Showing posts with label The Jazztet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Jazztet. Show all posts

Art Farmer, Benny Golson, The Jazztet - The Complete Argo/Mercury Art Farmer/Benny Golson/Jazztet Sessions [5 CD, 2004]

 

The Jazztet was one of the best small groups playing hard bop during the early '60s, jointly led by Art Farmer and Benny Golson. This boxed set not only includes all six albums that they recorded for Argo and Mercury, but also features three sessions apiece led separately by Farmer and Golson. Farmer was in the process of making a switch from trumpet to flügelhorn during this time frame, while Golson's solid tenor sax was overshadowed somewhat by his impressive contributions as a composer and arranger, a primary reason the group is remembered. Their first session alone featured three of Golson's most lasting compositions, "I Remember Clifford" (showcasing Farmer's heartfelt solo), the exciting hard bop anthem "Blues March," and the funky, sauntering "Killer Joe." The Jazztet struggled financially and had quite a turnover among its sidemen during its two years in existence.



 

Jazztet: Art Farmer & Benny Golson - The Complete Sessions [1959-1962] (4 CD, 2013/FLAC)


 Fronted by Art Farmer and Benny Golson, the Jazztet was one of the best jazz combos during its three-year existence, from 1959 to 1962. Although their recordings are much revered now, they never obtained enough commercial success to maintain the group. According to All Music Guide critic Scott Yanow, “the Jazztet – along with Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers and Horace Silver’s quintet – was the definitive hard bop combo. Benny Golson’s compositions and arrangements gave the sextet a personal sound and a consistently fresh repertoire, the rhythm section (despite many changes in personnel) always swung steadily and the soloists were distinctive and inventive.”

This release consists every know recording by the Jazztet fronted by Farmer and Golson. It consists of their 6 complete studio LPs (presented in chronological order):

• Meet the Jazztet (Argo LP 664)
• Big City Sounds (Argo LP 672)
• The Jazztet and John Lewis (Argo LP 684)
• The Jazztet at the Birdhouse (Argo LP 688)
• Here and Now (Mercury SR 60698)
• Another Git Together (Mercury SR 60737)

as well as the set of the Jazztet at the 1960 Newport Jazz Festival (with Duke Pearson on piano), and a single song from that period performed by the group on a “Tonight Show” TV broadcast.