BENNY CARTER: FOUR CLASSIC ALBUMS PLUS (BENNY CARTER, JAZZ GIANT / SWINGIN’ THE ‘20’S / SAX ALA CARTER! / ASPECTS) (2 CD) AVID

AVID Jazz here presents four classic Benny Carter albums including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD.
“Benny Carter, Jazz Giant”, “Swingin’ The 20’s”, “Sax Ala Carter!” and “Aspects”
Giants don’t come much bigger than Benny Carter, except maybe for Ben Webster………….and we’ve got them both together for our first album on this fine CD set! A stunning line up join our giants for these sessions recorded in 1957 & 1958. Frank Rosolino on trombone, Andre Previn on piano (an underrated jazz pianist!), Barney Kessel on guitar, Leroy Vinegar on bass and Shelly Manne on drums. Old meets new for our next selection “Swingin’ The 20’s”, Benny is joined by legendary pianist Earl Hines for their first recorded session together. These two seasoned jazz men here show they are unafraid to take on the modern guys here represented by Leroy Vinegar and Shelly Manne………the set was completely improvised………..the quartet just played! Another quartet but, a different approach for “Sax Ala Carter!” recorded in 1960…..standards in a relaxed style are the order of the day. Benny is joined by Jimmy Knowles on piano, Leroy Vinegar on bass and Mel Lewis on drums. All change again for these sessions from 1958 & 1959, Benny gathers together his first big band since the 1940’s for “Aspects”. This time of course it would not be a touring band but a recording band. The members were all handpicked from Hollywoods finest musicians solely for the purpose of making the record. Among the musicians were Shorty Sherock, Pete Condoli, Tommy Pederson, Buddy Colette and Shelly Manne
All four albums have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest ever sound quality!

CD1
1-7: ‘Benny Carter, Jazz Giant’
1. Old Fashioned Love
2. I’m Coming Virginia
3. A Walkin’ Thing
4. Blue Lou
5. Ain’t She Sweet
6. How Can You Lose
7. Blues My Naughtie Sweetie Gives To Me
8-19: ‘Swingin’ The ‘20’s’
8. Thou Swell
9. My Blue Heaven
10. Just Imagine
11. If I Could Be With You
12. Sweet Lorraine
13. Who’s Sorry Now
14. Laugh! Clown! Laugh!
15. All Alone
16. Mary Lou
17. In A Little Spanish Town
18. Someone To Watch Over Me
19. A Monday Date
20. All Alone (Alternative Take)

CD2
1-12: ‘Sax Ala Carter!’
1. And The Angels Sing
2. Everything I Have Is Yours
3. I Understand
4. All Or Nothing At All
5. I’ll Never Smile Again
6. If I Loved You
7. Far Away Places
8. I Should Care
9. For All We Know
10. I Don’t Stand A Ghost Of A Chance
11. The One I Love
12. Moon Of Manakoora
13-24: ‘Aspects’
13. June In January
14. February Fiesta
15. March Wind
16. I’ll Remember April
17. One Morning In May
18. June Is Bustin’ Out All Over
19. Sleigh Ride In July
20. August Moon
21. September Song
22. Something For October
23. Swingin’ In November
24. Roses In December
25. February Fiesta (Alternative Take)
26. August Moon (Alternative Take)