1 comments about The Lionel Hampton Story.

1. I have to tell you Lionel Hampton has yet to be matched in talent, and drive on the "phones." Funny Story, it was Tito Puente the late and legendary " King of the Mambo" was the one who showed Lionel (by carefull persuation) the light of the "phones" and shuned him away from the piano. Unfortunatly not much was known on this subject of the two meeting but I believe they meet in the service or right after Tito was discharged for WW II. I can tell you Lionel, to me, is best know for His BIG version of "Flying Home". A bigger, badder version of the small groups version he did with Benny Goodman, and teddy wilson. Lionels closest match would have to be Red Narrvo form the 1930's, but still Mr. Hampton 's drive and moves on the stage has yet to be matched.

5 comments about The Complete Blue Note Recordings.

1. Flat out, Herbie Nichols was the greatest jazz pianist of the 1950s, and I'm very ashamed to admit that I never listened to the man until last autumn. A friend gave me the Blue Note set and the scales fell from my ears. Not Monk, not Powell, not Tristano. No one. But himself. Nichols created sounds with the space and beauty and passion and anger and sadness unlike any other sounds in jazz history, or music history. To listen to him is to be reborn.
   
   "Sunday Stroll" is the most beautiful six minutes ever recorded.



2. The liner notes to this box draw an analogy between Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk, and Andrew Hill -- three brilliant, individualistic pianist/composers who were heavily recorded by Blue Note founder Alfred Lion despite a lack of "commercial potential". Like Hill and Monk's tunes, each of Herbie's compositions has a very distinct personality, and they encompass a wide range of emotions and moods. They explore harmonies, rhythms and forms that were unorthodox in 1955 and still sound a little strange today. They range from "The Gig" (a humorous tongue-twister!) to the sinister, pounding chords of "Cro-Magnon Nights" and the upbeat Latin groove of "Brass Rings".
   
   If you like piano trio music and/or Monk and are willing to try something off the beaten track, this box set is HIGHLY recommended.



3. In a class by himself, Herbie Nichols will first remind you of Monk, but keep listening and you'll soon hear a seamless rythmic flow and subtle melodic approach that seperate him from the older master. Tunes are often based around deceptively simple motivic/rythmic kernels, which are expanded upon patiently but not exhaustively, a departure from the prevalent 50's bop approach, and an anticipation some free jazz a decade later.
   These recordings are truly priceless, not only for the piano work but for the drumming. Art Blakey and, on the later sessions, Max Roach are clearly enjoying their prominent roles in Nichols' compositional format. Stop reading and buy the set!



4. Let's get this out of the way. This is the best piano trio music out there. Period. Herbie is up there with Art Tatum, Monk, Bud Powell, you name 'em. Add to that his fantastic compositional skill and this is must own music. On the other side of the coin, I used to own the Mosaic Records boxed set which had incredible packaging. This packaging is surprisingly shoddy for a label that usually delivers the best. Still, enjoy the music.



5. I myself never heard of Herbie Nichols before 1998, but once I did I was appropriately impressed. His music seemed "easy" to listen to, but it wasn't; Nichols' melodies were angular, jutting against each other sideways rather than in a linear fashion. One of the other reviewers here expressed surprise that Nichols' music isn't better known, but great art is never very popular. Alfred Lion of Blue Note Records, who recorded these sessions, was amazed that they didn't sell well because he loved the music and believed in it. But don't take my word for it - get this album, as well as Buell Niedlinger's "Blue Chopsticks" and the Herbie Nichols Project's "Strange City" to hear one of the most original voices in jazz.

3 comments about The Complete Gershwin Songbooks.

