Boxed set review: Sonny Clark - The Complete Sonny Clark Blue Note Sessions

And there was me thinking Christmas doesn't arrive until December. Take it from me it has moved to August. Why do I say that? Well, I answered a knock on the door and a kindly gentleman handed me a large box. True he didn't have a beard, nor was he dressed in a garment of red and his sleigh looked more like a Ford Transit van with ne'er a reindeer in sight. However, when I realised what he was delivering I knew it couldn't be anyone else but Kris Kringle! 

The item?

A Mosaic six CD limited (5000) edition  boxed set of Blue Note albums by Sonny Clark.

If there is a modern jazz holy grail then this must surely be it. Clark, along with Hampton Hawes, was the greatest of all the pianists to whom Bud Powell passed the torch on to.

Both Hawes and Clark, like most of their contemporaries were addicts but, whilst Hawes lived to the 'ripe old age' of 47, Clark only made it to 31.

Nevertheless, as these albums prove, during those Blue Note years (1957-1961) he was brilliant as both a soloist and as an accompanist. On the trio albums, he stretches out, melodically and harmonically adventurous on the ballads, swinging hard on the uptempo numbers.

The quintet and sextet sessions see him holding his own with a who's who of the Blue Note stable.

Trumpet players Donald Byrd, Art Farmer and Tommy Turrentine. Trombonist Curtis Fuller and alto saxist Jackie McLean. Hank Mobley plays tenor on the majority of the quintet albums although Charlie Rouse, Clifford Jordan and John Coltrane also show and there's an exquisite rendition of Deep in a Dream by Ike Quebec.

The Jordan session has Kenny Burrell on guitar along with Paul Chambers on bass and Pete La Roca on drums. Chambers is on six of the nine albums from which the CDs are drawn with Wilbur Ware, Jymie Merritt and Butch Warren handling the rest.

Louis Hayes, Art Taylor, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, Wes Landers and Billy Higgins are the other drummers.

Standards and Clark originals  plus a few alternate takes make this a must have collection and even if, like myself, you already have a couple of the albums from the first time round don't be dissuaded. The recording quality is fantastic. The glossy 10" x 10" 16 page booklet of text, photos and discography by Bob Blumenthal is a work of art in itself. Even in a year that has seem some excellent archival material made available this is an absolute standout. Lance

Disc I: Dial "S" For Sonny; Sonny's Crib (four tracks)

Disc II: Sonny's Crib (four tracks); My Conception

Disc III: Sonny Clark Trio 

Disc IV: Sonny Clark Quintet

Disc V: Singles Session; Blues in the Night

Disc VI: Leapin' and Lopin'

MOSAIC RECORDS - more details and audio clips.