"Gettin' Together" by Paul Gonsalves on Jazzland JLP 36

April 12, 2024

Ellington stalwart Gonsalves gets together with some great cats here to play some lovely stuff. Wynton Kelly, Nat Adderly, Sam Jones and Jimmy Cobb supports Gonsalves. Brilliant lineup. An intriguing, unsual date for an ’Ellington musician”, according to the liner notes. With the point being that no other Ellington musicians are on hand here, and no tunes associated with the Duke are played, which apparently was against the norm compared to when other Ellington sidemen led groups.

Gonsalves had a round and hearty tone which I love. It’s a quintessential tenor tone for me. On this album he plays wonderful, both the uptempo stuff and he also has a beautiful approach to playing the ballad. This is another example of a cat I haven’t explored before. I’m sure I will be checking out his other stuff as well. I’ve also acquired an Ellington title recently, on which Gonsalves is present, and I’ll be looking to explore the Duke’s catalogue more in depth. It’s a special quest for me, as my grandfather on my mothers side was a big Ellington and Armstrong fan.

Favorite picks on this album are the moody and steamy ”Yesterdays”, the beautiful ballad ”I Surrender Dear”, the bluesy 8 minute ”Low Gravy” and the last tune on Side B, which is the cooker ”Walkin’”.

Are you into Gonsalves? Cheers!

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"Cohn on the Saxophone" by Al Cohn on Dawn DLP 1110

April 9, 2024

You got to love this cover art. The Lester Young influenced Al Cohn is a cat I’m exploring at the moment. He did some great stuff with Zoot Sims for example which I have been listening to a bit. This album is my first album with him as a leader and my first on the Dawn label. It’s a great one with plenty of stuff to enjoy. There are some lovely ballads, slow and blues-drenched stuff and some medium tempo and up tempo numbers which really hits the spot. It’s all very lyrical. No big suprises, just good jazz. The band featured here is Cohn on the tenor, Frank Rehak on the trombone, Hank Jones on piano, Milt Hinton on the double bass and Osie Johnson on the drums. Great band.

One of my favorite tunes on this album is the classic standard ”Softly As In A Morning Sunrise”. So light and airy with a theme that is just top notch.

A lot of the stuff Cohn released can be found for very reasonable prices. That’s great because it fits in well with my approach to collecting. Meaning trying to find wonderful jazz on original vinyl, in mono, for sane prices. My days of buying original Blue Notes are pretty much over. It’s just not justifiable paying those prices for me anymore. I leave that stuff to the folks with deeper pockets. If I find an original Blue Note for a great price, then fine, but I don’t think that is plausible the way the market has been going in recent times. I’m happy though, that I managed to be very disciplined for so many years, saving up for months just to buy one album. Many of the titles I acquired way back are in the stratosphere now price-wise, and I would never be able to afford them today. But it’s so much fun exploring and to find great stuff on labels I haven’t given much attention to before.

Do you have any favorite Al Cohn titles you’d like to share? Cheers!

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"The Tenor Scene" by the Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis / Johnny Griffin Quintet at Minton's Playhouse on Prestige PRLP 7191

April 7, 2024

Johnny Griffin and Eddie ”Lockjaw” Davis did several albums together. A few of them live at Minton’s Playhouse in Harlem, where all those legendary after hours jam sessions, featuring Bird, Dizzy, Monk, Clarke etc. took place back in the early 1940s. It was there they experimented and developed modern jazz or bebop. I recently acquired two of those titles. This is one of them, recorded in 1961.

This is a tenor extravaganza with all the bells and whistles you’d want from a live jazz performance in NYC. Improvisational excellence from a great band, consisting of the two cats on tenor, Junior Mance on piano, Larry Gales on double bass and Ben Riley on drums.

Favorite pick of the album is Dizzy Gillespie’s homage to Woody Herman ”Woody ’n’ You”, written in 1942. It’s smokin’. Another favorite is the Lockjaw original ”Bingo Domingo” which features some lovely double bass playing by Larry Gales. I got to mention the classic ”I’ll Remember April” as well, where Junior Mance delivers an outstanding piano solo.

