This double disc reissue on Blue Note contains the three releases that alto saxophonist Sonny Criss did for Imperial: Jazz U.S.A., Go Man!, and Plays Cole Porter.
These sessions were all recorded in 1956 at a time when Criss had
honed his amazing bebop alto precision. These 34 performances contain
only five of his originals and are surrounded by mainly standards.While Criss had a career that erratically spanned the '70s, these Imperial sessions (reissued in glorious mono) contained highly regarded performances of passionate blues, moving ballads, and energetic up-tempo pieces.
- Sonny Criss (alto saxophone);
- Larry Bunker (vibraphone);
- Sonny Clark, Kenny Drew (piano);
- Barney Kessell (guitar);
- Leroy Vinnegar, Bill Woodson, Buddy Clark (bass);
- Chuck Thompson, Lawrence Marable (drums).