1. While each of the three discs can be purchased separately, their individual strengths make "The Complete Gershwin Songbooks" very worthwhile. Since the music of George and Ira Gershwin has been recycled so many times, what makes this collection so valuable? This question can be answered with two words: quality control. The vintage musical choices are stellar. Many of the versions are sublime. The performers are first rate featuring Bing Crosby, Coleman Hawkins, Ella Fitzgerald, Clifford Brown, Art Tatum and so the list of luminaries goes on. In terms of genres, the music could be described as straight jazz, not excluding a jigger of croonerism and big band. This compilation will resonate with jazz purists who find the original stage versions a tad corny. "'S Marvelous" and "'S Wonderful" feature vocal interpretations. There are several candidates for definitive versions. Armstrong & Fitzgerald's 'Let's Call The Whole Thing Off,' Holiday's 'Nice Work If You Can Get It' and Armstrong's 'There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon' may be the ultimate versions of these standards. Those who believe that Sinatra performed the conclusive version of 'A Foggy Day' should listen to Dinah Washington's rendition. "'S Paradise" features instrumental music. Bill Evans and Jim Hall shine on the elegantly somber 'My Man's Gone Now.' Expectedly, Oscar Peterson dazzles on 'Strike Up The Band.' Featuring each track's personnel and any significant background information, the liner notes are detailed. The box is attractive and features Art Deco flappers painting the town red. The three discs can be individually acquired for a fraction of the box set's price through Amazon's marketplace sellers. "The Complete Gershwin Songbooks" is essential for any listener who appreciates both jazz and the music of Gershwin.



2. This is a great selection on the Verve label of many of their best artists performing George Gershwin's songbook, recorded certainly mostly during the 50's. From Billie Holiday to Louis, Ella, Blossom and Fred. these are classic versions of classic songs, the recording quality is excellent, the programming is spot on and of course the songs are of the best.
   3 Cd's and over three hours so good value, enjoy!



3. This collection exemplifies what made Gershwin so great. A prolific songwriter, Gershwin attracted many wonderful vocalists eager to express their rendition of his works. This collection showcases the talents of some of the greats: Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, Billy Holiday, Louis Armstrong and the incomparable Ella Fitzgerald to name a few. A terrific addition to your collection.

5 comments about The Classic Singles.

1. I agree with many reviewers in that the sound quality of this set is HORRIBLE! I listened to it using highend headphone, which is very revealing, and it is unbearable -- the hiss and static noise is very noticeable and the songs are in mono:-(
   
   DON'T buy this collection!



2. I suppose, for the true audiophile, that a CD produced in this day and age with some background hiss is quite unforgivable, and for that reason I can appreciate some of the negative comments. On the other hand if, like me, that is not an issue (unless the background noise is unbearable), then don't let that stop you from getting a copy of this box set.
   
   Nor should you be dissuaded by the number of "hit singles" omitted. This does not, after all, purport to be his "greatest hit singles" but, rather, "classic singles" - a definition which, I admit, is open to argument and different interpretation. Sweet Lorraine, for example, was a failed single release by The King Cole Trio, and yet today is regarded as one of his classics. Much like, in the Country field, where Hank Williams' I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry never charted as the flipside of My Bucket's Got A Hole In It in 1949, and yet, not only would no Hank Williams compilation be complete without it, I daresay it's better remembered than the hit side.
   
   I also have to wonder at the reviewer who says "songs from before extended play records (1949) can't rightly be called singles..." I'm not sure what he is driving at, but extended play (or E.P.) records had nothing to do with single releases. These were 45rpm [rarely, but sometimes, 33 1/3] records with two songs per side - at times three - with picture sleeves, sort of like mini-LPs.
   
   Once in a while a selection from an EP [or even an LP] would enter the singles charts based upon demand for air play. Elvis did this a few times, and where Nat is concerned just one EP cut made the Billboard singles charts. That was Stardust (# 79 Billboard Pop Top 100 in 1957) which formed part of Capitol EP 824 "Love Is The Thing," also containing When Sunny Gets Blue, Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much, and It's All In The Game.
   
   Aside from such exceptions, true singles were always the one-song-per-side records - whether 78 or 45 rpm. Using the example of Kee-Mo Ky-Mo (The Magic Song), this became a # 10 hit on what then passed for the R&B charts in 1949 b/w Rex Rhumba on Capitol 15240 so, in every respect, this was not only a single, but a hit as well.
   
