Best 1960

This collection presents Anna Akhmatova's "Poem Without a Hero," a significant work of Russian poetry from the 20th century. Written primarily during the 1960s, it recounts the experiences of families affected by Stalinist political persecution. The poem’s enduring power lies in its unflinching port...

Wes Montgomery's “The Incredible Jazz Guitar” is a landmark recording showcasing his distinctive style. The album highlights Montgomery’s innovative thumb-picking technique, creating warm, resonant tones and complex harmonic textures. Primarily intended for jazz enthusiasts and guitar students, it o...

Ornette Coleman’s *Change of the Century* (1966) represents a pivotal moment in jazz history. This album showcases Coleman's pioneering approach to collective improvisation, abandoning traditional chord progressions and formal structures. It profoundly impacted the development of free jazz, prioriti...

Hank Mobley’s *Soul Station* (1963) is a significant jazz album demonstrating the tenor saxophonist's distinctive melodic style within the hard-bop genre. Featuring collaborations with Harold Land, Tommy Tate, and George Coleman, it exemplifies Blue Note Records’ commitment to showcasing innovative...

Charles Mingus's *Blues & Roots* (1960) is a seminal jazz album notable for its ambitious fusion of musical genres. The work features Mingus’s distinctive hard-bop style interwoven with elements of blues, gospel, spirituals and folk music. This collection demonstrates his masterful orchestration and...

Floyd Patterson vs Ingemar Johansson II was a heavyweight championship boxing match that took place on June 20, 1960, at the Polo Grounds in New York City. The bout was a rematch following Johansson's victory over Patterson one year prior. In this contest, Patterson defeated Johansson by knockout in...

Jimmy Smith's “Back at the Chicken Shack” (1962) is a significant jazz album centered around his masterful Hammond B3 organ playing. The recording features collaborations with Gene Harris, Eddie Stern, and Tommy Tate, presenting a classic example of blues-infused organ jazz. It’s particularly notabl...

João Gilberto's “Samba de Uma Nota So” is a landmark jazz album released in 1960. The record significantly shaped bossa nova through its stripped-down instrumentation and Gilberto’s innovative vocal technique. It remains essential listening for those interested in the evolution of Brazilian music, p...

The 1960 United States presidential election between Democratic nominee John F. Kennedy and Republican nominee Richard Nixon was one of the closest in American history, decided by a popular vote margin of approximately 112,000. The campaign featured the first televised presidential debates, in which...

Ted Hughes’s *Lupercal*, published in 1960, explores themes of nature, mythology, and human instinct through strikingly visceral poetry. The collection is notable for its powerful depictions of animals and ancient rituals, reflecting a return to primal forces. It's particularly relevant for readers...

The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan, signed in 1960, formalized a security alliance during the Cold War. It established provisions for US military support within Japan, reflecting America's commitment to regional defense. Primarily intended for Japanese...

The *Portrait in Jazz* album features Bill Evans, Scott LaFleur, and Paul Motian performing together as a piano-jazz trio. Released in 1960, it’s notable for its innovative harmonic approach and quiet intensity. This recording is particularly valuable to jazz enthusiasts interested in exploring the...

The Indus Waters Treaty is a bilateral agreement established in 1960 concerning the allocation of water from the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. Facilitated by the World Bank, it remains remarkably durable despite decades of conflict between the nations. The treaty governs the use of...

Psycho is a 1959 psychological horror-thriller novel by American author Robert Bloch, inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein. The story follows Norman Bates, a motel proprietor with a dissociative split personality, whose violent secrets surface after a guest disappears. The novel...

Randy Weston's Uhuru Afrika is a significant jazz album from 1960. It celebrates Kenyan culture through intricate musical arrangements inspired by tribal rhythms and the country’s independence movement. The large ensemble format allows for expansive improvisations and harmonic exploration. This work...

Jimmy Smith's *Midnight Special* (1965) is a seminal jazz album celebrated for its pioneering use of the Hammond B3 organ. Smith’s dynamic playing blends gospel, blues and soul with a powerful rhythm section and horn arrangements. This record remains significant within organ-jazz and is appreciated...

The Dr. Martens 1460 boot emerged in April 1960 as a durable British work boot. Its notable features include an eight-eyelet design, a welt construction for repairability, and the iconic yellow stitching. Originally designed for factory workers, it gained widespread popularity through its associatio...

The Saab 35 Draken is a Swedish fighter aircraft developed during the Cold War as a high-speed interceptor for the Swedish Air Force. It is easily recognized by its distinctive double-delta wing configuration, which provided excellent low-speed handling and supersonic flight capabilities. The aircra...

Duke Ellington's *Blues in Orbit* is a significant jazz album released in 1969. It represents the composer’s final studio work incorporating electronic sounds and space-inspired concepts into his established big band style. This ambitious project demonstrates Ellington’s continued artistic evolution...

The Convair B-58 Hustler was a supersonic strategic bomber developed for the United States Air Force in the late 1950s. Entering service in 1960, it distinguished itself as the world's first operational bomber capable of sustaining Mach 2 speeds. The aircraft utilized a delta-wing design and employe...

The Thor-Delta, recognized as the first iteration of the American Delta rocket family, was an early orbital launch vehicle developed by Douglas Aircraft Company. It was derived from the PGM-17 Thor intermediate-range ballistic missile and supplemented with a modified second stage. First launched on...

Anne Sexton’s *To Bedlam and Part Way Back* offers a raw and unflinching look at psychological distress through intensely personal poetry. Published in 1960, this collection is considered a significant early example of confessional poetry within American literature. Sexton's work explores themes of...

The Modern Jazz Quartet's *Pyramid* (1963) is a seminal album in cool jazz. It features the quartet’s distinctive style: intricate piano trio work complemented by delicate percussion. This recording established a refined and spacious sound, appreciated by listeners seeking meditative and sophisticat...

Rooster Blues is an album by Lightnin' Slim (Otis Hicks), a Louisiana swamp blues musician who recorded extensively for Excello Records in the 1950s and 1960s. Characterized by his distinctive electric guitar style and raw vocal delivery, Lightnin' Slim was a significant figure in the swamp blues su...

The Ironworkers Memorial Second Narrows Bridge is a steel cantilever bridge spanning Burrard Inlet in Vancouver, British Columbia, opened to traffic in 1960. During its construction on June 17, 1958, a temporary structural support failed and a span collapsed into the inlet, killing 18 ironworkers an...

“At Ease,” recorded in 1963, features saxophone giant Coleman Hawkins performing alongside a large ensemble of musicians, showcasing his signature sound within a vibrant and expansive orchestral setting.

Plein Soleil is a 1960 French-language crime film directed by René Clément and starring Alain Delon as Tom Ripley. Adapted from Patricia Highsmith's novel The Talented Mr. Ripley, it follows Ripley as deception, impersonation, and murder draw him into the life of a wealthy American acquaintance in E...

The Situationist Manifesto is Guy Debord's 1960 text outlining Situationist International aims for revolutionary culture and everyday life.

The Daybreakers is a 1960 western novel by Louis L'Amour that follows brothers Tyrel and Orrin Sackett as they venture westward seeking a new life. The book is notable for establishing the core themes and timeline of the sprawling Sackett family series. It explores the transition of the American fro...