Dig in with Qobuz: The Essential Bebop Playlist


A partnership between JAZZIZ Magazine and Qobuz.com, Dig In with Qobuz playlists bring you expertly curated music from the editors of JAZZIZ, programmed using the world’s largest catalog of streaming hi-res audio. Experience the music of your favorite artists as it was meant to be heard. 

Jazz has its fair share of seminal moments, but there are few that feel as groundbreaking as the creation of bebop. The style — which was ushered into existence in the late 1940s and ’50s by pioneers like Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Bud Powell and a handful of others — was a major leap in the evolution of jazz, turning musical concepts from the Swing Era on their head. Unlike its stylistic predecessors, bebop prioritized speed over smoothness, complexity over simplicity and art over entertainment, and its practitioners spoke an advanced musical language that would forever alter the way we thought about jazz harmony. Back in its day, bebop was described as the sound of the future. Today, that description still holds. It’s the single biggest influence on today’s top players.

If you’re new to bebop, this playlist is the place to start. Not only does it feature originators of the genre like Bird and Diz, but it also includes a handful of noteworthy players who, through the ensuing decades, have carried the bebop flame with pride. We’re calling them your Bebop Essentials. Time to dig in.

Qobuz is your source for the best sound quality and unlimited listening, anytime, everywhere, on all your devices, offering music in studio quality high-resolution audio. Interested in exploring the largest and most comprehensive hi-fi catalog in the world? Visit on.qobuz.com/JAZZIZPL to explore your options.

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