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Jazz Masquerade (Japanese paper sleeve edition)

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An unusual record that's had folks puzzling for decades – but one that's also kept their interest too, thanks to the quality of the music on the set! The record's got an unusual gimmick – in that it promises to feature all-star players encumbered by record contracts with other labels – listed as possibilities on the back that include Howrad McGhee, Wardell Gray, Teddy Edwards, Charlie Parker, and others. Yet it's our guess that this might be a pretty obscure lineup, but a great one too – and most numbers are live recordings, done with a hell of a lot of bop fire – quite possibly pulled from that late 40s stretch when Crown/Modern Records was doing a great job of capturing some of the early bop in LA! There's more than a few trumpets at times – and we're guessing one might be McGhee – and given their penchant for recording Vido Musso and Wardell Gray, it's quite possible both of these players are in the mix too. Yet despite the lack of real data on the players, the whole thing's a musical treasure with plenty of soulful bop on offer. Titles include "Ben's Mood", "Steady Teddy", "Deep Purple", "Big Boy (parts 1 & 2)", "Why Not", and "Stompin".  © 1996-2013, Dusty Groove, Inc.