The most famous proponents of the style known as "cool jazz," the Dave Brubeck Quartet formed in San Francisco in 1951. The lineup shifted over the next seven years, but eventually settled on the classic lineup of Paul Desmond on sax, Joe Morello on drums, Eugene Wright on bass and Brubeck on piano. The group enjoyed a string of hits, many of them now considered classics, like "Take Five," and "Blue Rondo a la Turk." The classic Brubeck Quartet disbanded in 1967. Brubeck had an unusually long life for a jazz musician and played well into the 21st century.
The Modern Jazz Quartet were also part of the "cool jazz" movement of the 1950s. The style was so-named because it avoided the aggressive tempos of be-bop. The Modern Jazz Quartet consisted of Milt Jackson on vibraphone, Percy Heath on contrabass, Kenny Clarke on drums and John Lewis on piano. Several had been with the Dizzy Gillespie band. They used the new group as an opportunity to experiment with various jazz styles. In the late '60s, they were the sole jazz group signed to the Beatles' Apple Records imprint. They disbanded in '74 but briefly reformed between 1981 and 1983.
The Jazz Messengers group was co-founded by veteran jazz drummer and bandleader Art Blakey and pianist Horace Silver. The lineup shifted constantly throughout the '50s and on into the early '60s. During their must influential period, the other Jazz Messengers were Hank Mobley on sax, Kenny Dorham on trumpet and Doug Watkins. They were practitioners of the "hard bop" style of jazz, which took be-bop as a point of departure and added elements of rhythm and blues, gospel and blues.
Fronted by the man frequently called the greatest jazz trumpet player of all time, the Miles Davis Quintet formed in 1955. The group featured John Coltrane on tenor sax, Red Garland on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Several members, including Davis, struggled with heroin addiction during this time. The group was never stable and only lasted until 1957. However, they recorded a string of classic albums including "Cookin' With the Miles Davis Quintet," "Relaxin' With the Miles Davis Quintet," and "Round About Midnight." Coltrane and Davis both became solo stars.