Neal Hefti

Tenor saxophonist Eli "Lucky" Thompson came up in Detroit but made all of his earliest recordings in the Los Angeles area during the 1940s. This fascinating album of rare jazz opens with a mind-blowing Timme Rosenkrantz-sponsored jam session recorded on December 26, 1944. Thompson leads an ensemble combining violinist Stuff Smith, trombonist Bobby Pratt, pianist Erroll Garner, and drummer George Wettling. "Test Pilots" appears to be a collective improvisation during which, like many Stuff Smith dates, the mood is wonderfully relaxed and informal. Recording for the Excelsior label in September of 1945, Lucky Thompson's All-Stars consisted of trumpeter Karl George, trombonist J.J. Johnson, bop clarinetist Rudy Rutherford and a tough rhythm section in Bill Doggett, Freddie Green, Rodney Richardson, and Shadow Wilson…

André Francis and Jean Schwarz, two of the greatest lovers and connoisseurs of jazz, have designed this chronological anthology which brings together the greatest rare or essential masterpieces in the history of jazz, with its greatest creators, from 1944 to 1951.

The eight CDs that make up this collection document the second rise of Count Basie's big band. The second band had been created at the urging of Billy Eckstine, who convinced Basie that even though the era of the large jazz-swing orchestra – an era he was an architect of – was by all appearances over, he could make a real go of it with his brand of blues and swing.

Tenor saxophonist Ralph Moore offers up a satisfying array of neo hard bop numbers on Furthermore which features some of the up and coming stars of the Wynton Marsalis retro trad jazz school, including trumpeter Roy Hargrove, pianist Benny Green, and bassist Peter Washington, as well as veteran drummers Kenny Washington (Peter's brother) and Victor Lewis. The CD opens with the thematically rich Moore original "Hopscotch" (reminiscent of Coltrane's "Moment's Notice") and works its way through Green's driving "Phoebe's Samba" and Hargrove's Wayne Shorter inspired mood piece "Into Dawn," with all three tunes providing prime vehicles for the innovative yet restrained soloing of these young players…

Billie Holiday - Summer Of '49 (1949) {Bandstand Japan, TKCB-30026, Early Press}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 106 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 101 Mb
Full Artwork @ 600 dpi (png) -> 107 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1949, 1990 Bandstand Japan | TKCB-30026
Jazz / Vocal Jazz / Swing / Torch Songs

Recorded in New York, New York and Los Angeles, California between June 2, 1949 and September 3, 1949. Includes liner notes by Barry McRea. Personnel includes: Billie Holiday (vocals); Herbie Steward (tenor saxophone, clarinet); Ernie Caceres (baritone saxophone); Neal Hefti, Hot Lips Page, Wild Bill Davison (trumpet) and others.