Customer Reviews

Complete Quartets & Quintets

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Thank God for Norman Granz - the undervalued genius who produced these sessions and founded Verve! I say that just about any time I pop in one of my 1950's small group swing CD's from the Verve vaults. And this collection is no exception. In fact it might represent a pinnacle of sorts where Granz was able to bring together some of the finest swing musicians of the period and let them just wail. Recorded in 1953 and 1954, this 5-CD set is ripe with standards and some blues, most of which are up tempo and driven hard behind the rhythm section of Ray Brown on bass, Herb Ellis on guitar and Buddy Rich on drums. The interplay between Peterson on piano and Hampton on vibes makes these recordings come to life and a bit of Buddy De Franco on clarinet is icing on the cake. There's a single CD compilation if you're not certain that a vibes and piano lead session is for you but this is one box set worth owning and listening to again and again.

Hamp and O.P. swing like crazy on these most excellent tracks. Bonus is Buddy DeFranco on clarinet: damn! he's good!!

All these guys work together so well; the standards are great; the recorded sound is great: this is jazz! Totally worth the price.

I am 44 years old so most of this was recorded before I was born. I am discovering this whole new world of jazz. My music taste are all over the place but I find myself coming back to Hamp & Oscar. I put this in my CD player at work and have not changed CD's for nearly two weeks. For those of you new to these men this is a great introduction. For those of you who have been fans for a long time thank you for the reviews and leading me to this great music.

Do yourself a favor and buy this set.

This box set should be in any collection of a jazz lover who enjoys mainstream, straight ahead, swinging jazz of the highest quality. If you are a fan of the exciting JATP sessions; these studio recordings match their intensity and atmosphere. I defy anyone not to smile and tap their feet!

Since I bought this set, I have listened to it over and over and over again. Hampton's solos are so creative and tasteful, I never tire of them. Unless you have to have something in Stereo, you cannot go wrong with this.