During the second half of the 1950s, pianist
Hank Jones, guitarist
Barry Galbraith, bassist
Milt Hinton and drummer
Osie Johnson were constantly in demand for studio dates, recording in a countless number of settings. The music on this CD, which is an entire LP plus a few related selections by the same quartet, features the rhythm section as its own entity. Trombonist
Jimmy Cleveland guests on three numbers and there are individual features for
Hinton and
Galbraith although
Jones is generally the lead soloist. The music falls between swing and bop (just like
Jones' style), ranging from a variety of melodic and catchy originals to
Thelonious Monk's "Ruby, My Dear." The music features each of the musicians in prime form and is particularly valuable for the
Galbraith solos since the guitarist did not record often enough in small-group jazz settings. Recommended.