At the height of his West Coast Cool days, alto saxist Lee Konitz took a tour of Germany in January of 1956. During that time, he recorded material in Paris and Koln as well as a concert in Koln, with Eurpoean jazz starts including Lars Gullin/bs, Rene Urtreger/p, Sacha Distel/g, Pierre Michelot/b, Christian Garros/dr and American Bobby Jaspar.The three lengthy songs from the Paris session have never been available before, and they are a delight. Konitz is in airy form and the Mulligan-inspired Gullin is hip as all get out on a 13 minute “Now’s the Time,” While the three reeds deftly bop on “Half Nelson” and bear down on “Ablution.” Nine songs from the Koln studios include Koller on the tenor for a breathy “Variations No. 8” and the reeds are in rapture for “En Rodage, ” “Stephany” and “Lee-La Lu.” For the January 14, 1956 Koln concert, Koller is replaced by Herb Ellis toned Attila Zoller and he swings with aplomb during a snazzy “Broadway” with Konitz creating cirrus clouds of saxophone during “Zoot.” Delightful-Lee received!