One of the most overlooked musicians considered to be a part of the so-called cool school is
John Graas, who initially played French horn in a classical setting then switched to jazz for good in 1946. This Lone Hill Jazz compilation gathers most of the tracks from his two Decca LPs,
Jazz Lab 1 and
Jazz Lab 2 (with a missing cut added to a later compilation by the label), featuring musicians like
Herb Geller,
Dave Pell,
Jimmy Giuffre,
Marty Paich,
Curtis Counce,
Gerald Wiggins,
Jack Montrose,
Paul Chambers, and
Philly Joe Jones over the five sessions heard in this collection. In addition to the leader's compositions, the various small groups delve into standards and works by the bandmembers.
Graas' classical background is apparent on most of the songs, though the music is consistently swinging and never overly arranged.
John Graas' death from a sudden heart attack at age 37 in 1962 cut short a promising career.