The Best of Blue Note, Vol. 2 (CD - 1992)

Album Description: Personnel: Monica Dell (vocals); Tiny Grimes (guitar); Ernie Henry, Lou Donaldson, Sahib Shihab, Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); Dexter Gordon, Gil Melle, Hank Mobley, Ike Quebec, Joe .... Read More

Album Description: Personnel: Monica Dell (vocals); Tiny Grimes (guitar); Ernie Henry, Lou Donaldson, Sahib Shihab, Cannonball Adderley (alto saxophone); Dexter Gordon, Gil Melle, Hank Mobley, Ike Quebec, Joe Henderson, Sonny Rollins, Stanley Turrentine, Benny Golson, Charlie Rouse (tenor saxophone); Freddie Hubbard (trumpet, flugelhorn); Clifford Brown , Donald Byrd, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Lee Morgan , Miles Davis, Tommy Turrentine, Blue Mitchell, George Taitt (trumpet); Eddie Bert (trombone); Elmo Hope, George Wallington, Hank Jones , Herbie Hancock, Horace Parlan, Horace Silver, McCoy Tyner, Roger "Ram" Ramirez, Ronnie Mathews, Sonny Clark, Tadd Dameron, Thelonious Monk, Wynton Kelly, Bobby Timmons, Bud Powell (piano); Joe Manning (vibraphone); Dave Bailey , J.C. Heard, Al Harewood, Louis Hayes, Max Roach, Pete La Roca, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, Art Taylor, Shadow Wilson, Billy Higgins (drums); Ray Barretto (congas).
Recording information: Van Gelder Recording Studios, Hackensack, NJ (07/18/1944-04/21/1965); Van Gelder Studios, Englewood Cliffs, NJ (07/18/1944-04/21/1965).
For fans wanting to check out some of the riches contained in the Blue Note vaults, this nine-track overview will be a welcome sight. The second of two volumes, The Best of Blue Note takes on the heart of the label's '60s hard bop material, with highlights from roster stalwarts like Lee Morgan ("The Rumproller"), Horace Silver ("Señor Blues"), Herbie Hancock ("Watermelon Man"), and Dexter Gordon ("Three O'Clock in the Morning"). There's also fine work by Sonny Rollins, Art Blakey, and Cannonball Adderley. Sure, Impulse! and Prestige had their moments during this time, but for the cream of the decade's recordings -- and from all of jazz history for that matter -- this is a fine way to start. Also recommended: every original title in the Blue Note catalog. ~ Stephen Cook Minimize