Sonny Red - Quartet, Quintet & Sextet (1960-61) (2012)

Inspired by Charlie Parker and then Jackie McLean, the widely experienced, Detroit-born altoist Sonny Red, nee Sylvester Kyner (1932-1980) was an archetypal Motor City bopper, who, like many of his confreres there, also absorbed the blues-drenched lines of pianist Bud Powell. Forthright, direct, unpretentious, a skilled soloist with a strong feeling for the blues, he played and recorded with some of the finest jazzmen around.

The presence here of such luminous talents as, most notably, pianist Barry Harris, along with fellow pianist Tommy Flanagan, trumpeter Blue Mitchell, saxophonists Clifford Jordan and Yusef Lateef, and guitarist Grant Green left no doubt about his stature among them.

Despite this and the fact that he also worked with such marquee names as Art Blakey, Kenny Dorham, Donald Byrd, Curtis Fuller and Paul Quinichette, he never quite made the breakthrough his skills suggested he would and his recordings have been difficult to find.

This collection of quartet, quintet and sextet settings brings together four albums he made for the Jazzland label during one of the most productive spells of his career and shows why he was held in such esteem by his contemporaries.

Tracklist:

Disc: 1
1. Brother B
2. All I Do Is Dream of You
3. The New Blues
4. Ditty
5. 'Teef
6. Breezin'
7. A Handful of Stars
8. If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You
9. Cumberland Court
10. A Story Tale
11. You're Driving Me Crazy
12. Defiance
13. Prints
14. Hip Pockets
15. They Say It's Wonderful
16. If I Didn t Care

Disc: 2
1. I Like the Likes of You
2. Bye, Bye Blues
3. Never, Never Land
4. Ko-kee
5. Images
6. Blues for Donna
7. Dodge City
8. Moon River
9. Super-20
10. The Mode
11. Blue Sonny
12. The Rhythm Thing
13. Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered