Sparrow's Flight

Johnny Sparrow's sides for the Gotham label, including six previously unreleased numbers and six previously unissued outtakes. "Sparrow's Flight" isn't here, although "Sparrow's Flight No. 2" is on hand. "Sparrow In the Barrel," which he'd originally cut for National and turned up as the B-side of his Gotham debut "When Your Lover Has Gone," features a strikingly dark solo from Sparrow. "Sparrow's Flight No. 2" soars effortlessly. "Boudoir Blues" shows Sparrow doing a distinctly '40s brand of jump blues, which comes off extremely well -- with superbly aggressive playing on his part -- but could hardly have been commercially appealing at the time. And "Serenade to Satchmo" is a loving tribute to Sparrow's ex-boss, with both flute and tenor sax solos.