Johnny Griffin is very familiar to me but Lockjaw’s output I haven’t explored much. I need to dive deeper into his catalogue, cause I dig him a lot. I think there is plenty there to enjoy.

Do you have any favorite Lockjaw titles you would like to share? Cheers!

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"Freedom Suite" by Sonny Rollins on Riverside RLP 12-258

April 3, 2024

I love Sonny Rollins, both for his great playing and compositions, but also because he was the one who got me really hooked on jazz. The band he had that hooked me was also a trio; him, Henry Grimes and Joe Harris. Just like on this album, but here it is Oscar Pettiford and Max Roach on double bass and drums. I absolutely love the concept of a sax trio. It’s so naked and exposed, so primitive, in a good way. Rollins’ sax really takes center stage in this format and is really in your face. I love “Way Out West” as well, also a trio format.

This album consists of the brilliant Rollins-penned “The Freedom Suite”, taking up the whole of Side 1 and four other tunes on the second side that are beautiful as well. This is a lovely album, one of his best, that I’ve been after for a long time. Not entierly easy to find with the large blue labels (no INC). Happy to finally be able to file this great title. Have plenty of other Sonny Rollins titles that I’m still looking for, so the search goes on for those.

Any thoughts on this album? Please share. Cheers!

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"Long Night" by Frank Strozier on Jazzland JLP 56

March 31, 2024

Fantastic session by altoist Frank Strozier who is still with us. A cat I haven’t given much attention to before. I’m glad I stumbled upon this album which showcases what a great player and composer he was. I will definitely explore his stuff more in depth.

Never saw this title before, until a couple of weeks ago. Listened a bit on Spotify, got hooked, and jumped on the chance to acquire it. The album has two lineups, a quartet and a sextet. The sextet consists of Strozier on alto, George Coleman on tenor, Pat Patrick on baritone, Chris Anderson on piano, Bill Lee on double bass and Walter Perkins on drums. The quartet has Strozier as the only horn together with the rhythm section.

It’s a beautiful record all the way trough, starting with the bluesy and slow paced Strozier-penned ”Long Night”. ”How Little We Know” comes next which is a medium-tempo tune with a laid back feel. Then it’s time for a waltz and it’s called ”The Need for Love” and it has that swaying feel that the groove of a waltz provides. Love it. ”The Man That Got Away” closes the A side and it is a lovely slow number with a beautiful solo by Strozier at the end.

Side B begins with the calm and soulful ”Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe” which is relaxing and peaceful. Lovely brush work by Perkins. Then we get into the part of the album which I love the most, with three lovely tunes, all penned by Strozier. ”The Crystal Ball” comes first, on which both Strozier and Patrick plays flute. The tune has a slight latin flavor and a wonderful ambiance that is quite unique. Love the incorporation of the two flutes. A favorite. Then we’re off into the smokin’ up-tempo ”Pacemaker”, which features Strozier in full flow with an impressive solo. The kick drum is very present and the double bass has a thick and full sound which makes the tune really take off. Then we have another up-tempo tune which is called ”Just Think It Over” which has a memorable theme to start with and is followed by great horn solos by all to close the album.

This title is already a firm favorite and is highly recommended.

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"Soulville" by The Ben Webster Quintet on Verve MG V-8274

March 28, 2024

If you’re in the mood for some smoky, breathy and soulful tenor saxophone then look no further than Ben Webster’s “Soulville”, which is a lovely album i’ve been after for quite some time. It is very difficult to find a clean original, both the vinyl and jacket are often not in great shape. The couple of copies I’ve listened to before had plenty of noise, but this copy that I just acquired plays so much better than those. I guess this title was played to death by folks back in the day. The jacket has some issues but it’s no biggie, I think it presents itself ok. The vinyl plays fine, not perfect though, but I’m very happy with this copy and I think it sounds great.

I’m after more of Ben Webster’s stuff, so I will keep my eyes peeled if anything comes along. He did a few more on Verve for example. He was a great player with such a wonderful, syrupy tone. I guess my favorite tune on this album is “Lover Come Back to Me”. But the whole album is stellar. Highly recommended.

