Recently leaving us for eternity, pianist Junior Mance (1928-2021) was known as not only being a reliable sideman for the likes of Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Stitt and Johnny Griffin, but was a highly respectable leader of his own trios, putting out an impressive catalogue of his own. This four disc, 64 song set culls together all of the songs from his first impressive albums, and there’s a lot to be impressed about. The key take-away from listening to this collection is that whether the songs are standards, originals, bop or swing, Mance painted each portrait with a palate and brush that was rich with a wide swath of blues.
His ’59 debut with Ray Brown/b and Lex Humphries/dr mixes swingers like “A Smooth One” to the rich ballad “Whisper Not” and boppers like “Birk’s Works” and “Jubilation”. Next year with Ben Tucker/b and Bobby Thomas, Mance sophisticatedly swings on “Main Stem” , “Sweet and Lovely” and the infectious “Swingmatism”. A 1961 gig at the Village Vanguard with Larry Gales/b and Ben Riley/dr has the bluesy p ianist burning through “Looptown” and bopping through “Girl of My Dreams” along with some soulful originals. His studio album of the same year teams Mance with Jimmy Rowser/b and Pul Gusman/dr for a Monk classic “Ruby My Dear” and a rich take of “ Summertime”. Mance then goes a bit off the tried and true in a big band setting with the likes of Clark Terry/tp, Oliver Nelson/ts and George Duvivier/b on some Melba Liston charts of movie themes such as “Maria”, “Exodus” and “On Green Dolphin Street”. In 1962 he returns to familiar trio turf with Bob Cranshaw/b and Mickey Roker/dr on vintage bop like “Blue Monk” and even more vintage blues (“In The Evening”). His last session of the year is with Ron Carter/b and Mickey Roker that show Mance’s composing skills on “Out South”, “Taggie’s Tune” and the white hot “Happy Time.” If you never appreciated this guy who know how to bop the blues, here’s a chance to hear what you’ve missed-they don’t make ‘em like this anymore.