   For the record, just 18 of the cuts in this 102-song set were not "hit" singles, but in just about every case you could make an argument for them as Nat "King" Cole classics. Such as his renditions of Tenderly, Dreams Can Tell A Lie, and When I Fall In Love.



3. A single, to me, is a collection of 2 songs (usually taken from an album, though in the days when LPs and EPs didn't exist yet I would say a 78RPM that one could buy individually, rather than in an "album" package, would also qualify.) I would EXPECT this set at the least to be a collection of all Cole's BEST singles..at least that is implied by the name. At most, I would expect a comprehensive set of everything singled by the man who built Capitol Records' early success. This set fails miserably by either standard.
   
   WHAT'S MISSING:
   If we're talking about a complete set of all Nat's singles, we're not even close here. Between 1950 and 1966 alone, Nat released 87 singles. We'll be nice and say that singles only mean those promoted as "A" sides..or those that received airplay. By that token, there should be 104 songs on this collection. There are 101..and even then the 101 songs here are not always the A sides...even in cases where it was not the "B" side which was the charter. (Case in point:"Because of Rain" was the B side to "Song of Delilah". Neither charted. Why was "Because" included? Was it the compiler's aesthetic determination that "Because" was a 'better' song?)
   
   Of course, we know that Nat did NOT record only from 1950 on. There are plenty of songs from the Trio years released on single that don't make it onto here.
   
   If we're talking about his "best" singles, explain to me why "Kee Mo Ky Mo" makes it but "Can I Come in for a Second?" doesn't. Nat, never a 'bluesy' vocalist, singing "I Almost Lost my Mind" instead of "Embraceable You"? "Open Up the Doghouse (Two Cats are Comin' On)" is a nice novelty duet with Dean Martin that misses the cut.
   
   Packaging is also a big minus here. The spindles inside the case do not sturdily hold the discs in. Many, many times I open the case and the discs fall to the ground, getting scratched on the floor, or sometimes, they've been rubbing together in the package: another no-no for disc longevity.
   
   BOTTOM LINE:
   There is still no good comprehensive collection of all the material Nat singled during his (too short) lifetime. The best box set overview of his musical legacy remains the 1992 box set Nat King Cole. Get that one instead.



4. First a little background on this set. Beginning with the stereo era in the late 1950's and early '60's, record labels including Capitol began offering most albums in both stereo and monaural, until stereo proved more popular and monaural was phased out altogether in the late 1960's. The same held true for 45 rpm singles, but most teens purchased the mono 45rpm records, since they were cheaper, and closer to what they heard on AM transistor radios. For the monaural releases, most record labels either mixed down the stereo versions into a flat mono track, or simply pulled the right or left stereo channel, and ran it straight on the 45, leaving a much different sounding version that the stereo versions. Capitol did both. Nat King Cole: the Classic Singles, offers us those monaural singles, for the most part as they sounded as 78 and 45 rpm single records. Monaural recordings can sound very good, if done correctly. For the first three discs of this set, that is the case. Some of the mastering on the early to mid 50's singles with Cole and Nelson Riddle, really sparkle. However it's the fourth disc with which I have the problem. The producer, despite his oath in the booklet to find the best source material possible, has chosen to use the mono mixes of all of Cole's material, even tracks that were originally recorded in stereo. There are many reasons why he/she may have done this. Perhaps to stay with the "singles" theme and keep the songs sounding as they did when released on vinyl. If that's the case, why did the producer choose the stereo versions (and bad ones at that) of Let There Be Love, and Dear Lonely Hearts? Judging by the research that went in to the booklet that accompanies this set, I hardly think ignorance played a role in this. I'm sure the producer knew full well that there were stereo mixes of these songs out there. Contrary to what another reviewer said here, the point of purchasing a 70-dollar CD set *IS* to get the best sounding material available. While it's interesting to hear how some of these songs were mixed to mono, those tinny, shallow, flat recordings are not what I want to hear, and not what I expect from a release of this caliber. Some of these songs, When I Fall In Love, and Looking Back for instance, sound completely different than they did on stereo lp or previous CD releases. This set is certainly not alone in that respect. EMI CD releases from England have been substituting Mono masters for Stereo ones on Cole albums for years. Why, I have no idea. Considering Nat Cole recorded prolifically for Capitol for more than 20 years, I find it sad that so little of his work remains in print. In the past 20 years Capitol and EMI have reissued nearly all of Cole's albums on CD at one time or another. But many including "Love", "Ballads Of the Day", "St Louis Blues" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Wild Is Love" were deleted from Capitol's catalog within months of release, and to date nearly all are completely out of print. "Night Lights" released just five years ago, is also out of print. I hope that Collector's Choice Music leases the Cole masters and turns out a complete, album by album release of Cole's monstrous catalog, as they did for Dean Martin recently. That way we won't have to suffer through any more piecemeal releases from Capitol EMI.



