Tony Scott led several small groups of various sizes during the month of November 1957, resulting in three separate LPs being issued by Seeco, Carlton, and Perfect without duplicating any of the 24 tracks. This Fresh Sound two-CD set collects everything recorded during these sessions.
Scott's core group features pianist
Bill Evans (not long after he was discharged from military service), either
Milt Hinton or
Henry Grimes on bass, and drummer
Paul Motian. In addition to his powerful clarinet,
Scott plays a potent baritone sax on six selections. The music includes a few standards, a handful of originals by
Scott, and some obscure compositions. Trombonist
Jimmy Knepper is a guest on several songs, providing a perfect foil for the leader in a snappy take of "The Lady Is a Tramp," with the soloing on clarinet and baritone saxophonist
Sahib Shihab following
Knepper. Trumpeter
Clark Terry (still with
Duke Ellington at the time) blows a very soft solo in a subdued arrangement of "Tenderly." Even though
Evans was yet to make his mark as a leader or composer, his "Five" is heard in extended form rather than as a brief signoff as he played on early recording dates of his own. He also solos brilliantly in "There Will Never Be Another You." The title to this collection is a bit misleading, as trustworthy discographies list these sessions as being recorded over several days. Because obtaining each of the originally issued LPs is likely to be very expensive for collectors, this comprehensive CD set is the better alternative. ~ Ken Dryden