A popular yet underrated tenor saxophonist,
Jimmy Forrest is featured in several different settings on this 1998 CD reissue.
Forrest matches wits with fellow tenors
King Curtis and
Oliver Nelson on "Soul Street" (his opening phrase is a classic), plays three standards (including an effective "Sonny Boy") with a combo that includes pianist
Hugh Lawson and is featured on "I Wanna Blow, Blow, Blow" with a nonet also featuring trombonist
Buster Cooper. The remainder of the CD has
Forrest showcased on three numbers with an octet arranged by
Oliver Nelson. These tracks are of lesser interest (particularly
Henry Mancini's "Experiment in Terror") but still include some fine tenor playing. With this reissue, all of
Forrest's work for the Prestige and New Jazz labels has been made available on CD.