The Advance Guard of the '40s

This long out-of-print LP has some bop-oriented recordings from the 1940s that are still pretty rare. Trumpeter Red Rodney's Beboppers (with baritonist Serge Chaloff and tenor Allen Eager), a two-bass quintet headed by Chubby Jackson, the Lennie Tristano Trio, Billy Eckstine's 1945-46 Orchestra and a Gene Ammons combo are heard on two selections apiece; in addition Jackie Paris performs the first vocal version ever of "'Round Midnight" and trombonist Bill Harris is showcased on Neal Hefti's "Frustration." Only the Tristano and Eckstine selections are fairly common, making this obscure LP one to look for. Its diverse selections (which indeed were avant-garde for the late '40s) are consistently rewarding.