Richard Goodwin

During his years at Atlantic, Burton became a major player on vibes featuring a cooler, less blues-oriented technique that didn't sacrifice passion or individuality, and he also was among the earliest jazz musicians to incorporate other elements into their style without losing their improvisational outlook. Both areas are displayed on this 14-cut anthology presenting two separate Burton albums. The first five cuts were an LP teaming him with pianist Keith Jarrett; it proved a most intriguing match, with Jarrett reigning in his excesses, playing with flair, and never failing to click with Burton. The other nine songs were on the LP Throb, in which Burton continued the jazz-cum-rock and country experimentation that marked other LPs like Tennessee Firebird and Duster.