To many people, 1959 was one of the greatest years in the history of modern jazz recording. The jazz world saw the deaths of Billie Holiday, Lester Young and Sidney Bechet in 1959. Barbie was born and Hawaii became the 50th state. That year also saw the release of three Columbia Records classics.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet’s ‘Time Out” swept college campuses across the country with cool jazz mania, “Sketches of Spain” by Miles Davis saw the celebrated trumpeter team up once again with arranger-composer Gil Evans and create yet another musical masterpiece.

“Mingus Ah Hum,” thought by many to be the quintessential Charles Mingus album, was also released that year.

For their 50 year anniversaries, Legacy/Columbia Records has released re mastered multi-disc expanded editions of all three recordings. These new editions not only come with expanded liner notes but either have an additional CD, DVD or both.

“TIME OUT”

THE DAVE BRUBECK QUARTET

Brubeck band mate and saxophonist Paul Desmond once said he wanted to sound like a dry martini. That is the best way to describe this definitive Brubeck album.

Even though “Time Out” explored unusual time signatures and experimented with African and Eastern music, it was highly accessible and sophisticated. It was also popular on college campuses and coffee houses at the time.

Desmond’s laid back and cool “Take Five” is the classic tune from the album. It’s become a standard that’s played in both high schools and night clubs. I’ve even heard it in commercials.

“SKETCHES OF SPAIN”

MILES DAVIS

“Sketches of Spain” is perhaps Miles at his most romantic. A solemn mix of jazz and classical music this is one of the most beautiful recording ever in jazz.

Miles and esteemed Canadian arranger Gil Evans set out to make a whole album around “Concierto de Aranjuez,” a haunting Spanish concerto. What they ended up with was a lush and passionate classical jazz masterpiece. Next to “Kind of Blue” it is an essential Miles album for any serious jazz collection.

“MINGUS AH UM”

CHARLES MINGUS

For many this is the definitive Mingus. All of the tunes here are as fiery and demanding as their creator but capture his mellow side as well.

Mingus goes from the fiery political “Fables of Faubus” a shouting and rage filled musical dressing down of segregationist Arkansas governor Orval Faubus to solemn hear felt blues on “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat” an elegy for Lester Young.

Mingus also pays tribute to his other musical idols with “Open Letter to Duke” for Duke Ellington, “Bird Calls” inspired by Charlie Parker and “Jelly Roll” a nod to Jelly Roll Morton.

Some of the music on “Mingus Ah Um” may be too avante garde for some. But it has a layered complexity that bears repeated listening.