Personnel:
Art Farmer, Emmett Berry, Charlie Shavers, Ernie Royal, Shorty Baker, Donald Byrd, Ray Copeland, Idrees Sulieman, Joe Wilder (tp), Hank Jones, Don Abney (p), Wendell Marshall (b), Kenny Clarke, Bobby Donaldson (d)
Reference: FSRCD 517
Bar code: 8427328605175
Top Brass was a 1956 stellar (5-star in Down Beat) album in a modern and expanded reincarnation of many of the Keynote sessions in the 40s when a pride of several lions on one particular instrument was assembled to exchange ideas and styles. In this case, Savoy presented five trumpeters (Ernie Royal, Idrees Sulieman, Joe Wilder, Ray Copeland, and Donald Byrd) blowing score and solo in various Ernie Wilkins settings flawlessly backed by the famous trio made up by Hank Jones, Wendell Marshall, and Kenny Clarke. The success of this first, experimental, date allowed Savoy's producer Ozzie Cadena to do a repeat session utilizing five different trumpet players (Art Farmer, Emmett Berry, Charlie Shavers, and Harold Baker) and a rhythm section with two changes: pianist Don Abney, and drummer Bobby Donaldson. The end result was Trumpets All Out, another excellent date with essentially mood setters. The lines are sprightly andr Ernie, who arranged all, is his usual spare, swinging, estimable self.
