Chet Baker Big Band
Artist: Chet Baker
Community Score: 6.00

Releasing an entire album under the moniker Chet Baker Big Band is a bit of a misnomer, as only the first four sides actually incorporate an 11-person configuration. The remaining tracks from the long-player feature a slightly smaller nonet configuration. Among the luminaries joining Baker (trumpet) and participating in the big-band arrangements... Read More

Gerry Mulligan in Paris, Vol. 1
Artist: Gerry Mulligan

Formerly available in piecemeal fashion, this CD (and Vol. 2) has all of the music recorded at baritonist Gerry Mulligan's Paris concerts of June 1954. This particular unit (with valve trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, bassist Red Mitchell and drummer Frank Isola) was one of Jeru's finest for his own wit, swing and cool-toned creativity were matched by... Read More

Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster
Artist: Gerry Mulligan

The swing and bop start right here on this legendary 1959 session between baritone saxophonist Gerry Mulligan and tenorman Ben Webster. The opening track, Billy Strayhorn's "Chelsea Bridge" is lush and emotional and truly sets the tone for this album. With Jimmy Rowles on piano (his intro on "Sunday" sounds like a ragtimer like Willie "the Lion"... Read More

Gerry Mulligan Meets Ben Webster - 2 CD REISSUE
Artist: Gerry Mulligan
Reunion with Chet Baker
Artist: Gerry Mulligan

The Gerry Mulligan Quartet of 1952-53 was one of the best-loved jazz groups of the decade and it made stars out of both the leader and trumpeter Chet Baker. Mulligan and Baker had very few reunions after 1953 but this particular CD from 1957 is an exception. Although not quite possessing the magic of the earlier group, the music is quite... Read More

Herbie Harper Sextet
Artist: Herbie Harper

Trombonist Herbie Harper's fifth and final session as a leader in the 1950s is an excellent outing that also features the little-known tenorman Jay Core, guitarist Howard Roberts, pianist Marty Paich, bassist Red Mitchell and either Frank Capp or Mel Lewis on drums. Core and Capp contributed an original apiece and the sextet also plays five... Read More

MJQ: 40 Years
Artist: The Modern Jazz Quartet

To celebrate The Modern Jazz Quartet's 40th anniversary as a group, Atlantic came out with an attractive four-CD box set that has selections (programmed in chronological order) that cover the group's long career. Most of the selections come from the Atlantic catalog although they have leased a few numbers owned by other labels and, with the... Read More

The Mastersounds in Concert
Artist: The Mastersounds

Having recorded several popular albums of show tunes that sold fairly well, the Mastersounds had an opportunity in 1959 to stretch out on a live album, which unfortunately has been long out of print. On four standards, a three-song ballad medley, and "Two Different Worlds," the quartet (consisting of vibraphonist Buddy Montgomery, pianist Richie... Read More

Lee Konitz Meets Jimmy Giuffre
Artist: Lee Konitz

This unusual two-CD set not only reissues the original LP of the same name but three other rare Verve LP's from the 1950's. Altoist Lee Konitz (on "An Image") is showcased during a set of adventurous Bill Russo arrangements for an orchestra and strings in 1958, pops up on half of Ralph Burns' underrated 1951 classic Free Forms (the most... Read More

Complete Recordings of the Paul Desmond Quartet with Jim Hall
Artist: Paul Desmond

Although the RCA recordings featuring the Paul Desmond Quartet with Jim Hall were eventually reissued by the original label (also in a boxed set) after the last copy of this limited edition Mosaic box was sold, it is the Mosaic collection which will be remembered as a classic. Only that set includes the initial studio collaboration of Desmond &... Read More

Tentet - ATLANTIC
Artist: Teddy Charles Tentet

Most of this CD features vibraphonist Teddy Charles heading an advanced tentet in 1956, a unit including the likes of trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Gigi Gryce, tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose, pianist Mal Waldron, and guitarist Jimmy Raney. The arrangements of George Russell ("Lydian M-1"), Gil Evans (a year before Miles Ahead), Jimmy Giuffre,... Read More

Playboys
Artist: Chet Baker

These Halloween 1956 sides originally appeared as Playboys in 1961 on Pacific Jazz. Myth and rumor persist that, under legal advice from the publisher of a similarly named magazine, the collection would have to be retitled. When the CD version of the same material was issued in the early '90s, it had been accurately christened Picture of Heath... Read More

Now's the Time
Artist: Hal McKusick

The decision to include just seven of the twelve numbers from Hal McKusick's Isn't It Romantic recording and eight of the ten from Cross Section Saxes on this CD reissue is unfortunate, making this a so-called "best of" set; why not reissue three McKusick dates (including Jazz & the Academy) complete on two CDs so valuable music is not lost?... Read More