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“The great bassist Oscar Pettiford spent his last year playing in Europe before his unexpected death on September 8, 1960. Except for four songs cut in August, this CD contains Pettiford’s final recordings. Teamed with a young group of Europeans (most impressive is pianist Jan Johansson and trumpeter Allan Botschinsky) who were clearly pleased to be playing with him, Pettiford has a fair amount of solo space on ten numbers with “Willow Weep for Me” being his feature. Five of the tunes are Pettiford originals including the title cut, “Laverne Walk” and his answer to Miles Davis’ “So What” which he titled “Why Not? That’s What!” This is a fine set of boppish music that makes one wonder what Oscar Pettiford might have accomplished in the 1960s had he lived” – Scott Yanow/AllMusic .

Track listing:

Montmartre Blues – 6:46 (Oscar Pettiford)
Back in Paradise – 4:30 (Hans Hammerschmidt)
Why Not? That’s What – 7:25 (Oscar Pettiford)
Willow Weep for Me – 3:02 (Ann Ronell)
My Little Cello – 3:39 (Oscar Pettiford)
Straight Ahead – 4:40 (Erik Nordström, Jan Johansson)
Two Little Pearls – 5:46 (Oscar Pettiford)
Blue Brothers – 3:58 (Louis Hjulmand)
There Will Never Be Another You – 5:59 (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren)
Laverne Walk – 5:14 (Oscar Pettiford)

Personnel:

Oscar Pettiford – bass
Jorn Elniff – drums
Jan Johansson – piano
Erik Nordström – tenor saxophone
Allan Botschinsky – trumpet
Louis Hjulmand – vibraphone

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Recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark by Bigas
22nd August 1959, track 8
5th July, 1960, tracks 1-3, 7, 10

Black Lion BLCD 760124
CD, Album, Compilation
Germany 1989