An excellent 2LP set that features material pulled from a number of Griffin's early albums for the Jazzland/
Riverside label – including The Little Giant, The Kerry Dancers, Way Out, and The Johnny Griffin Sextet. The material is played by a number of groups – with musicians that include Donald Byrd, Pepper Adams, Kenny Drew, Wibur Ware, Blue Mitchell, Julian Priester, Barry Harris, and Sam Jones – but it's united by Griffin's souful approach to bop, and by a youthful energy that made him one of the most striking tenor soloists of his generation, despite a young age. Titles include "Catharsis", "Hot Sausage", "The Message", "
Playmates", "63rd Street Theme", "The Kerry Dancers", and "Little John".
(Cover has heavy edge wear along the opening, corner bend, peeling on the back along the opening.)