Bebop in Britain

England was not often thought of as a haven for bebop but once the records of Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie started becoming common in 1947, many of the top swing players began to modernize their styles and record. This very interesting four-CD set contains many of the most significant English bop recordings, starring such important players as tenor-saxophonist Ronnie Scott, Johnny Dankworth (on alto and clarinet), trumpeter Jimmy Deuchar, pianist Tommy Pollard and bandleaders Tito Burns and Vic Lewis among others. Even bop fanatics will probably not already own many of these rare recordings which, once they hit their stride, hold their own with their American counterparts.