Howard McGhee was one of the leading trumpeters of the pioneering bebop era, and was named "Best Trumpeter" by Down Beat magazine in 1949. His first recordings were with the bands of Andy Kirk and Charlie Barnet during the early '40s during which time he took part in the experimental bebop sessions at Minton's Playhouse, and in 1945 he went to Los Angeles with Coleman Hawkins, recording with him and several other leaders there as well as taking part in Jazz At The Philharmonic concerts and tours. He recorded his first sessions leading his own bands during 1945 for the Modern and Aladdin labels. This great-value 93-track 4-CD set comprises a substantial proportion of his recordings as a leader or co-leader during a time when he worked prolifically with other leaders as well as with his own bands, from1945 through to a point in the 1950s where his output became much less consistent as his drug use started to affect his work. It includes recordings for the Modern, Aladdin, Melodisc, Dial, Mercury, Savoy, Vogue, Atlantic, Hi-Lo and Blue Note labels, and features performances with a host of important names, including Charlie Parker, Milt Jackson, James Moody, Flip Philips, Fats Navarro, J.J. Johnson, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Teddy Edwards, Charlie Mingus, Snooky Young, Billy Eckstine, Percy Heath, Kenny Drew, Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, underlining the high regard in which he was held by his peers. The collection provides a highly entertaining insight into the work of an artist who has perhaps not had the attention which his contribution to the genre merits
1 Medley : Royal Garden Blues, St. Louis Blues, Mood Indigo
2 Lady Be Good (Rifftide)
3 Harvest Time
4 How High the Moon PTS. 1 & 2
5 Star Dust
6 Body and Soul
7 12th Street Bop
8 The Man with a Horn
9 Perdido
10 One O'Clock Jump
11 Don't Blame Me
12 Stormy Weather
13 Stompin' at the Savoy
14 Shabozz
15 Tranquility
16 Futurity
17 Jarm
18 Ittapanna
19 Goodbye
Howard McGhee was one of the leading trumpeters of the pioneering bebop era, and was named "Best Trumpeter" by Down Beat magazine in 1949. His first recordings were with the bands of Andy Kirk and Charlie Barnet during the early '40s during which time he took part in the experimental bebop sessions at Minton's Playhouse, and in 1945 he went to Los Angeles with Coleman Hawkins, recording with him and several other leaders there as well as taking part in Jazz At The Philharmonic concerts and tours. He recorded his first sessions leading his own bands during 1945 for the Modern and Aladdin labels. This great-value 93-track 4-CD set comprises a substantial proportion of his recordings as a leader or co-leader during a time when he worked prolifically with other leaders as well as with his own bands, from1945 through to a point in the 1950s where his output became much less consistent as his drug use started to affect his work. It includes recordings for the Modern, Aladdin, Melodisc, Dial, Mercury, Savoy, Vogue, Atlantic, Hi-Lo and Blue Note labels, and features performances with a host of important names, including Charlie Parker, Milt Jackson, James Moody, Flip Philips, Fats Navarro, J.J. Johnson, Horace Silver, Hank Jones, Ray Brown, Teddy Edwards, Charlie Mingus, Snooky Young, Billy Eckstine, Percy Heath, Kenny Drew, Max Roach and Oscar Pettiford, underlining the high regard in which he was held by his peers. The collection provides a highly entertaining insight into the work of an artist who has perhaps not had the attention which his contribution to the genre merits
