Quintet & Sextet, With Lucky Thompson (2 CDs)

Great musicians make great music. I bought this double-album download (a real bargain for the price) because Marc Meyers of JazzWax.com touted it as containing a big chunk of the all to rare collaborations of Lucky Thompson on tenor and Hank Jones on the ivories. It's all that plus tracks from other sessions featuring Oscar Pettiford on bass, and some nice guitar work by Skeeter Best. All of this fronted by the incomparable Milt (Bags) Jackson on vibes playing a terrific mix of standards and original compositions.

The advances made in Jazz in the 20 years following WWII, I feel, exceeded any other like period in the history of Jazz. This album is a prime example. Lucky Thompson had to be one of the most accomplished musicians of that era, that never received his due.

I could listen to Milt Jackson all day! He was so cool and smooth. The music in this collection is Jackson in his prime in the 1950s from a number of sessions. But, it all fits nicely together into one incredible double CD. I only gave it the 4 stars because the music is a little conservative. However, after a long day at work, this is a really pleasant escape and some wonderful background music.

A beautiful record from two of the supreme masters of their instruments. Milt Jackson, along with Lionel Hampton, is one of the only two contenders for the greatest vibes player ever, and Lucky Thompson, living proof of the inaccuracy of some nick names, should be ranked as one of the very best of the tenormen, although, as ever in his life, he was fairly overlooked. This double C.D. is a collection of recordings where Milt was leader and Lucky featured sideman on six L.P.s originally issued on Savoy and Atlantic and recorded in 1956 and 1957. They go together well, both being melodic, sometimes rhapsodic, players with fine techniques, the ability to swing and an inner strength that stopped their music being merely pretty. Lucky, although a modernist, had a full, soft tone, deriving much from Don Byas but influencing few apart from Benny Golson.The first six tracks come from two discs, 'Meet Milt Jackson' and 'Roll 'em Bags' and feature the two of them with Wendell Marshall and Kenny Clarke, a superior rhythm section of the time, with the little known Wade Legge on piano. As Wade sounds much like Hank Jones, the rhythm is near perfect. It becomes perfect on the remaining tracks on the first C.D., where Hank replaces Legge.On C.D.2 the first four tracks come from 'Jackson's Ville' and feature the same band with Hank Jones. The next three tracks come from 'Ballads and Blues' and feature a sextet, with the same two protagonists and a rhythm of John Lewis, Skeeter Best on guitar, Oscar Pettiford and Klook, so both quality and style remain unchanged. Best, a little known musician who earned much of his daily bread playing in organ groups, shows himself as a subtle and delightful musician, as he did on some trio recordings he also did with Lucky and Pettiford at about the same time.The final four tracks come from 'Plenty, Plenty Soul' and have Joe Newman added, Horace Silver on piano, Pettiford remaining and Connie Kay on drums. Trumpet is not much featured and the band sound is not dissimilar to the earlier tracks although Silver does toughen things up somewhat.Altogether two class acts at pretty much their best.

Milt Jackson on top form, he really swings away from the confines of the MJQ. One of the best things about this disc is the chance to hear at length the rather under recorded tenor of Lucky Thompson. A truly individual stylist who never achieved the fame he deserved. If I could I would give this 4 and 1/2 stars.