Trumpeter Fats Navarro was one of the true giants of the early bop years, but he passed away at a young age just as the music was taking off – leaving behind just a handful of killer recordings to document his legacy! This set was put together by Blue Note as a great reminder of his genius – a style on the trumpet that was different than that of Dizzy Gillespie or Miles Davis – and which really set the tone for some of the more expressive players who would follow him on the instrument. Navarro is incredibly deft, yet never in a way that calls attention to itself too much – truly organic, and set up here in groups led by pianists Tadd Dameron and Bud Powell, plus some recordings in a group he co-led with trumpeter Howard McGhee. Titles on this first volume include "Wail", "The Chase", "The Squirrel", "Our Delight", and "Dameronia". LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Fats Navarro was one of the true giants of the early bop years, but he passed away at a young age just as the music was taking off – leaving behind just a handful of killer recordings to document his legacy! This set was put together by Blue Note as a great reminder of his genius – a style on the trumpet that was different than that of Dizzy Gillespie or Miles Davis – and which really set the tone for some of the more expressive players who would follow him on the instrument. Navarro is incredibly deft, yet never in a way that calls attention to itself too much – truly organic, and set up here in groups led by pianists Tadd Dameron and Bud Powell, plus some recordings in a group he co-led with trumpeter Howard McGhee. Titles on this second volume include "Lady Bird", "Jahbero", "Symphonette", "Double Talk", and "The Skunk". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set that brings together Fats Navarro's recordings for Savoy – late 40s sides that were always poorly packaged and annotated on record, which are compiled here wonderfully, with great notes, and a few unissued tracks! Players include Leo Parker, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Ernie Henry, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, and Charlie Rouse – and the set's got a huge amount of titles, including "Boppin A Riff", "Fat Boy", "Everything's Cool", "Webb City", "Fracture", "Calling Dr Jazz", "Red Pepper", "Spinal", "Fat Girl", "Ice Freezes Red", "A Bebop Carol", and "The Tadd Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous work from a trumpeter who was taken from us all too soon – the legendary Fats Navarro, an important early voice in the sound of bop! The album's a short one, but every track is a gem – as Navarro blows beautifully in groups led by Bud Powell, Tadd Dameron, and Howard McGhee – always with this balance between sweetness and bite that's totally wonderful – an undeniable influence on later hardbop trumpeters to come, served up here with a sense of phrasing and economy that's still very powerful after all these years! Titles include "The Squirrel", "Lady Bird", "Our Delight", "The Chase", "Dameronia", "Double Talk", and "52nd Street Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

With Alan Eager on tenor, Jimmy Ford on alto, Kenny Clarke on drums, Curly Russell on bass, and Kay Penton on vocals. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Fats Navarro was one of the true giants of the early bop years, but he passed away at a young age just as the music was taking off – leaving behind just a handful of killer recordings to document his legacy! This set was put together by Blue Note as a great reminder of his genius – a style on the trumpet that was different than that of Dizzy Gillespie or Miles Davis – and which really set the tone for some of the more expressive players who would follow him on the instrument. Navarro is incredibly deft, yet never in a way that calls attention to itself too much – truly organic, and set up here in groups led by pianists Tadd Dameron and Bud Powell, plus some recordings in a group he co-led with trumpeter Howard McGhee. Titles on this first volume include "Wail", "The Chase", "The Squirrel", "Our Delight", and "Dameronia". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few albums to feature the work of the legendary Tadd Dameron from his formative early years in bop – a time when Dameron's modernist modes were really helping to shape the sound of the scene! The groups are all pretty darn smoking, and the record features some classic work by Fats Navarro on trumpet, Allan Eager on tenor, Milt Jackson on vibes, and Kenny Clarke on drums. Tracks are longer than the usual 3-minute bop side, and titles include "Wahoo", "Good Bait", "Tiny's Blues", and "Symphonette". LP, Vinyl record album

This record is not really a Dexter Gordon album but rather a collection of tracks from Spotlite's Dial Masters series that include other artists as well. The Gordon tracks that are included are alternate takes of songs recorded for Dial and performed with his Quintet and Quartet in 1947. Titles include "Mischievous Lady", "Lullaby In Rhythm", "Chromatic Aberration", "It's The Talk Of The Town", "Ghost Of A Chance", and "Sweet & Lonely". The other artists included were either on the Dial label or Dial issued them at some point and they are the Teddy Edwards Quartet, Earl Coleman & His All-Stars, Fats Navarro Quintet and Howard McGhee & His Band. Tracks include "Blues In Teddy's Flat", "Mop Mop", "Lifestream", and "Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare live material from Charlie Parker – recorded in the very familiar territory of the Birdland nightclub, but not issued until an LP release from the 70s! The material originally was broadcast on radio, but through the series of the Rose transcription disc archive – which meant better recording and preservation than most other radio material of the bop years – helping to make this album a real treasure among Bird fans in the years after his death. The lineup is a very tight bop-based one – with Fats Navarro on trumpet, Bud Powell on piano, and Art Blakey on bass. Chubby Newsome adds vocals to "Embraceable You" – and the rest of the set includes "Wahoo", "Round Midnight", "This Time The Dream's On Me", "Dizzy Atmosphere", "A Night In Tunisia", "Move", "The Street Beat", "Out Of Nowhere", "Little Willie Leaps", "Ornithology", "I'll Remember April", and "Cool Blues/52nd St Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the first-ever full length collections of work from bop piano legend Bud Powell – a record with a seminal Blue Note cover image, and the well-earned "Amazing" in the title! Powell's in great form throughout – very much at that restless, effortless best of his early career on the piano – working on a number of tracks in a trio with Max Roach on drums and Curly Russell on bass – and even more unusually in another group with Fats Navarro on trumpet and Sonny Rollins on tenor – some of his few non-trio recordings of the time! The set features some key early classics, a few with alternates too – and titles include "Un Poco Loco", "Parisian Thoroughfare", "Dance of The Infidels", "Wail", "Bouncing With Bud", and "52nd St Theme". LP, Vinyl record album

