Some of the earliest work as a leader from Paul Horn – the inventive reed player who really sparkled in Chico Hamilton's group of the mid 50s, then went on to make some even more compelling records on his own! The first album in the set is House Of Horn – recorded for Dot Records in 1957, and a wonderfully rich tribute to Paul's mighty talents. The groove of the record is especially hard to pin down – as some tunes are light and whimsical, others a bit more dark and rhythmic – always shifting moods with that restless sort of energy that Horn brought to his music – an early searching use of the reeds that really stands out. Paul plays flute, alto sax, piccolo, and clarinet – and other players include Larry
Bunker on vibes, Gerry Wiggins on piano, John Pisano on guitar, Fred Katz on cello, and Chico Hamilton on drums – helping bring some compelling rhythmic complexity to the album. Titles include "A Soldier's Dream", "Day By Day", "Siddartha", "Pony Tale", "House Of Horn", "Interlude", and "The Golden Princess". Next up is Plenty Of Horn – a record that has Paul Horn breaking even more strongly from the style of his previous boss, Chico Hamilton – into a range of modes and sounds that really push the boundaries of 50s jazz on the LA scene! There's a richly complicated feel to some of the music – an evocative sound that's almost in film score territory – as Horn's inventive work on flutes, clarinet, and a bit of alto sax is blended with cool rhythms from Mongo Santamaria on congas and Shelly Manne on drums – then touched with vibes from Larry
Bunker, guitar from Billy Bean, and bass from Red Mitchell. Titles include "Blues for Tom", "Yesterdays", "The Smith Family", "Chloe", "Romanze", and "A Parable". The package also features a fair bit of bonus tracks too – tracks from the Stars Of Jazz TV Show with Calvin Jackson on piano and Fred Katz on cello – including "Lover Man", "Pony Tale", "Mood Improvisation", "Jive At Five" and "My Old Flame". Other bonus tracks including "Give Me The Simple Life" and "Willow Weep For Me" – from the album Down Beat Jazz Concert – with Horn on flute, Dick Katz on piano, Don Bagley on bass, and Osie Johnson on drums.