5. Along with Bing Crosby & Frank Sinatra,Nat King Cole was,hands down,one of the greatest American singers of the 20th century-I read a very positive review of this anthology in Goldmine magazine & decided to purchase it-This collection starts off with the recordings he made with his King Cole trio-Disc 2 features the songs that made his solo career memorable-Four of the songs on this disc were #1 in Billboard:"I Love You For Sentimental Reasons","Nature Boy","Mona Lisa",& "Too Young"-Some of the other standout tracks include "Walkin My Baby Back Home","Unforgettable","Smile",(written by Charlie Chaplin),"Pretend","Ramblin Rose","That Sunday,That Summer",& that perennial favorite,Mel Torme's "The Christmas Song"-The accompanying booklet has a great essay on Nat's career as well as an extensive discography,listing chart positions,which were taken from the weekly charts of Billboard magazine-For the hard core Nat King Cole devotee,this is definitely the collection to own.

5 comments about The Complete Billie Holiday On Verve, 1945-1959.

1. A caixa me decepcionou um pouco, a parte gráfica e a embalagem estão aquem do que eu esperava e a parte musical propriamente dita tem coisas sublimes mas também tem material de qualidade duvidosa.



2. My Five Star rating is for the music.
   
   I am a long time Billie Holiday fan and love all of her music; it's taken many years, but I am confident that I have acquired virtually everything she ever recorded. Although I enjoy every period of her musical development, I am particularly fond of the tracks she recorded for Norman Granz on the Verve label in the 1950's. Naturally, I was thrilled when this box set was announced.
   
   While I am grateful to have so complete a box set as Verve has issued here, I have severe problems with the way the material is presented. It's nice that they have released virtually everything in the Verve vaults, but in so doing they have included live performances, alternate takes, false starts, and even some rehearsals. That would have been fine with me, if they hadn't decided to place everything in strictly chronological order. We therefore get Lady Day's great studio sessions interspaced with live concert performances, chatter, rehearsals and incomplete takes, and the total effect makes for very poor continuity. It also makes the boxed set, on the whole, very difficult to enjoy.
   
   A few of the live concert performances have never been released before, and I was thrilled to hear some "new" Billie Holiday. But the audio quality and Billie's performance varies greatly on the live material, and the result is very uneven. And the inclusion of the rehearsal material is questionable, even if you're a die-hard fan like me.
   