This is another example of finding great jazz on original vinyl for a reasonable price.

Do you have a favorite Ben Webster album you would like to share? Cheers!

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"The Soft Swing" by The Stan Getz Quartet on Verve MG V-8321

March 27, 2024

Laid back, lyrical and mellow. Three ways to describe this album and Getz’s style. Perfect stuff for a lazy afternoon when you just want to relax a bit. Haven’t got many titles on the Verve label, but I’ve been getting in a couple of more these last few days. Plenty to enjoy on that label for sure, for very reasonable prices.

Stan Getz is a cat I’ve enjoyed for a long time but never really focused on. Thereby I haven’t collected a lot of his stuff, just several EP’s. So this is my first original LP with him. His catalogue is vast, so I will be searching for more of the good stuff. I guess Verve is a good place to look.

The personell on this are Getz on the tenor, Mose Allison on piano, Addison Farmer on double bass and Jerry Segal on drums. Favorite pick of the album has to be the Pres-esque ”To the Ends of the Earth”.

If you enjoy a soft swing from time to time, then this album is one that you should pick up.

What’s your favorite Getz album on Verve?

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"Boss Tenor" by Gene Ammons on Prestige PRLP 7180

March 25, 2024

I have always loved this cover art. But the cat leading this session I haven’t explored much, until recently. He is one of those jazz artists that have been there on the periphery of what I have been focusing on. Shame on me. This is a fantastic session by a great tenor player. I love his deep and warm tone. He plays with a lot of soul and the fabrics of the blues is ever present. A very lyrical player.

This album sports a great cast of players: Ammons on tenor sax, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Doug Watkins on double bass, Art Taylor on drums and Ray Barretto on congas. They breeze through seven selections, two of them Ammons originals. The overall feel of the album is very pleasant and very much focused on Ammons tenor. Love the texture the congas bring as well. They are not overpowering at all, just the right amount so they blend with the rest of the music, Tastefully played by Barretto. This title is highly recommended if you haven’t listened to it.

I’ve been eying my next Ammons title called “Jug”, also on Prestige. Hoping to find that one. Been getting several packages in the last couple of days with plenty of new arrivals. The beauty of finding affordable gems is there will be a lot more of them to add to the shelves. Looking forward to put them on the turntable during the next several days. Easter is this week and I will have some days off so I can maybe get some quality listening time then.

Do you have a favorite Ammons title that you’d like to share? Have a great Monday. Cheers!

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"E.S.P." by Miles Davis on Columbia CL 2350

March 22, 2024

Posted the birth of the first great quintet a month ago and this album is the birth of the second great quintet. While I love the first quintet this second quintet is on another level for me. It was a brilliant group consisting of Miles, Wayne Shorter, Tony Williams, Ron Carter and Herbie Hancock. All of them were masters. As a drummer myself I adore Tony Williams and his extremely tasteful and unique approach. His kit and touch always sounds amazing and in a top 5 list of favorite drummers he will be at the very top.

E.S.P. stands for Extra-Sensory Perception and the members truly are communicating on a different plane here as it was through telepathy. But E.S.P. could just as well stand for Ever So Perfect, as the music is as good as it gets in the modal/post bop style. This copy sounds as new with a lush and organic sound. All the tunes are beautiful originals, played with such feeling and sophistication. I have struggled to find these Columbia recordings of this group in their 1st issue form. Columbia is tricky when it comes to determining what a 1st issue is, but thanks to the one and only Dottorjazz and his research I have a clear view of what to look for. A 1st issue of E.S.P. for example should have the two eyes and “Guaranteed High Fidelity” printed in black at the bottom of the labels and not the MONO 360 sound with two arrows, which is the second issue. I hope to find some of the other titles by this great group as well, such as “Miles Smiles”, “Sorcerer” and “Nefertiti”. But it’s not easy let me tell you.

I have found that my new approach to collecting is a beautiful path where I’ve been exploring a lot of different labels, titles and artists that I hadn’t experienced much before. And the amount of great albums one can acquire instead of an original Blue Note is very satisfying. I’m very happy to have been able to collect some of the top Blue Notes in lovely condition through the years but this new approach is letting me get so much more music into the collection. The way the prices on eBay for the original Blue Notes have been going as of late is jaw dropping. Absolutely insane. I have packages coming in now with plenty of new titles and this package was the first to arrive. Stay tuned for the other stuff coming up.

