Tuberkulosejahrbuch 1956

During one of his many tours of Europe, Lionel Hampton assembled a group of all-stars for this 1956 studio session, adding a number of top European players to his regular group. The vibraphonist has the lion's share of solos, dominating the 11-plus-minute interpretation of "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing" and showing off a bit with his unique style of playing piano on several selections, including a romp through "Regina's Drag" (which is the same as "12th Street Rag"). "New Saint-Louis Blues" is just an updated version of W.C. Handy's signature tune, with a vocal by Hampton and sassy muted trumpet by Ed Mullens. This date might have been a bit more memorable with more solo features for the vibraphonist's sidemen, but it is hard to overpower one of the greatest jazz showmen of all time.

Mid 50s genius from Sonny Rollins - 5 albums in a single set, all presented in LP-styled sleeves. Includes 'Worktime' (1956), 'With The Modern Jazz Quartet' (1956), 'Tenor Madness' (1956), 'Moving Out' (1956) and 'Saxaphone Colossus' (1957).
Worktime is a record that perfectly illustrates why Rollins was one of the greatest players on his horn for many decades running! There's a depth of tone on the record that rivals Coleman Hawkins or Lester Young - but a quickness of pace and imagination that shows a clear influence from Charlie Parker, and a deftness that few were bringing to the tenor at the time. The rhythm section here is super tight - and features Ray Bryant on piano, George Morrow on bass, and Max Roach on drums…

During the spring and summer of 1956, trumpeter Kenny Dorham recorded two studio albums with his Jazz Prophets, a small hard bop band involving tenor saxophonist J.R. Monterose and a rhythm section of pianist Dick Katz, bassist Sam Jones and drummer Arthur Edgehill. On May 31 of that year, Dorham's group performed live at the Café Bohemia with Bobby Timmons at the piano and guitarist Kenny Burrell sitting in on all but the first of four sets. Originally engineered by Rudy Van Gelder and remastered by him in 2001, Blue Note's 2002 double-disc "Complete" Dorham Café Bohemia edition combines every usable track taped during this exceptionally fine evening of live jazz…

This 1956 recording was Bob Dorough's debut, an introduction to one of the most unusual talents in jazz. He's a gifted songwriter and a fine pianist, but most of all, he's a unique lyricist and singer, rattling off hyperkinetic vocalese in an almost chirping, high-pitched voice that somehow retains hints of an Arkansas drawl and a conversational intimacy. He's as distinctive on Hoagy Carmichael's beautiful "Baltimore Oriole" as he is on the bop fanfares like Dizzy Gillespie's "Ow!" and Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite," with his own memorable lyrics. His boppish piano playing–with all the virtues of crisp articulation and an acute sense of time–is an oddly conventional complement to the vocals, and there are good contributions by Warren Fitzgerald on trumpet and Jack Hitchcock on vibes. Devil May Care's title tune has recently received fine covers by more conventional singers like Diana Krall and Claire Martin, but it's much more distinctive here. While Dorough has influenced generations of jazz singers, from Mose Allison to Kurt Elling, there's nothing quite like the original.

While nominally Lawrence Marable is a leader, the star is the Texas Tenor James Clay. But this 1956 LP is a classic not only because of Clay (who here was a fresh faced 20 year old) but because of presence of the always great Sonny Clark. Rounding out band is Jimmy Bond on bass and the titular leader Lawrence Marable.

Lucky Thompson was very active in the recording studios during his 1956 visit to France; this CD in Verve's attractive Jazz in Paris reissue series features the big toned tenor saxophonist with both a quartet and a tentet. Thompson's lush sound in sensitive interpretations of "The Man I Love" and the less familiar ballad "There's No You" brings Ben Webster to mind. Thompson's original "Tight Squeeze" is an up-tempo jump blues which showcases his harder blowing, more boppish side; while the venerable standard "Gone With the Wind" is a brisk swinger. Pianist Henri Renaud leads the potent rhythm section. The tentet session is less memorable. All of the songs were written by Renaud, and while they are comparable to much of the output of so-called "cool school" of the period, they tend to be a little too conservative. Still, Thompson's playing is at a high label throughout both dates, so bop fans should invest in this enjoyable CD.