Whether it’s jazz or “real” country, nothing swings like these latest reissues!
There has been NO ONE that had a more rich and full tone than tenor saxist Ben Webster, and these four albums find the Ellingtonian alumnus is leonine form. His meeting with the first reigning champ of the sax, Coleman Hawkins is a wonderful 1957 summit with Ray Brown/b,Oscar Peterson/p and Alvin Stoller/dr as the two growl through “You’d Be So Nice To Come Home To” and get down on “Blues For Yolande.” Without Hawkinsin 1959 , Webster stays with Oscar Peterson’s trio and goes bel canto on ”The Touch of Your Lips” and the aria “When Your Lover Has Gone” while buoyant on the bouncy “Sunday.” Back with Hawkins as well as the soulful tenor of Budd Johnson, Webster is supported by Jimmy Jones/p, Les Spann/g and Basie drummer Jo Jones for a wonderful world of three tenors that set the standard of contrasting deliveries on a gorgeously stretched out and casual 20 minute “In A Mellow Tone” that oozes warmth while blowing away the blues on “Budd Johnson.” From 1961, Webster is joined by a string quartet for sublime ballads that allow his horn to create a mist on “Stella By Starlight” and “Time After Time.” It just doesn’t get any better than this.
Also from the Swing Era, alto saxist Benny Carter had a sophisticated sound and sense of arranging. His 1954 trio teaming with piano giant Art Tatum and Ellington drummer Louis Bellson is a hard hitting affair carried over on two discs, with Carter in a joyful mood on “A Foggy Day” and “My Blue Heaven” and Tatum adding rococo embellishments. Carter’s absolute classic is a 1961 session with an all star cast including Phil Woods/as, Coleman Hawkins/ts, Charlie Rouse/ts, Jo Jones/dr and swingers John Collins/g, Dick Katz/b and modernist Jimmy Garrison for some hip stretch outs on “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Body and Soul” and a toe tapping delight on “Crazy Rhythm.” Next year finds him with Ellingtonians Ben Webster on tenor sax and clarinetist Barney Bigard for a gracious reed of his own “When Lights Are Low” and a casual “Opening Blues.” Sophisticated swing.
Jean Shepard has one of the most authentic country voices and styles around and was extremely popular for decades on end. These early albums find her in her rawest form, with 1956’s debut a hoot with her singing and playing bass on “Hello Old Broken Heart” and “A Passing Love Affair.” 1959 has her giving renditions of Harland Howard p ieces “A Thief In The Night” and You’d Better Go” with another album from the same year having her deliver the pro-feminist “Two Whoops and a Holler.” In 1961, she gets swaying on “Blues Stay Away From Me” and gets honky tonkin’ on “Got You On My Mind.” Next year she gives an album for only the lonely, with a tear in her beer for “Go On With Your Dancing” and “I Lost You After All.” The Queen of The Bakersfield sound.