Coltrane, released in 1961 on Prestige Records, catalogue 7188. It is assembled from unissued results of three separate recording sessions at Van Gelder Studio in Hackensack, New Jersey in 1957 and 1958. As Coltrane's fame grew during the 1960s long after he had stopped recording for the label, Prestige used unissued recordings to create new marketable albums without Coltrane's input or approval.

Seven of the great Miles Davis 50's tunes in two live dates. John Coltrane's last recording with Miles (recorded on March 21st, 1960). Coltrane's replacement in the band, Sonny Stitt (recorded on October 11th, 1960), has a more subdued style here. Great live sound. This is one to get if you enjoy jazz.

Quiet Kenny is one of the loveliest albums ever made by a trumpeter and a rhythm section. Recorded for the Prestige subsidiary New Jazz, the session is not entirely "quiet"; while ballad readings of standards cast a late-night spell, Dorham's three tuneful blues originals, plus "Mack the Knife", swing jauntily. This is well-crafted set of standards and originals that may be some of his best work from his tragically-brief career.

Milestones is a studio album by American jazz trumpeter and composer Miles Davis, recorded with his "first great quintet" augmented as a sextet. It was released in 1958 by Columbia Records. Tenor saxophonist John Coltrane's return to Davis' group in 1958 coincided with the "modal phase" albums: Milestones and Kind of Blue (1959) are both considered essential examples of 1950s modern jazz. Davis at this point was experimenting with modes – scale patterns other than major and minor.

"Miles & Monk at Newport" was a combined album of a Miles Davis appearance at Newport with an appearance of Thelonious Monk, from the LP era. Despite the title, the two artists do not perform together on the LP, and they are represented on each side by separate live appearances at the Newport Jazz Festival.

"The Cooker" was recorded on September 29, 1957 and released in 1958 on Blue Note Records. Produced by Alfred Lion, it features classic tunes such as "A Night in Tunisia" and "Lover Man".

The Blues and the Abstract Truth is an album by American composer and jazz saxophonist Oliver Nelson recorded in February 1961. It remains Nelson's most acclaimed album and features a lineup of notable musicians: Freddie Hubbard, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Paul Chambers and Roy Haynes. Baritone saxophonist George Barrow does not take solos but remains a key feature in the subtle voicings of Nelson's arrangements.

"Kind of Blue" is an album most have heard many times before in a wide variety of formats. Now, you can hear it as if you were right there in the recording studio with the musicians! After many years, Sony finally decided to remaster Kind of Blue hi-res at 192kHz/24bit with the brilliant engineer Mark Wilder and the dedicated and knowledgeable producer Steve Berkowtiz (who has spent more time with and knows this album better than anyone out there). The quality of sound on this recording is unparalleled - listening to this release is like being in the studio with Miles.

ESOTERIC proudly introduces a new series of re-master collection - A great Jazz collection. This newly remastered box set, titled as "Great 5" features the five albums recorded by Miles Davis for Columbia label. Includes the follow titles: 'Round About Midnight (Mono); Milestones (Mono); Porgy And Bess; Sketches Of Spain; Miles Smiles. These new audio versions feature ESOTERIC's proprietary re-mastering process to achieve the highest level of sound quality.

Jackie's Pal is a studio album by saxophonist Jackie McLean, his third issued recording for Prestige Records. It was recorded in 1956 and first released as PRLP 7068. In 1963, the album was reissued on the Prestige subsidiary label New Jazz Records, as NJ 8290, with a different cover and retitled "Steeplechase". The album features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Bill Hardman, bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones.

Workout is an album by jazz tenor saxophonist Hank Mobley released on the Blue Note label in 1962. It features performances by Mobley, Wynton Kelly, Paul Chambers, Grant Green and Philly Joe Jones. The album was identified by Scott Yanow in his Allmusic essay "Hard Bop" as one of 17 Essential Hard Bop Recordings.

New Soil is an album by American saxophonist Jackie McLean recorded in 1959 and released on the Blue Note label. It features McLean in a quintet with trumpeter Donald Byrd, pianist Walter Davis Jr., bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Pete La Roca.