SDIE 1

1. THELONIOUS MONK Trio: LIZA (3:14) (Gershwin)

Thelonious Monk (p) Oscar Pettiford (b) Art Blakey (drs)      March, 1956

2. KENNY DORHAM Quintet: LA VILLA (7:00) (Dorham)

Kenny Dorham (tp) Sonny Rollins (ts) Hank Jones (p) Oscar Pettiford (b) Max Roach (drs)   May, 1957

3. RANDY WESTON Trio plus CECIL PAYNE: THE MAN I LOVE (3:29) (Gershwin)  Cecil Payne (brs) Randy Weston (p) Ahmed Abdul-Malik (b) Wilbert Hogan (drs)       March, 1956

4. KENNY DREW Quintet: IT’S YOU OR NO ONE (8:16) (Cahn – Styne)

Donald Byrd (tp) Hank Mobley (ts) (courtesy Blue Note Records) Kenny Drew (p) Wilbur Ware (b) G. T. Hogan (drs)           March, 1957

SIDE 2

1. WILBUR WARE Quintet, with JOHNNY GRIFFIN: MAMA – DADDY (3:52) (Ware)

Johnny Griffin (ts) John Jenkins (as) Junior Mance (p) Wilbur Ware (b) Wilbur Campbell (drs)

November, 1957

2. GIGI GRYCE Jazz Lab Quintet: WAKE UP! (4:39) (Sears)

Donald Byrd (tp) Gigi Gryce (as) Wade Legge (p) Wendell Marshall (b) Art Taylor (drs)  February, 1957

3. DON ELLIOTT featured with the BOB CORWIN Quartet: MY SHINING HOUR (4:06) (Mercer – Arlen)

Don Elliott (tp) Bob Corwin (p) Ernie Furtado (b) Jim Campbell (drs)     June, 1956

4. TRIGGER ALPERT All-Star Seven: TRIGGER HAPPY! (2:31) (Scott)

Joe Wilder (tp) Urbie Green (tb) Tony Scott (cl) Zoot Sims (as) Al Bohn (brs) Trigger Alpert (b)

Ed Shaughnessy (drs)          November, 1956

5. CLARK TERRY Quintet: DONNA LEE (3:59) (Miles Davis)

Clark Terry (tp) Johnny Griffin (ts) Wynton Kelly (p) Paul Chambers (b) Philly Joe Jones (drs)  March, 1957

　　　If you like your jazz hard-driving, powerful and fiery, this album is for you. For these nine selections, carefully selected from a variety of Riverside LPs, present a substantial sampling of the top jazz artists of today, each in a way-up, surging mood.

　　　It’s not at all easy to create good jazz at top tempos: certainly any professional musicians can get up there, but not all can stay there without wavering, and not all can not only make all the notes but also find time to really ‘say something’ when the pace gets hot and heavy. On these numbers, however, the degree of success is remarkably high; and although no one group could maintain such tempos for a full album, the anthology set-up of this LP insures that no one will be worn out – except possibly the listener.

　　　Among the keys to successful blowing at top tempos is relaxation, and there’s plenty of that here. Another necessity is firm, dependable rhythm, and it’s very much to the point that these lineups include some of the most formidable of all modern-jazz drummers (among them: Blakey, Roach, Philly Joe).

　　　We would never deny that there’s much more to jazz that the fire and bite exemplified in this album – but neither can anyone deny that the full-boiled blowing and driving to be heard here is one of the most important elements in jazz, and surely it’s just about the most exciting, energizing and enjoyable to listen to. It’s also undeniable that this is about as talented a collection of stars as has been on two sides in a long time – so take a deep breath, relax and get set to surge along with Riverside’s driving best, on Riverside Drive.

　　　Other “anthology” albums of Riverside jazz include –

JAZZ FOR LOVERS: top jazzmen play tender ballads; featuring Kenny Dorham, Don Elliott, Zoot Sims,

　　　Mundell Lowe, Clark Terry, etc. (RLP 12-244)

BLUES FOR TOMORROW: previously unissued versions of the blues, featuring Sonny Rollins, Herbie Mann,

　　　Coleman Hawkins, Art Blakey, etc. (RLP 12-243)

NEW BLUE HORNS: previously unissued blues by Nat Adderley, Chet Baker, Kenny Dorham, Blue Mitchell,

　　　Clark Terry, etc. (RLP 12-294)

SAXOPHONEE REVOLT: featuring Cannonball Adderley, Gerry Mulligan, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins,

　　　Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Johnny Griffin, Benny Golson (RLP 12-284)

The jazz stars featured on this LP can be heard on many other Riverside albums, including –

5 by Monk by 5: THELONIOUS MONK Quintet; with Thad Jones (RLP 12-305)

Mulligan Mets Monk: THELONIOUS MONK and GERRY MULLIGAN (RLP 12-247)

The THELOINOUS MONK Orchestra at Town Hall (RLP 12-300)

Freedom Suite: SONNY ROLLINS (RLP 12-258)

Blue Spring: KENNY DORHAM septet; featuring Cannonball Adderley (RLP 12-297)

Duke with a Difference: CLARK TERRY, with Johnny Hodges (RLP 12-246)

In Orbit: CLARK TERRY Quartet; featuring Thelonious Monk (RLP 12-271)

Kelly blue: WYNTON KELLY Sextet and Trio; with Nat Adderey, Benny Golson (RLP 12-298)

Deeds, Not Words: MAX ROACH Quintet (RLP 12-280)

The Little Giant: JOHNNY GRIFFIN Sextet; with Blue Mitchell, Wynton Kelly (RLP 12-304)

Way Out: JOHNNY GRIFFIN Quartet; with Kenny Drew (RLP 12-274)

Drums Around the World: PHILLY JOE JONES’ Big Band Sounds; with Cannonball Adderley, Lee Morgan, Herbie Mann (RLP 12-302)