This double reissue combines saxophonist Frank Foster’s first U.S. recording and a session led by pianist George Wallington that took place one week later with Foster sitting in. Recorded for Blue Note in Hackensack, NJ, on May 5, 1954, Here Comes Frank Foster (also issued as New Faces, New…
The George Wallington Showcase band, recorded for Blue Note on May 12, 1954. This solid little organization included James Moody‘s ace trumpeter Dave Burns, trombonist Jimmy Cleveland, baritone saxophonist Danny Bank, bassist Oscar Pettiford, and, once again, drummer Kenny “Klook” Clarke. Arrangements were scored by Quincy Jones. This straight-ahead hard bop is tasty and stimulating. Use the four…
In 1956, trumpeter Thad Jones was making his way forward as a leader and apart from his important role with the Count Basie Orchestra, having recorded for the Charles Mingus owned “Debut” and Period labels. But this release for Blue Note most firmly established him as one of the…
For his first session as a leader for Blue Note, trumpeter Thad Jones ran through five songs with a small group which also included fellow Detroiters pianist Tommy Flanagan and guitarist Kenny Burrell as well as part-time Detroiter tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell. Jones’ time with Debut certainly broke him…
Virtually all of singer Babs Gonzales’ most important recordings are on this colorful CD. A pioneering bop-oriented scat singer who predated vocalese masters Eddie Jefferson, King Pleasure, and Jon Hendricks, Gonzales sang with enthusiasm and an emphasis on vowels. Babs is featured on eight numbers with his Three Bips…
Sonny Red, a fine altoist inspired by Charlie Parker and Jackie McLean, never really made it in jazz, and some of his recordings are rather uninspired. However, that does not hold true for his Blue Note album, which has been reissued on this 1996 CD along with five previously unissued selections. Red, who…
J.R. Monterose’s first session as a leader was a thoroughly enjoyable set of swinging, straight-ahead bop that revealed him as a saxophonist with a knack for powerful, robust leads in the vein of Sonny Rollins and Coleman Hawkins. With a stellar supporting group of pianist Horace Silver, trumpeter Ira…
Unjustly ignored at the time of its release, Fred Jackson’s lone album, Hootin’ ‘N Tootin’, is a thoroughly enjoyable set of funky soul-jazz with hard bop overtones. It is true that Jackson doesn’t try anything new on the set, but he proves to be a capable leader, coaxing hot,…
