Search - Norman Granz :: Complete Norman Granz Jam Sessions

When people think of classic jam sessions, they usually think of full-tilt bopping and wailing, of cutting contests, of jazz-style chorus lines. And with the extroverted likes of Illinois Jacquet, Dizzy Gillespie, and Lionel Hampton kicking up their heels, there certainly was no lack of excitement. But, as revealed by this five-disc set of the 10 Norman Granz-produced "Jam Session" recordings from the early to mid 1950s, the faded format may have attained its greatest art--and showed the most heart--in the ballad playing. Exhibit A from this collection: a medley of standards recorded in 1952 on which a succession of superstars including the extraordinary one-two-three punch of Charlie Parker, Ben Webster, and Johnny Hodges pack worlds of pungent emotion into their abbreviated segments. Unlike the Granz-supervised jams heard on a previous box set, The Complete Jazz at the Philharmonic on Verve: 1944-49, which were captured in concert, these were recorded in and conceived for the studio. As a result, they feature a bit less grandstanding and a bit more attention to detail. A close-knit group of greats--including Benny Carter, Oscar Peterson, Stan Getz, Roy Eldridge, Flip Phillips, Buddy DeFranco, and Buddy Rich--shows off a mastery of pacing and continuity, as well as tone and rhythm, in making 20-plus-minute tunes ebb and flow, build and resolve. Clocking in at 27:36, "Funky Blues" offers a priceless opportunity to hear Eldridge side by side with Gillespie, the man to whom he passed down the lessons of Louis Armstrong. One small caveat: you'll wish the tracks were indexed, especially during your navigation of the ballad medleys. --Lloyd Sachs