Picking up some of the slack from the first volume,
The Fabulous Fats Navarro, Vol. 2 takes in two fine 1948 sessions featuring the bebop trumpeter. The first three cuts come from a
Tadd Dameron-led date featuring top players like
Dexter Gordon,
Cecil Payne,
Kai Winding,
Sahib Shihab, and
Kenny Clarke. The group avails itself nicely on
Dameron originals like the mercurial Latin cut "Jahbero" (including congas and bongos), the classic "Lady Bird," and the predictably complex "Symphonette."
Navarro runs the gamut here, turning in both high-flying solos and gracefully cool statements. And with enough in the way of engaging solo work, the alternate takes of all three of these tracks prove to be more than just filler. The remainder is culled from a session
Navarro co-led with trumpeter
Howard McGhee, and includes collaborative numbers like "The Skunk," "Boperation," and an alternate take of "Double Talk." The group also features
Ernie Henry,
Milt Jackson,
Curly Russell, and
Kenny Clarke. Now, plaudits aside, these two volumes of Blue Note
Navarro recordings are not only hard to find (they've primarily been available only as an import), but seem to have come out with varying track listings over time. So, the best option is to pick up Blue Note's very welcome Fats Navarro and Tadd Dameron: The Complete Blue Note and Capitol Recordings, which not only has all the
Fabulous material, but includes a
Dameron date with
Miles Davis, as well as a cover of
Fats Waller's "Stealin' Apples" featuring
Navarro,
Benny Goodman, and
Wardell Gray.