Personnel:
Harry Edison, Buck Clayton (tp), Jimmy Forrest (ts), Jimmy Jones, Kenny Drew (p), Eddie Costa (vib), Freddie Green (g), Joe Benjamin, John Simmons (b), Charles Persip (d)
Reference: FSRCD 547
Bar code: 8427328605472
Harry Sweets Edison was widely recognized as a master of the muted blues trumpet sound, both when he was with Basie's band during the swing era, and from 1953 on, as a freelance on many of the jazz and pop recordings that emanated from Hollywood. In the fall of 1958, Sweets moved back to New York to start a third phase in his career. He put together the swinging sextet showcased in these recordings produced by Verve's Norman Granz.
The group featured tenorist Jimmy Forrest, who contributed with his great taste and tonal strength, and a first class rhythm section, blessedly boosted by Freddie Greens punching guitar, pianist Jimmy Jones, a crisp-toned and flexible delight, the tasteful Joe Benjamin on bass, and the controlling force of Charlie Persip on drums. This was the kind of straightforward, utterly groovy small group jazz with consistently clear-thinking and strong voices. Trumpeter Buck Clayton joined the second date, playing back to back with Sweets, and guitarist Steve Jordan replaced Green in most of the tracks. Harry Edison the swinger, playing standards or originals or just the blues, glows in these warm sessions with incandescence. He neatly swings through standards and a few of his own tunes.
On the last three tracks of CD-2, coming from a Roulette session, the contribution of the sidemen can easily be overlooked, for it is the Edison personality, open or muted, that lends the tunes its character.
-The Swinger / Mr. Swing
"The late Harry "Sweets" Edison was one of the acknowledged masters of swing trumpet; this reissue combines the original LPs The Swinger and Mr. Swing into a two-CD set with the addition of the previously unreleased "How Am I to Know?" and an Edison original, "Blues in the Closet" (no relation to the Oscar Pettiford piece with the same name). Edison and tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest work well together, inspiring one another with lyrical lines on the ballads like "The Very Thought of You," and Edison's easygoing blues "Pussy Willow," but also heat up the session with their playing on an up-tempo Basie-like blues in "Nasty." Edison switches to open horn during most of the set. Forrest's vibrato-filled solo on "Ill Wind," and Edison's memorable rendition of "Baby, Won't You Please Come Home?," including both open and muted trumpet solos, are second-half highlights. Pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Joe Benjamin, drummer Charlie Persip, and rhythm guitarist Freddie Greene make up the capable rhythm section."
-Sweetenings
"Harry Edison added something special to any date in which he took part, but these 1958 sessions he led for Roulette are especially enjoyable. Joined by either Jimmy Jones or Kenny Drew on piano and Joe Benjamin or John Simmons on bass, along with tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest and drummer Charlie Persip, Edison's trumpet swings effortlessly through a batch of standards and originals. Edison utilizes a mute in the gently swinging "Louisiana" [...] While this record might have offered a little more variety by giving solo space to some of the talented sidemen present, this long out of print LP is well worth acquiring."
—Ken Dryden (both reviews from All Music Guide)