   The 1955 rehearsal with Jimmie Rowles is particularly problematic. This session was released on an LP called Songs and Conversations shortly after Billie's death, and I was frankly surprised to find it included here. It consists of mostly drunken rambling conversation while Billie rehearses with her favorite and most sympathetic pianist. Some of the language is quite raunchy, although most of the discussion is hard to follow anyway, as the audio quality is particularly poor. The alternate studio takes are frequently annoying, especially when they include two or three false starts in a row, and the spoken intros by Norman Granz often included in the master takes are completely unnecessary. It would have worked so much better if they had simply separated the live concert material from the studio sessions and then saved the alternate takes, false starts and rehearsal material for the last couple of discs. It's a pity - I would love to be able to listen to all of Billie's wonderful 1950's studio sessions all the way through, without the distractions of the extra material. Happily, I see that Verve will release a new boxed set of just the studio masters in December 2005. Hopefully they will skip all the chatter (I don't need to hear Mr. Granz announce "All Or Nothing At All, take 5"). A great deal of expense and angst could have been avoided if the track layout for this set had simply been better thought out.
   
   As for Billie's performances, there is not a bad moment in any of the studio recordings presented here, including the notorious three April 54 tracks that she later dismissed, complaining that the band was drunk. The musicians are all first rate throughout these sessions, and present her with the sympathetic backing she deserved and worked best with.



3. In reference to the Dec 7th/2001 review by Michael Mccarthy:
   
   I to bought this when it was originally released and aside from the collected songs and book - which cannot be faulted - the package was as Michael points out beautifully done - it did in fact win a Grammy (for the packaging and the way it was put together - all hardbound etc)- I had intended to buy this box set for my Daughter - however after having read Michael's review I chose not to pay the high cost given the packaging has been downgraded..Like Michael I cannot understand why they would have done this given the cost remains basically the same. If your looking at purchasing I would read Michael's review and then look for the original...



4. This is one of the worst box sets ever released.

   There is talking between virtually every track (on 7 or 8 of the 10 cds)(scores and scores of title and take numbers spoken, and respoken. The producer introducing tracks by title and making endlessly pointless studio remarks. (Of course the same uninteresting remark
   each and every time you play the cd..)
   Sometimes songs even stop after a single line is sung (or before). Then reslate, retitle and restart for
   another 20 seconds.

   Of course the (properly recorded) music itself is wonderful but it's impossible to fall into any kind of musical reverie
   with the incessant interruptions (absolutely none of it worth hearing).
   So if you like Billie Holiday for her *music* this isn't for you

   In fact the box set is so utterly unplayable I rebought the music on individual cds so that I can actually listen to it.
   I'm a big Billie fan, I already had all the music on vinyl before I bought the box set.
   (Yes, even the very poor bootleg stuff that Verve bought to pad out the box set.)

   Finally it's wildly overpriced, around 5/6 of the cd's are only for listening to once (and you might not even manage
   that. Billie Holiday as a slurring rambling drunk is a big downer and
   the record company might have shown her a little respect and kept the tapes in the vault.
   Haven't they made enough off her yet? In the first place they only paid her a fee of $30-$100 per track for a buyout with
   with no royalties ever.

   In reality at least half the box set is actually unreleasable outtakes/rehearsal tapes - boxed up as full price cds.
   The whole thing smacks of record company greed.

   So there are only around 4 cds of real, properly recorded releasable master take music.
   And these can be bought on 2 double cd sets (unfortunately only from Verve) without the talking between tracks.
   Do yourself a favor and get these instead.

   Oh yeah, and as if all this isn't enough bad news, they've jammed different sessions on to the same cd - so you get a handful of
   prime Billie tracks followed by 40 minutes of amateur home recorded rehearsal talking on the same cd.
   So what emerges is that there is only (I think) one single cd which is prime quality all the way through.
   (Except for the stopping, retakes and talking between the takes which it also has..)

   So get any other Billie Holiday box set than this - but get one!

   Verve should be ashamed of themselves for ruining an incredible archive like this.
   And making me feel so ripped off that I had to go to the trouble of writing this.
   Thanks Amazon for the cheap therapy.




