Customer Reviews

Bbb & Co

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Wow. This album is terrific. Two of the greatest saxophonists of all time, Benny Carter and Ben Webster, jam with clarinet great Barney Bigard in one of the best swing jazz albums ever made, with a magnificent rhythm section comprising Jimmy Rowles on piano, Dave Barbour on guitar, Leroy Vinnegar on bass, and Mel Lewis on drums. (Trumpeter Shorty Sherock joins in on a couple of tracks.) Amazingly tight and lyrical playing from everybody. The soloists' rich tones and elegant phrasings complement one another beautifully. All the tunes are composed either by Carter or by Leonard Feather, and they all kick ass. If you like the swing jazz of Ellington, Goodman, and Basie, then you'll definitely want to add this album to your collection.

A worthwhile effort to bring together great names like Benny Carter and Ben Webster together with musician's musicians like Jimmy Rowles and Shorty Sherock doesn't really pay off in this (short) album. Two of the 4 tracks are rather bland blues riffs which are merely meant to serve as a launching pad for the soloists. They never really seem to take off, though. In a band consisting of 8 members, there is naturally little time for each individual member to make his mark, and the album bears the results. It's a pity this band wasn't provided with tunes worthy of their considerable talent. The album never catches fire and although it only last for 35 minutes, it gets rather tedious after a while and may get you reaching for the STOP-button during the first track. Carter and Webster have many albums in their catalog which are infinitely better, but it's a pity for Barney Bigard in particular that this recording must be deemed a missed opportunity.

This is a great set from 1962 featuring three of the finest jazz soloists of all time: Webster (tenor), Carter (alto), and Bigard (clarinet). The tracks are bluesy: especially fine is the 12min line of "You Can't Tell the Difference [after dark]." Jazz aficianados can't go wrong with this CD; plus, it's a good introduction to cool jazz for novices. Highly recommended.

The presence of clarinetist Barney Bigard would be the main reason to check this one out. Ben Webster and Benny Carter, the other main soloists, have tons of other albums where you would hear essentially the same thing. Even so, this one is superbly relaxed, and you won't go wrong listening to it. It was one of the last straight swing albums made by Carter before he disappeared into the Hollywood studios as a film composer. He would be gone a very long time before he re-emerged late in life as a jazz player again.

One of Benny Carter's last jazz recordings before he became totally immersed in writing for the studios, this set matches his alto and trumpet with tenor great Ben Webster, clarinetist Barney Bigard and trumpeter Shorty Sherock on a pair of lengthy blues and Carter's "Lula" and "When Lights Are Low." All of the swing all-stars are in fine form, making one wish that they were not being so neglected by critics and fans alike during this era; Webster soon left the U.S. permanently for Europe.