Wicked early work from Milt Jackson – a record that's got a lot more of an edge than some of his later work with the Modern Jazz Quartet – a near-perfect modernist bop sound that's every bit the best side of Blue Note in the early 50s! The package brings together material from a few different sessions – some originally on 10" LPs – and the core of the material features Jackson in the company of pianist Thelonious Monk, on some tracks that also feature Sahib Shihab on alto sax! John Lewis plays piano on another batch of tracks that are essentially the early MJQ lineup, but with Lou Donaldson on alto too – so they swing with a bit more soul than you might expect. Titles include "Bag's Groove", "On The Scene", "Willow Weep For Me", "Criss Cross", "
Evidence", "Tahiti", "Misterioso", "Four In One", and more.
(Mono Lexington Ave pressing with deep groove, RVG etch, and ear. Cover has surface & edge wear, aging, Record Album Vendor sticker with a bit of marker, split bottom seam with pieces of clear tape, splitting in the spine, & tiny stain & some pen in back.)