Cheers!

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"Bags & Trane" by Milt Jackson & John Coltrane on Atlantic 1368

February 27, 2024

Wonderful album here with Milt Jackson and Coltrane on Atlantic. The rest of the group consists of Hank Jones on piano, Paul Chambers on double bass and Connie Kay on drums.

The music is classy and the combination of Bags and Trane really works superbly. Is this the only time Trane recorded with a vibraphonist? Can’t think of any other album with that setting. Please correct me if I’m mistaken.

The sound on this session is not top tier. I put on Donald Byrds “The Cat Walk” on Blue Note straight after and what a striking difference. Such amazing punch, power and a clear distinctive sound. The sound of Philly Joe Jones drums knocks you out compared to the meager, closed in and tinny sound of Connie Kays drums. Not overly impressive session from him overall. I think this is very interesting, how big the difference is between different titles on different labels with different sound engineers. You wonder sometimes what some of them were doing.

At the moment I’m searching high and low for original mono pressings within my very tight budget. It’s very stimulating to explore and discover titles on several labels which I haven’t given much attention to before, like Verve, Mercury, Mode, Dawn and so on. Plenty of less expensive stuff there to try and find.

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"The New Miles Davis Quintet" on Prestige PRLP 7014

February 20, 2024

Classic stuff and the birth of one of the most famous groups in jazz. The music is lovely as you would expect. A great early taste of this classic quintet and a milestone in the history of jazz.

This is a second issue with NYC labels from 1957, the first being pressed in 1956. The only things that differs between the two is that the first has a different Prestige logotype on the front, frame jacket, is non-laminated and has a blank spine. This second issue has a laminated cover, printed spine and the more modern typeface logotype. The typeface on the labels differs a bit as well. The third pressing has a blue tint front cover with NYC labels. There is a blue tint version with NJ labels as well I believe.

I’ve been after the first issue forever, but I’ve relaxed a lot towards the notion of having the absolute 1st art cover. This has NYC labels, green tint, sounds good and I’ve now settled on keeping this one as my forever copy. I’ve had it for a long time, probably something like 12 years and never posted it. Have a few other Prestige titles which are early as well, but not absolute 1st pressings.

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"Meet Oliver Nelson" by Oliver Nelson on New Jazz NLJP 8224

February 16, 2024

Highly enjoyable jazz with a great bunch of players. This is Oliver Nelson’s debut album. I have a couple of other titles with him as a leader and both are great, as is this.

It’s blues drenched at times, melancholy at times, up-tempo and energetic at times. In other words a nice mix of different flavors.

I truly dig Nelson’s tenor. It’s smooth and has a pleasant tone. He plays really good. Love that Dorham and Taylor are on this as well, they are always great.

There’s quite a few original compositions by Nelson on this and it’s a nice taste of what was to come later. My favorite tune on this album is not a Nelson original though. It’s called “What’s New” (originally titled “I’m Free”, an instrumental from 1938), composed in 1939 by Bob Haggart, a dixieland double bassist.

This title is worth checking out if you haven’t before.

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Shelly Manne & His Men at the Black Hawk Vol. 1-4 on Contemporary M3577-80

February 9, 2024

For me, these four volumes by Shelly Manne, recorded live at The Black Hawk nightclub in San Francisco between the 22nd and the 24th of September 1959, are among the absolute best jazz albums ever released. It’s so beautifully recorded and the performances of all five musicians individually and collectively are stunning. Jazz is an art form best experienced live in my opinion, and here we get a glimpse of what it was like to sit there at a table and soak all this magic in. Good lord, I wish I could have been there and experience these five cats performing at the top of their game.

It’s Manne on drums, Richie Kamuca on tenor sax, Joe Gordon on trumpet, Victor Feldman on piano and Monty Budwig on double bass. Wonderful group, one of the very best of the era. I feel it cannot be overstated how great these players were. And the music is to die for. All the tunes are exceptional and played with such posture and feeling. It’s amazing how tight this band was.

