ABC-111
ABC-171
Oscar Pettiford
Lucky Thompson

Lucky Thompson Meets Oscar Pettiford (2 LP on 1 CD)

Fresh Sound Records

Personnel:
Lucky Thompson (ts), Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Hank Jones, Don Abney (p), Skeeter Best (g), Oscar Pettiford (b), Osie Johnson (d)

Reference: FSRCD 424

Bar code: 8427328604246

Info
Tracklist
Album details
Press

Lucky Thompson (1924-2005) has probably been the most underrated tenorist of his generation. After an active period in both the New York and Los Angeles scenes during the Forties, his career began to suffer all kind of in and outs, and from 1949 up to 1954 Luckys name rarely appeared on jazz club marquees. Fortunately, since that year the unlucky Lucky Thompson would temporarily find what he was looking for. Lucky described the sessions at hand as the first I got the freedom and the men I desired.

Here he blows his heart out in one of the most sustained examples of creative, soulful improvisation ever recorded. It is a hard-swinging set powered by Luckys big tone and beautifully built ideas, featuring the strength and driving pulse of Oscar Pettifords bass.

Tracklist

Sample this album

Little Tenderfoot 2:51

14.

The Plain but the Simple Truth 4:47

Total time: 66:28 min.

01. Tom-Kattin (Lucky Thompson) 5:02
02. Old Reliable (Lucky Thompson) 4:02
03. A Ladys Vanity (Lucky Thompson) 5:11
04. Translation (Lucky Thompson) 4:02
05. Nr #1 (Lucky Thompson) 4:38
06. Nr #2 (Lucky Thompson) 3:09
07. Good Luck (Lucky Thompson) 4:35
08. Tricotism (Oscar Pettiford) 4:35
09. Bo-Bi My Boy (Lucky Thompson)3:55
10. Body and Soul (Green-Heyman-Sour-Eyton) 4:31
11. Op Meets Lt (Pettiford-Thompson) 3:52
12. Dancing Sunbeam (Lucky Thompson) 3:08
13. Little Tenderfoot (Lucky Thompson) 2:49
14. The Plain But The Simple Truth (Lucky Thompson) 4:45
15. Mister Man (Lucky Thompson) 3:32
16. Once There Was (Lucky Thompson) 4:03

Album details

Sources:
Tracks #1-4 & 8-11, from the 12" album "Lucky Thompson, Vol. I" (ABC-111)
Tracks #5-7 & 12-16, from the 12" album "Lucky Thompson, Vol. II" (ABC-171)

LUCKY THOMPSON QUINTET
Lucky Thompson (ts), Jimmy Cleveland (tb, out in #3), Hank Jones (p), Oscar Pettiford (b), Osie Johnson (d).
Recorded on January 30, 1956 [#1-4]

Don Abney (p) replaces Hank Jones.
Recorded on December 12, 1956 [#5-7]

LUCKY THOMPSON TRIO
Lucky Thompson (ts), Skeeter Best (g), Oscar Pettiford (b).
Recorded on January 24, 1956 [#8-11], December 11, 1956 [#12-15]

Don Abney (p), replaces Skeeter Best.
Recorded on December 12, 1956 [#16]

Liner notes by Burt Korall & Nat Hentoff, reproduced from the original ABC albums

Original sessions produced by Creed Taylor
This compilation produced for CD release by Jordi Pujol
© 2006 by Fresh Sound Records

Hi Fi · 24-Bit Digitally Remastered
Blue Moon Producciones Discograficas, S.L.

Press reviews

"Lucky Thompson creates a host of spectacular improvisations on the 16 songs on this wonderful CD reissue. It is comprised of two 1956 sessions; one features Thompson heading a trio backed by bassist Oscar Pettiford and guitarist Skeeter Best, and the other has him heading either a quartet or quintet including the great trombonist Jimmy Cleveland. Cleveland's smooth, superbly articulated phrases and statements rank alongside Thompson's gliding lines in their brilliance, and pianist Hank Jones (on three cuts) also sparkles with some marvelous solos. But Thompson is the star on this date, his elegant yet robust and exuberant playing demonstrating again what a loss his voluntary departure from the scene has constituted."

—Ron Wynn (All Music Guide)