The latest cache of releases form UK-based Avid Records is chock full of wonderful sounds you probably never knew existed. All gems that probably never graced your ears before. Dig in!
The first two are from completely different aspects of the soprano saxophone. Sidney Bechet essentially invented the jazz soprano sax and dominated solo instrumentation for years 
along with Louis Armstrong. He had a vibrato big enough to park a Buick, and it’s in glorious form here in Parisian sessions from 1949-51. Favourites includes Pierre Michelot/b and Kenny Clarke/dr, and Bechet delivers a Gaulic delight on “My Man” (“Mom Homme”). A 1950 session sextet has tons of fun with “Wolverine Blues” and “Royal Garden Blues” while a similar sized group 5 months later includes Bechet on the clarinet for “Moulin A Café.” The 1951 recording has Bechet wailing on “Apex Blues” and “Sleepy Time Gal,” showing that Bechet had few peers in this genre. A real bon mot!
Steve Lacy became famous for his use of the soprano on the freer side of things, but these albums from 1957-61 have him firmly in the mainstream pocket. A ’57 date with Wynton Kelly/p, Buell Neidlinger/b and Dennis Charles/dr mixes Ellington (“Rockin’ In Rhythm”) and Monk (“Work”) with boplicity. He does a couple albums dedicated to Monk as well. A ’58 Reflections with Mal Waldron/p, Neidlinger/b and Elvin Jones/dr (!) creates some wonderful sparks on “Let’s Call This” and “Four In One” and things get a bit friskier in 1961 as Lacy teams with Don Cherry/tp, Carl Brown/b and Billy Higgins/dr for a joyful and loose “Evidence” and the more obscure “Who Knows.” A 1960 recording with the unorthodox quartet of Charles Davis/bs, John Ore/b and Roy Haynes/dr is a bopping delight with “Donna Lee” and “Criss Cross.” A real ringer!
Buddy Collette would have become one of the biggest names in jazz if he had decided to leave LA for the lights of New York. Still , he made a nice career with Chico Hamilton, Charles Mingus and working in the studios in the orchestra for Groucho Marx’s TV show. Here, the multi-instrumentalist is featured in four sessions. From 1957, he is in a quartet playing flute,alto and tenor, sounding rich and bouncy on ”Undecided” and doing wonders on the flute during “Night In Tunisia.” A collection of show tunes from 1958 has Collette with Frank Capp/dr, Howard Roberts-Irving Ashby/g, Red Mitchell/b and Carson Smith/b as he focuses on the flute for “Guys And Dolls” and “Just In Time.” His most popular album, Nice Day, has him also on clarinet with a rotating band that includes Shelly Manne/dr and Leroy Vinnegar/b for a tasty “Moten Swing” and “Over The Rainbow.” The last session from 1961 is an obscure on from Italy, as Collette teams up with a Milanese group of artists for a seductive Brazilian tune in “Orfeo Negro” and then a collection of originals like “Blues For Nicola” that are, like the artist, classy and sophisticatedly swinging.
Guitarist Tiny Grimes had a bluesy approach to his playing that gives hints of both T-Bone Walker and Chuck Berry. He was able to mix jazz and blues in anto uncanny and attractive stew. His most famous recording is Blues Groove from 1958 with Coleman Hawkins/ts and the team of Ray Bryant/p, Musa Kaleem/fl, Earl Wormack/b and Teagle Fleming/dr get down and dirty on “Marchin’ Along” and “Blues Wail” while Kaleem glides along on “A Smooth One.” Bryant sticks around form the ’58 session with a smoky Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis/ts, JC Higginbothammtb, Wendell Marshall/b and Osie Johnson/dr as the team stretches out on relaxed and late night-mooded “Blue Tiny” and “Grimes’ Times” with the leader picking and grinning. Multi reedist Jerome Richardson teams with Bryant, Marshall and Art Taylor/dr for some down home grooving on “Down With It” and “Homesick.” The ringer here is when Ed Swantson and LS Williams bring in their respective organs along with drummers Kelly martin or E Crawford, and let the four strings of guitar get nice and swampy on a soulful “Work Song” and are able to spritely swing on “Satin Doll” and “Lullaby Of The Leaves.” This one’s a guilty pleasure!
Avid Music Group