The “Long Playing” album as the new standard format for jazz productions had only recently been established, when many artists and record companies were already making use of the extended possibilities of the LP for concept albums. A prime example is "Miles Ahead" by Miles Davis and Gil Evans, a predecessor of sorts to several large orchestral collaborations by these masters that finally and firmly established Miles as a jazz star.

Art Blakey gathered a group of extraordinary percussionists for his "Orgy in Rhythm" and Charles Mingus musicalized his impressions of Mexico as "Tijuana Moods".

One of the most active musicians in 1957 was the tenor saxophonist Sonny Rollins, who was swinging as a sideman with Max Roach in 3/4 time, recorded several fantastic solo albums, such as "The Sound of Sonny", and, last but not least, excelled alongside Thelonious Monk on "Brilliant Corners". Pianist John Lewis, the musical head of the Modern Jazz Quartet, continued to explore the chamber music possibilities of Modern Jazz.

All Star Meetings and Blowing Sessions flourished: Monk met Gerry Mulligan, who in turn met Stan Getz. John Coltrane came into the spotlight with "Blue Train" and performed hot saxophone duets with Johnny Griffin and Hank Mobley.

On the West Coast, Chet Baker and Art Pepper proved that not everything had to be cool on the turntable with their albums; an easy task, with a rhythm sections as fiery as theirs.

Hindsight is always 20/20, but the Jazz year 1957 clearly showed, who would become the most important jazz greats of the time.