In 1954, producer
Norman Granz held a couple of marathon recording sessions featuring vibraphonist
Lionel Hampton, pianist
Oscar Peterson, bassist
Ray Brown, drummer
Buddy Rich, and (on April 13) clarinetist
Buddy DeFranco. This set has three selections from the
DeFranco date (a 17-plus-minute "Flying Home," the original "Je Ne Sais Pas," and "On the Sunny Side of the Street") and one from the earlier session ("April in Paris").
Hampton is typically exuberant throughout (grunting rather loudly during a few later ensemble choruses on "Flying Home"),
DeFranco and
Peterson are as swinging as usual, and the overall music is quite joyous. Even if "Flying Home" does not reach
Granz's claim of being the best-ever version of the song (one misses the honking tenor and screaming trumpet), this is an excellent and rather spontaneous outing. [The Verve Master Edition also features the tracks "Don't Be That Way," "These Foolish Things," "The Way You Look Tonight," and "It's Only a Paper Moon."] ~ Scott Yanow