I was lucky beyond belief in finding all four volumes for sale as a complete set a few weeks back. And you really need all four to be completely satisfied, at least that’s what I think.

If you haven’t heard this music, or you have but haven’t got the albums, search high and low for these. Make it a top priority. You won’t be sorry, I promise. They can be had for a very reasonable price as well, which is key.

These albums will have a very special place in my collection. I will cherish them forever.

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"Three Waves" by the Steve Kuhn Trio on Contact CM-5

February 3, 2024

Delightful piano trio music here with the Basra rhythm section. Kuhn was a genius and his style was elegant and powerful. On this recording he incorporates some sweet touches as well on the beautiful ”Why Did I Choose You” which is a favorite. The more uptempo tunes, which are ”Today I Am A Man”, ”Three Waves” and ”Bits and Pieces”, are a joy to listen to and where the trio really comes into it’s own, releasing tons of energy which really captivates.

This album flies a bit under the radar maybe, which is just fine, making it more reasonably priced I’d assume. Perfect, considering my new approach to collecting.

All in all this is a lovely trio outing which you should check out if you haven’t already.

There are some real gems to enjoy in the Kuhn catalogue, and I will continue to explore his output as a leader. Been listening a bit to “The October Suite” on Impulse and “Watch What Happens!” on MPS and both are great. Do you have some favorite albums by him?

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"The Space Book" by Booker Ervin on Prestige PR 7386

January 25, 2024

All the titles in the Book-series are great and this one is no exception. The band on this is exceptional, with Ervin joined by Jaki Byard, Richard Davis and Alan Dawson. They play in total harmony throughout and the result is brilliant music played with fire and soul. Richard Davis’ work on the double bass is lovely and he really shows here how creative he was in his approach. Jaki Byard is one of my favorite pianists and his style makes it’s presence known in a beautiful way. Alan Dawson’s drumming is distinct, technical and tasteful. Very underrated drummer. A clear favorite of mine.

Booker Ervin was a great tenor player and his style was very unique and instantly recognizable. I have managed to collect a few of his titles on Prestige and I’m looking for more. Some of them are not easy to find but I hope to run across a few of the ones I’m missing in the future. Happy to have been able to find the ones I have though. These are albums that always feel fresh and gives me something new each time I put them on the turntable.

Do you have a favorite Ervin album? Please share. Cheers!

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"The Cat Walk" by Donald Byrd on Blue Note 4075

December 24, 2023

Byrd and Pepper Adams was a superb combo. This is a great album which I come back to often. It sounds amazing. The cover art has to be one of the most iconic, bad ass and at the same time beautiful in the Blue Note catalogue.

Posting on this Christmas Eve when here in Sweden we have our main celebration. I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and I hope you’ll have a lovely time with friends and family.

🎄

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New York Art Quartet on ESP-Disk 1004

December 22, 2023

A meditative, contemplative debut album here, recorded in 1964 and released in 1965, by the New York Art Quartet, which consists of Roswell Rudd on trombone, John Tchicai on alto sax, Lewis Worrell on double bass and Milford Graves on percussion. Poet and writer Leroi Jones (now named Amiri Baraka) also recites his poem “Black Dada Nihilismus” which is some heavy stuff.

This album exemplifies the kind of avant-garde music that I can meditate to. You just sit there and take it all in. Every little detail. No toe-tapping, no flamboyant solos to marvel at, no boundaries, just freedom. It relaxes me. I really dig the drumming of Milford Graves. It’s sparse, delicate and also intricate and whirly. Always very tasteful. Lewis Worrell plays with a wonderful warm tone and his bowed bass playing is also lovely. John Tchicai’s alto is quite accessible and he plays lyrical even. Roswell Rudd on trombone is providing a solemn harshness which is never abrasive but instead a great compliment to Tchicai’s round, mellow tone. Amazing is the way he plays and he makes the trombone feel urgent and the clarity he produces on this usually quite muffled instrument is very nice.

You should check out this music if you haven’t heard it already.

