One of the overlooked bassists from its heyday is Red Mitchell (1927-92), best known for his work with Woody Herman and the West Coast jazz scene. These eight albums on four discs is a great way to discover this bopping bassist.
1955 has him teamed with Bob Brookmeyer/vtb and Zoot Sims/ts for some clever originals like “Happy Minor” and hitting the bebop world with “Scrapple From The Apple”. He then leads a band with Lorraine Geller/p, James Clay/ts-fl and a young Billy Higgins/dr for a nifty “Sandu” and take of Miles Davis’ obscure “Out of the Blue”. In, 1958, he’s a sideman for Hampton Hawes/p along with Shelly Manne/dr and Barney Kessell/g for a delicious “Like Someone In Love” and snappy “Yardbird Suite”. That same year, he’s together with Andre Previn/p and Manne taking on tunes from the musical “Gigi”. He then rejoices with Frank Butler/dr, Jim Hall/g and Jimmy Bond/b while Mitchell hits the cello on cool toned pieces with the strings sublime on “Oh, You Crazy Moon” and sleek on “Night In Tunisia”. Keeping with Hall and bringing in Red Kelly/b for some chambered jazz reads of “Willow Weep For Me” and “I Was Doing All Right”. Mitchell gives a tribute to Fred Astaire with Previn and Frank Capp/dr in ’62 with sublime versions of “A Foggy Day” and “A Fine Romance” “ and finishes 1963 with Brookmeyer/vtb, John Williams/p and fellow bassist Bill Anthony fore a glues fest that includes “Doe Eyes”. Thick pulses.