Popular music had some intriguing genres in the 50s and 60s. Here are 5 recent 2 cd sets from UK that show the highs and lows of the era.The late 50s was the apotheosis for R&B singers like LaVern Baker. Possessed of a voice that sounds like she was born with polyps, Baker is captured on a couple of ’56 albums with infectious 
pieces like “Jim Dandy” and “Tweedle Dee,” both which became major hits. An album a couple years later has her with a swinging team includeing Buck Clayton/tp, Paul QUinchette/ts, Vic Dickenson/tb, Nat Pierce/p and Sahib Shihab/bs for riveting blues such as “Gimme A Pigfoot” and “I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle” as she gives tribute to Bessie Smith. A ’59 
album has her emphasizing ballads and blues, including the classic “I Cried A Tear” and a clever read of “St. Louis Blues.” This one’s a cooker!
pieces like “Jim Dandy” and “Tweedle Dee,” both which became major hits. An album a couple years later has her with a swinging team includeing Buck Clayton/tp, Paul QUinchette/ts, Vic Dickenson/tb, Nat Pierce/p and Sahib Shihab/bs for riveting blues such as “Gimme A Pigfoot” and “I Ain’t Gonna Play No Second Fiddle” as she gives tribute to Bessie Smith. A ’59 album has her emphasizing ballads and blues, including the classic “I Cried A Tear” and a clever read of “St. Louis Blues.” This one’s a cooker!James Moody is considered the one of the first bebopping tenor saxists and flutists, with these four solid albums from the mid 50s bringing up forgotten gems of sound. He plays both tenor sax and alto on a pair of rich ’55 sessions that emphasize warm tones on “The Nearness of You” and “Moody’s Blue Again” as well as swinging support by Dave Burns/tp, Pee Wee Moore/bs and William Shepherd/tb on “Disappointed” and Benny Golson’s “And Y ou Called My Name.” Vocalese pioneer Eddie Jefferson is a hoot on “Birdland Story,” “I Cover the Waterfrnt” and “Parke’r Mood” from a ’56 outing with the same band. The classic “I’m IN The Mood For Love” has Jefferson giving a definitive read, while Moody’s flute is in rich form on “Flute ‘N The Blues” and his rare turn on an alto for “ Mean To Me” is a treat. A timeless gem.
Along with drummer Art Blakey, pianist/composer Horace Silver essentially invented the hard bop quintet of tenor sax, trumpet and rhythm section. His early team of Hank Mobley/ts, Donald Byrd/tp, Doug Watkins/b and Louis Hayes/dr get together in a ’56 session which includes the all time classic “Senor Blues,” while a year later a team with Art Farmer/tp and Teddy Kotic/b as new members includes the infectious “Home Cookin’.” From 1958, Clifford Jordan comes in for “Moon Rays” and the exotic “Pyramid” and Silver’s longest standing team of Junior Cook/ts, Blue Mitchell/tp, Eugene Taylor/b and Hayes produce an album that hasn’t a single weak link, with “Juicy Lucy, ” the gospel tinged “Finger Poppin’” and “Cooking’ At The Continental” running on all 8 cylinders.
Dakota Stanton was another swinging lady in the R&B mold, and she’s in hip form in ’57 with HankJOnes/p, Jonah Jones/p in the big band for swinging and hip takes of “Broadway,” “The Late, Late Show” and “Give Me The Simple Life.” Two sessions from ’58 includes Nelson Riddle conducting a sophisticated session including an unforgettable “Can’t Live Without Him Anymore” and “Morning, Noon Or Night” while Harry “Sweets” Edison guests on trumpet on an uptown “Anything Goes” and “Too Close For Comefort.” Staton swings hard with Phil Woods/as, Budd Johnson/ts, Herome Richardson/ts, Taft Jordan/tp, Kenny Burrell/g and Hank Jones/p among others for an over the top “Avalon” and race to the finish line of “The Song Is You.” Whew!
Between the high vistas of Elvis and the Beatles was the period of pretty boy white vocalists. Guys like Fabian and a trio of Bobbys (Rydell, Vinton and Vee) dominated the charts, and guys like Troy Donahue were clean cut movies stars. Bobby Vee had a handful of big hits with sensitive tunes like “Mr. Blue,” “Rubber Ball,” “Poetry In Motion” and “Take Good Care Of My Baby.” The rest of the time, he filled his albums with polished reads of black R&B hits like “You Send Me,” “Since I Met You Baby” “Devil Or Angel” and “What’s Your Name.” While the hits include wonderful moments of innocent nostalgia, the major takeaway is the logical takeover of pop music by more macho bands like The Beatles and Rolling Stones.