It’s my first album on the ESP-Disk label and it’s in mono which is great. Hoping to explore the label a bit more than I already have.

Do you have a favorite ESP title? Please share.

Cheers!

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"Blues & Roots" by Charles Mingus on Atlantic 1305

December 20, 2023

Mingus is one of my favorite jazz musicians and composers. He was a master of blending old and new and always had the roots of the blues very much in focus in his music. Some of the very best jazz albums of all time for me is credited to him. My favorites are The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady, Mingus Ah Um, Mingus Dynasty and this one on display, Blues & Roots.

His double bass mastery is evident as always on this session, and I hold him in very high regard in terms of thinking of my favorite double bassists. If I was to choose my top 5 bassists in jazz now, without thinking too much, they will probably be, in no particular order, Scott La Faro, Richard Davis, Charlie Haden, Henry Grimes and Mingus.

This album is another highlight of 2023 which I’ve been looking for for a long time. It’s definitely not easy to find an original issue in mono with the beautiful bulls eye labels. I really dig those labels and I have always loved the cover art as well. The session is top notch and features a stellar cast, with Jackie McLean, Booker Ervin, Pepper Adams, Mal Waldron, Dannie Richmond among others.

Happy to have checked this one off of the want list this year and I’m anticipating it will get plenty of time on the turntable.

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"Eastern Sounds" by Yusef Lateef on Moodsville MVLP 22

December 17, 2023

A definitive highlight of a prosperous year in collecting for me. This one has really amazed me plenty since I started exploring it. One of the rarest vintage jazz albums in it’s original form, with the misprinted labels, DG and Abbey ring. Almost impossible to find it seems, but here it is. I strayed from my new approach of focusing on cheaper titles, but it was worth it of course. I actually have strayed a bit more recently, but I’m planning to get back on track next year. A New Year’s resolution perhaps?

The first track is quite special as Lateef plays a very unusual instrument called the ”xun”. A globular flute, which is 1200 years old and made of clay. It is one of the oldest musical instruments in China and has been in use for approximately 7000 years. He found it in New York’s Chinatown after he had become interested enough to look for one after reading about it in a book on Chinese music, according to the liner notes. Love it! The sound of the instrument fits perfectly with the tune. The other thing that is special about this tune is that Cat Stevens used it as inspiration for writing his first hit single ”I Love My Dog”. He covered it so to speak, wrote lyrics to it, but didn’t credit Lateef until later when he told him about it and gave him a big check and also started to pay him royalties.

The album blends oriental flavors with the blues and the result is lovely. Besides the old Chinese instrument Lateef plays the tenor, flute and oboe. The oboe sounds absolutely lovely when he plays it. Not a very common occurrence in jazz.

Favorite pick of the album is the dreamy and haunting ”Love Theme from Spartacus” on which Lateef plays the oboe absolutely beautifully. Every tune offers something special and the whole album is very engaging and interesting throughout.

This is actually a title I would consider adding to #my5mostlovedjazzalbums. It’s that good. Lovely stuff, a masterpiece. The best Yusef Lateef album for me. Which is yours?

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"For Real!" by Hampton Hawes on Contemporary M3589

December 7, 2023

This title contains smooth hard bop spiced up with Scott La Faro’s virtuosic double bass playing. He is one of my absolute favorite double bassists in jazz. Perhaps THE favorite. Even though his life was cut short and he recorded a limited amount of albums he still made a huge mark, and from those few recordings he became one of the greatest double bassists in jazz of all time. So this album is special, just for the mere fact that he plays on it.

The music is lovely and accessible. But it’s that La Faro magic that makes it stand out for me. Harold Land is on this as well and he was a wonderful tenor player, who of course played with Brownie & Roach early in his career. I have much material by him to try and acquire. The other cats are Frank Butler on drums who displays a great style and plays quite smooth and sophisticated. And of course the leader Hawes, a great pianist who influenced many other pianists around him. He plays very lyrical and tasteful on this recording. He recorded plenty for Contemporary and I’ll try and add some more of that stuff to the collection.

This album is highly recommended and a must have if you love La Faro and enjoy smooth and tasteful hard bop.

Cheers!

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