Milt Jackson made a number of solo albums during his long tenure with
the Modern Jazz Quartet, but this long unavailable release, finally reissued on CD, is one of his best as a leader. With young pianist
McCoy Tyner and tenor saxophonist
Jimmy Heath,
Jackson puts together a great session, kicking off with his hard driving "Sonny's Blues." The leader's percussive but swinging style, plus the potent solos by
Tyner and
Heath, are all appealing. The only reservation about this CD is the deteriorated condition of the master tape from which it was made; it is rather noticeable on several tracks, though finding a mint copy of the original record is not a viable option for most collectors. Pick this one up in a heartbeat. ~ Ken Dryden