Ten 10" Albums I still play (occasionally). 4: Gene Ammons All Stars - a hi-fi jazz jam session

The eagle-eyed among you will have realised that this isn't quite in the alphabetical order I designated when I introduced the series. This one should, alphabetically, have been number one indeed some might say it should be number one by any criteria.

I'd initially decided  on The Four Freshman and Five Trombones - an album which, over the years, I have had fond memories of. However, time can cloud memories. a typical example being the girl you had a crush on at school who, x years later, turns out to be somewhat less than attractive when you see her waiting for her second Covid jab.

The magic I once found from listening to the Freshmen, now, no longer sounds fresh, so I opted to replace it with an album that hadn't lost its charm.

This was a stellar line-up dating back to 1955. Gene Ammons (tenor sax); Lou Donaldson (alto sax); Art Farmer (trumpet); Freddie Redd (piano); Addison Farmer (bass); Kenny Clarke (drums) and not one of them coasting. One track per side allowed for extended solos. 

This was the first time (I think) that I'd heard Donaldson - Bird lives! Ammons nestling somewhere between Dexter and Wardell and Farmer blowing like Chet only warmer.

Add Redd, Art's twin brother Addison and bop grandmaster Clarke to the mix and you have a classic album - Four Freshmen? never heard of them! 

Listen to Woofin' and Tweetin'

Lance.

PS: The sleeve of the album, Esquire 20-078, also included the price - 29/6½d (including tax) which was probably quite expensive back then when you could buy a pint for a shilling.