5. There are many rehearsal cuts in this box set, which may not be of interest to all listeners. Plus, there are many live performances recorded with less than ideal equipment.
   That said, this is THE collection for those of us who love Billie's 1950s work. It's all here, and it's all wonderful - those who agree with Miles Davis that Lady Day's chief attribute during this decade was her rhythmic flexibility will be more than satisfied, and those who love her expressiveness will be more than amply rewarded.
   The accompaniments are exemplary, featuring many of the greatest players of that Golden Era.
   Plus, of course, she's singing some of the greatest songs ever written, and her attention to lyrics is beyond comparison.

   She never had Ella's vocal range and flexibility and virtuosity (or her sweetness of sound); she never came close to Sarah's level of musicianship (or her richness of sound). But this set will convince you that Billie was the greatest of the great: to borrow from Virginia Woolf, among major jazz singers, Billie is the hardest to catch at the act of being great.

   This is an important release. Miss it at your soul's peril.

1 comments about Swing That Music: Swingsation.

1. I think this cd is great! it is hip cool and swingin!

3 comments about The Original Jazz Masters Series, Vol. 2.

1. I bought all five of these at once so I could get "jazz literate" without spending a lot of money. They are a very cost effective introduction to jazz, and you get a lot of classics so eventually you can impress people by telling them about your favorite jazz tunes and artists. Just make sure to change the subject before you have to go into any detail.
   
   Great recording quality considering the source material (old hissy tapes sometimes) and an almost-free price make this an unbeatable bargain with a jazzy beat!



2. This set was bought for me. I used to eat lunch at small sub shop on Belmont Ave. in Chicago. It was named the Jazzy Cafe. You went not just to eat and listen to whatever Jazz the owner was playing that day but to listen to whatever the owner wanted to tell you. He knew enough about Jazz to be dangerous. His subs would have a different taste depending on the music he was playing that day. He recommended this set to me one day and I never got around to getting it, so he bought for me.

   To this day I am very greatful for this set and for the many subs I ate there.'

   Put this set in and hit random and you'll get a real taste of the Jazzy Cafe as I remember it.




3. Say you're trying to be kool. Your perhaps thinking of inviting some people over to your house. You maybe have designs about impressing them with your worldly tastes. You may even know a lady you want to slice, but you're unsure as to how to get her off her guard. Get this set and all your dreams will come true. The song selection is A+, but some of the old tapes have some hiss that carried over onto the digital format. It is noticable, but primo if you have a mono state on your amp- you do have an amp...WHAT! You ain't got an amp and you wanna impress somebody with your stereo? Nevermind your in the wrong genre`- you must've got to this by mistake. Over the Rainbow, written by H.Carmichael and performed here by "Fatha" Hines on the ivory and Stephen Grapelli on the violin is worth the price of this set. Not to mention Theopolis Monk. Peace

5 comments about It's Easy to Remember.

1. I don't understand the reviews on here that say the sound is awful. I've loved this collection from the first moment I put the CD in my stereo. The sound quality on some of the earlier recordings isn't exactly up to modern digital audio standards, but you can only do so much with a song recorded on 1930's era sound equipment.
   
   All in all, I would say this is the best Bing Crosby collection for the price.



2. This was a splendid collection of great Bing Crosby songs. The earliest songs are the greatest. Great listening.
   Dale Nichols



3. I gave this set to my wife for our anniversary, and it really added something special. I popped in a disc as we sat down to dinner. After a few peppy numbers, including some talent from the Andrews Sisters, along came "You Belong to My Heart." It was perfect!
   
   My wife was pleased with the number of great songs included in this set, and I was pleased with the excellent value. I'd buy it again if it cost twice as much! Anyone, romantic or not, who loves Bing and the music of his era should own this set!



4. This is a great disk set. The sound quality is wonderful, clear and crisp. The packaging is good and looks nice.
   I would highly recomend this set.



5. As a huge Bing fan I would highly recommend this box set. It ranges from The Rhythm Boys to his big Hollywood box office days. The sound quality is good and the songs they chose are true Bing classics. From "Brother Can you Spare a Dime?" to "Swinging on a Star" this compilation has some great tunes. Bing truly is one of the all-time greats. No artist will ever equal him.

4 comments about Retrospective.

1. When many people think of Jazz, the names Coltrane, Bird and Miles usually come to mind.As those of us Jazz aficionados know, there are many layers of Jazz and as far as I am concerned, one of the Kings of Hardbop and Bebop will always be Mr. Silver himself.This retrospective takes you through his career from 1959-1978 and shows you all the raw talent this icon has brought to our world.I am not in love with 100 percent of the choices on this CD, but I do give it a strong rating of 95%.Horace,you will alway be considered one of the real stars from Norwalk, Connecticut.



2. 'Retrospective' is a compilation of selected tracks from recordings Silver produced for Alfred Lion(Blue Notes Records) during Horace's 25 year tenure with the company from 1953 to 1978.It is important to note that Art Blakey and Horace Silver co-founded the 'The Jazz Messengers' around 1952.After a year with the Jazz Messengers Horace Silver left to form his own band and Art Blakey took over 'The Jazz Messengers.In many respects Art Blakey and Horace Silver were virtual institutions during the 50's and 60's.They were the true leaders,along with Miles and a few others during these years.Young and talented musicians that passed through their bands during the course of their own careers gained vital experience during there tenures with Blakey and/or Silver.The list is quite long,but you can obtain them from the liner notes in this CD collection.Silver was a remarkable pianist,and along with Wayne Shorter were amoungst the most prolific composers of this genre(hard bop)They both played an important role for further exploration by other musicians and composers that proceeded them.Something that should be noted is that Alfred Lion of {Blue Note Records}was instrumental in encouraging and facilitating all these recording projects to materialize and ultimately to be issued,and he did just that.So we can also thank him for these amazing sessions,along with Rudy Van Gelder for his superb job of re-mastering the orginal recordings. This is a worthy investment,as it provides access to a wide variety of players,and you have the chance to listen to the genius of Horace Silver's playing and the brilliance of his compositions.What a creative musician!Enjoy



3. This retrospective contains every Horace Silver track you have heard as well as many you may hear for the first time. Rudy Van Gelder has done an excellent job of re-mastering each track providing the listener with 40+ year old tracks that sound as if Horace cut them last night!
   
   As usual, there are the occasional tracks that make you say, "Why on earth did they bother to include that??" However, overall, this compilation is a must-have for any serious fan of Horace Silver.



4. I'm a tenor and bari player and have long enjoyed doing Horace Silver tunes, but have been reluctant to buy albums under his name: my taste in piano runs more towards Tommy Flannagan and Barry Harris.
   But this 4 disc collection provides a broad entry into his records without having to get individual disks. The scope of the recordings ranges from some of the early Messengers all the way up to 1978. The emphasis is on the mid 50s through mid 60s, though, which suits me just fine.
   The individual solos are good examples of straight ahead playing from that period, but the 2-horn arrangements throughout all 4 disks is what makes Horace Silver records GREAT. He really did the most with using 2 horns on these heads.
   And as I've listened to these disks more, I've warmed to his piano playing, too... he is a fun player, and should not be faulted for being "funky", whatever that means.
   The package is well done: the booklet has track details in one spot, with photos and worthwhile stories about this part of his career.

5 comments about The Bebop Years.

1. I know I am being picky but there is one MAJOR omission. The session with
   trumpeter Fats Navarro that produced the great Half Step Down Please.
   Otherwise this is a wonderful collection of a more modern sounding Hawkins. At least they have the Dizzy stuff. Rember Hawkins was on the first bebop recordings and I also believe Monks first session.



2. I would recommend this for anyone wanting to get an overview of Hawk's playing from his early prime years. His playing reached a peak in '38 and as far as I can tell pretty much stayed there until his death in the '60s. This contains his legendary recording 'Body and Soul' from '38 and goes to '49.
   
   For comparison I would recommend also getting "The Lester Young Story" also a great 4CD set from Proper covering the same time period.