Recordings from 1947 by Barry Ulanov & His All Star Metronome Jazzmen, with Fats Navarro on trumpet, John LaPorta on clarinet, Charlie Parker on alto, Allen Eager on tenor, Lennie Tristano on piano, Billy Bauer on guitar, Tommy Potter on bass, and Buddy Rich on drums, with Sarah Vaughan on vocals; plus three tunes recorded in 1948 at the Royal Roost by Tadd Dameron & His Orchestra with Allen Eager and Wardell Gray on tenor, Curley Russel on bass, and Kenny Clarke on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

With Bud Powell, Fats Navarro, and Tadd Dameron. LP, Vinyl record album

With Fats Navarro on trumpet, JJ Johnson on trombone, Milt Jackson on vibes, and Thelonious Monk on piano! LP, Vinyl record album

Trumpeter Louis Smith made only two records for Blue Note, but both of them are great! This set's arguably his most famous – because of a rare uncredited appearance by Cannonball Adderley, working here under the "nom de date" of "Buckshot La Funke" – and blowing with a power that beats most of his other Mercury sessions of the late 50s! But the real credit here should go to Louis Smith – who's got a sense of power and command that should have made him one of THE trumpeters of the 50s – an emerging young talent to stand alongside Lee Morgan, Nat Adderley, and other post-Fats Navarro/Clifford Brown talents on the instrument. Smith sparkles throughout with a mix of soul and modernism we really love – and an earthy way of blowing the horn that doesn't always reach its goals, but which draws even more energy from its ability to try! The rhythm section on the album's also very tight – with Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and either Tommy Flanagan or Duke Jordan on piano – and tracks include "Ande", "Brill's Blues", "South Side", and "Val's Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of an early album from Lee Morgan – quite different than his work as a leader for the Savoy label during the same period! Although Morgan's only a wee lad at the time, the album's got an incredible sense of warmth and imagination – one that's steeped in lessons learned from Horace Silver and Art Blakey, and played with a style that's as richly expressive as it is soulful – a no-nonsense, no-tricks approach to the trumpet that gave Morgan a voice that was clearly different from predecessors like Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, and Fats Navarro! The album's got a stellar lineup that includes Horace Silver, Wilbur Ware, and Philly Joe Jones – plus the virtually unknown Clarence Sharpe, who makes a rare appearance on alto on this session! The whole thing's great, and filled with unique titles that include "Reggie Of Chester", "Little T", "Gaza Strip", and "Roccus". LP, Vinyl record album

The incredible pianist is caught here in the company of a few different trios – with drummers like Roy Haynes or Max Roach – and there's also a few nice large group tracks, with Fats Navarro and Sonny Rollins joining in, plus a couple of piano solos. It's rare to hear Powell in such a setting, as the bulk of his work during the time was trio sessions – and the recordings here – "Un Poco Loco", "Wail", "Bouncing With Bud", and "Ornithology" – are some of his best, as part of their "amazing" series that focused on his energetic trio work. LP, Vinyl record album

A nice selection of late 40s work by a few groups, collected by Savoy as a kind of introduction to the bebop movement, a look back at the early days of bop. Kai Winding and his quintet, featuring Allen Eager on tenor and Shelley Manne on drums, lead off the set with four tracks including "Mr. Dues" and "O-Go-Mo". From there tenor sax man Brew Moore's quartet, featuring Jimmy Johnson on bass and Stan Levey on drums, contribute four tracks including "Blew Brew" and "More Brew". Eddie Lockjaw Davis rounds out the set, with a group that features Fats Navarro on trumpet and Al Haig on piano. His four tracks include "Spinal" and "Red Pepper". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from the early years from Billy Eckstine – including one track with Billy on trumpet! Band members include Fats Navarro on trumpet, Gene Ammons and Budd Johnson on tenors, Leo Parker on baritone, and Art Blakey on drums! The set also features some vocals from Lena Horne and Sarah Vaughan too! (Vocalists, Jazz) LP, Vinyl record album

Charlie Parker on alto saxophone, Curley Russell, Nelson Boyd, and Tommy Potter on bass, Max Roach on drums, Al Haig, Bud Powell, and Tadd Dameron on piano, and Fats Navarro, Kenny Durham, and Miles Davis on trumpet. LP, Vinyl record album