UK-based Avid Records keeps current sounds in perspective with 5 pairs of releases that show how fresh and exciting music was a generation ago.
Ralph Burns was best known as a first rate arranger and composer for Woody Herman, but he also released some impressive material on his own. This set has him in both small group 
and big band settings, both offering big rewards. Of the former, a 1954-55 collection has him at the piano with Jimmy Raney/g, Clyde Lombardi/b, and Osie Johnson performing tasty renditions of “Bijou” and “It Might As Will Be Spring” with the leader’s strong chords revealing the heart a composer. A big band including Zoot Sims/ts, Al Cohn/ts, 
Milt Hinton/b and Jimmy Cleveland/tb does some nice harmonies on “Witchcraft” and “My Heart Stood Still” which beg for you to sing along. He also does some modern liberties with Porgy and Bess, bringing in rich strings on “Bess, You Is My Woman” and “I Loves You Porgy” while dusting off “It Takes A Long Pull to Get There.” Swing fans will love this collection.
Lightnin’ Hopkins is at his foreboding best on this collection of releases from 1954-62. The earliest album has him with electric guitar accompanied by Ben Turner/dr and Donald Cooke/b. He shows his patented guitar work on “Lightnin’s Boogie” and “Lightnin’s Special” while getting down and dark on “Sittin’ Down Thinkin’.” He goes acoustic guitar on a 1959 Country Blues collection with Luke Miles adding moaning vocals on “Baby!” and “Prison Blues Come Down on Me” with the rest sounding like he’s sitting on your back porch. He sits at the piano as well as plays guitar on a ’60 album and is quite impressive on “Lightnin’s Piano Boogie” and stretches out on “Mister Charlie.” He’s all alone on the 1962 album, with “Black Mare Trot” sounding a lot like “Corrina, Corrina” and delivering a desultory “Have You Ever Loved A Woman.” This collection shows how much of a debt blue-eyed bluesers owe this progenitor.
If you’re wanting an introduction to the Modern Jazz Quartet, this set is a great place to start. Their 1960 double album, European Concert, shows that these cerebral gents could also swing, as they dig into “Bluesology” “It Don’t Mean A Thing” and “Bags’ Groove” as well as the vintage “Django.” Their 1962 Lonely Woman album has them stretch out over the Ornette Coleman title piece. The most controversial of their albums was the 1960 Third Stream Music album as they added strings, brass and reeds to sounds that ranged from sophisticated jazz to modern classical. Jimmy Giuffre loans out his breathy tenor on his own “Fine” and Gunther Schuller’s 10 minute “Conversation” was supposed to start an entire new genre of mixing the two styles. In retrospect, the sounds feel fairly safe, but it was a radical statement at the time.
Toots Thielemans was best known for his trailblazing work with the harmonica, but what makes this set so interesting is that most of the time he is featured on guitar to accompany his whistling! The 1961 Romantic Sounds has him blowing sweet tones on orchestral arrangements of standards like “Love Walked In” and “Isn’t It Romantic,” but the rest of the time he’s in small groups while mixing and matching. The 1958 session with boppers Pepper Adams/bs, KennyDrew/p, Wilbur Ware/b and Art Taylor/dr is an absolute delight, with him blowing with Adams on “East of the Sun” while sounding like Herb Ellis on “Soul Station.” There are two sessions from the next year; one includes a definitive read of “Bluesette” where he whistles with delight, and the other has him only on guitar on swinging reads of “Bag’s Groove” and getting real tasty on “We’ll Be Together Again.” This is a real stumper for Blindfold Tests!
George Wallington was a bebopping pianist that got tired of touring and got into the air conditioning business in Florida. How could I make this up? Either way, he was into being cool (couldn’t resist) as these four 1950’s sessions dictate. Donald Byrd was his trumpeter of choice for 3 of the sessions, and he glistens on “What’s New?” and ”Jay Mac’s Crib.” Wallington himself shows his chops on “Sweet Blanche” and “August Moon” and with Paul Chambers/b, Jackie McLean/as and Art Taylor/dr they tear into “Bohemia After Dark” and “Johnny One Note.” Phil Woods replaces McLean next year for a snappy “Our Delight” and in 1957 the team digs deep into “Ow” and “Dance of the Infidels.” From 1957 as well, a team of JR Montrose/ts, Jerry Lloyd/tp, Teddy Kotick/b and Nick Stabulas/dr swings well on “In Salah” and “Promised Land” with Montrose sounding meaty on his own “The Prestidigitator.” This one’s a real cooker!