A well-done set, and one that stretches from the pre-Verve years of these groupings, to the big run when they were starting to really shine on record! The first half features mid 40s material – with performances from Illinois Jacquet, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Flip Phillips, and Jack McVea on tenors – plus
Willie Smith on alto, Buck
Clayton and Shorty Sherock on trumpets, JJ Johnson on trombone, Nat King Cole on piano, and Les Paul on guitar. The second half features early 50s material, including three long ballad medley tracks – with performances from Benny Carter and
Willie Smith on altos, Oscar Peterson on piano, Dizzy Gillespie and Roy Eldridge on trumpets, and Ben Webster, Lester Young, and Flip Phillips on tenors!
(Nice 2LP set, with obi!)