This excellent double CD wraps up the complete reissuance of altoist
Benny Carter's Verve recordings of the 1950s. The first CD features his horn backed by strings, and although not all of the arrangements are inspiring,
Carter consistently uplifts the music. Although ballad-oriented, there are swinging versions of "With a Song in My Heart" and "Symphony" (the latter a classic rendition); the 16 selections are joined by ten alternate takes. The second disc features
Carter in small group sessions. There are nine performances (including a ballad medley and one alternate take) in a quintet with the fiery trumpeter
Roy Eldridge, pianist Bruce McDonald, bassist
John Simmons, and drummer
Alvin Stoller. In addition there are four selections that feature the unusual (but quite coherent) duo of
Eldridge (who overdubbed on piano for one track) and
Stoller; apparently
Art Tatum did not show up for that hoped-for trio session. There are two jam session-style numbers that match
Carter with trumpeter
Dizzy Gillespie and trombonist
Bill Harris, and the two-fer is rounded off by an alternate version of "Street Scene" featuring
Carter with
the Oscar Peterson Quartet. This important release is both a historical gap-filler and overflowing with great music.