3. Focusing on this key period shows you why Hawk was one of the top 3 in any one's list of great Sax men...drawing solely on material from 1939-1944 the amazing total quality shines through..For those who care,this set has good quality sound and the book is a good read..



4. This is an excellent compilation of Hawkins' work between 1939 and 1949. Most of the selections date from 1943 to 1947 and were recorded for several record labels, including Victor, Bluebird, Okeh, Brunswick, V-Disc, Commodore, Signature, Keynote, Apollo, Savoy, Clef, Regis, Capitol, Aladdin, Joe Davis, and Selmer. Sidemen include Roy Eldridge, Benny Carter, Cootie Williams, Count Basie, Art Tatum, Oscar Pettiford, Teddy Wilson, Dizzy Gillespie, Budd Johnson, Ben Webster, Earl Hines, Don Byas, John Kirby, Jonah Jones, Buck Clayton, Thelonious Monk, Howard McGhee, Milt Jackson, Hank Jones, Harry Carney and Miles Davis. As you would expect with such a wide variety of source material, the sound quality varies a bit. However, it ranges from good to excellent and in most cases is on par (or identical:)) with the best previous CD issues of the same music. The set comes with a 56 page booklet that includes a lengthy essay with analysis of each session, several photographs, and a very thorough discography (you can read the complete essay and discography at Proper's website). The essay is good, though it could have used some editing. Also, the photos look like they were duplicated from printed sources. The most important thing, however, is that the music is consistently excellent. These discs show Hawkins at his absolute best, whether in a small group, big band, or solo. For the price the set is an astounding value!



5. This is a magnificent collection of the Forties work of tenor sax great Coleman Hawkins, the father of the jazz saxophone. Much of it has been previously released in bits and pieces, but it has never been collected in a single package, and never with such tremendous sound. The set also includes an informative booklet with a number of rarely-scene photographs.

   Hawkins began his performing career as a teenager, backing blues singer Mamie Smith in the early 1920's. Before Hawkins, the saxophone was not a major instrument in jazz, and it was seldom featured as a solo instrument. When Hawkins joined Fletcher Henderson and His Orchestra in 1924, that began to change. Perhaps inspired by fellow bandmember Louis Armstrong, who spent about a year with Henderson, Hawkins quickly developed his own distinctive style as a soloist. When Armstrong left, Coleman Hawkins became the dominant soloist with the Henderson band, a position he held until 1934. He set the standard for the jazz saxophonist during the first part of the Swing era, and he strongly influenced such other figures as Ben Webster, Benny Carter, Chu Berry and many others. After a productive five-year stay in Europe, Hawkins returned to the U.S. and started his own group in 1939. One of his first records was the ballad "Body and Soul," which became a major pop hit and remains one of the most memorable recordings in jazz history. It set a standard for jazz improvisation that has seldom been matched.

   "Body and Soul" first song in this boxed set, and really doesn't belong with the other recordings here, which cover the period 1943-1947. Hawkins' big band failed within a year, and he soon began working with the smaller groups that make up the bulk of these recordings. He worked for a series of small New York-based record companies, both as a leader and a sideman. During this period, the bebop movement began to make inroads into the New York jazz scene. Hawkins was as skilled and schooled as any musician in jazz, and he quickly grasped the innovative ideas that the beboppers were offering in their music. Even though he never fully embraced bebop in his own playing, he often worked with its rising young stars, such as Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Howard McGhee, Fats Navarro and others. Working with these new talents reinvigorated the middle-aged Hawkins, and these are some of the finest recordings of his long career. He also influenced a new generation of saxophonists such as Dexter Gordon and Sonny Rollins.

   The title of this set is a little misleading; these recordings are more swing than bebop. Nevertheless, this is a wonderful collection that every jazz fan should own. Too often overlooked at the start of the 21st century, Coleman Hawkins was one of the titans of jazz, and this is his finest work. Proper Records, an English label, has one again done a terrific job of compiling the work of an under-appreciated and deserves much praise.