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Following up their excellent set of Billy Eckstine’s 1944-1945 sides, Classics’ has now brought together more of the bandleader’s prime bebop-era material on this disc of 1946-1947 material. Once again, Eckstine is backed by some of the day’s top players, namely Miles Davis, Fats Navarro, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, and Art Blakey. The highlights abound, including an update of Eckstine’s early-’40s hit with the Earl Hines band, “The Jitney Man”; excellent readings of “Without a Song” and “In the Still of the Night”; and a riveting go at Dizzy Gillespie’s bop classic, “Oo Bop Sh’bam.” Presaging his subsequent fame as a grand ballad singer, the collection also features early orchestra cuts like “My Silent Love” and “All the Things You Are,” all featuring the singer’s lush baritone against some slightly cloying string charts. Finally, the show ends in intimate fashion, as Eckstine takes up the trombone – don’t worry, he sings too — in a small combo featuring tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray. A pure delight(Stephen Cook/AllMusic).

Track listing:
00:00 1 I Only Have Eyes For You
02:35 2 You’re My Everything
05:21 3 I’ve Got To Pass Your House
08:10 4 The Jitney Man
10:57 5 Blue
13:57 6 Second Balcony Jump
16:51 7 Gloomy Sunday
19:46 8 Tell Me Pretty Baby
22:45 9 Love Is The Thing
25:36 10 Without A Song
28:30 11 Cool Breeze
31:24 12 Don’t Take Your Love From Me
34:21 13 Oop Bop Sh’ Bam
37:26 14 I Love The Loveliness Of You
40:08 15 In The Still Of The Night
43:02 16 Jelly Jelly
46:21 17 My Silent Love
49:12 18 Time On My Hands
52:07 19 All The Things You Are
54:46 20 In A Sentimental Mood
57:23 21 All Of Me
1:00:05 22 Where Are You?
1:02:50 23 Prelude To A Kiss
1:05:45 24 She’s Got The Blues For Sale

Personnel:

Alto Saxophone – Bob “Junior” Williams (tracks: 1 to 12), John Cobbs (tracks: 13 to 20), Norris Turney (tracks: 1 to 12), Sonny Criss (tracks: 21 to 24), Sonny Stitt (tracks: 13 to 20)
Baritone Saxophone – Cecil Payne (tracks: 13 to 20), Leo Parker (tracks: 5 to 12), Tate Houston (tracks: 1 to 4)
Bass – Bill McMahon (tracks: 1 to 12), Shifty Henry* (tracks: 21 to 24), Tommy Potter (tracks: 13 to 20)
Drums – Art Blakey (tracks: 1 to 20), Tim Kennedy (tracks: 21 to 24)
Guitar – Connie Wainwright (tracks: 1 to 20)
Piano – Jimmy Golden (tracks: 5 to 12), Linton Garner (tracks: 13 to 20), Richard Ellington (tracks: 1 to 4), Warren Bracken (tracks: 21 to 24)
Tenor Saxophone – Arthur Sammons (tracks: 1 to 4, 13 to 20), Gene Ammons (tracks: 1 to 20), Josh Jackson (tracks: 5 to 12), Wardell Gray (tracks: 20 to 24)
Trombone – Chippy Outcalt* (tracks: 1 to 20), Gerald Valentine (2), Robert Scott (4) (tracks: 1 to 20), Walter Knox (tracks: 13 to 20)
Trumpet – Fats Navarro (tracks: 5 to 12), Hobart Dotson (tracks: 13 to 20), Kenny Dorham (tracks: 1 to 4), King Colax* (tracks: 13 to 20), Leonard Hawkins (tracks: 13 to 20), Boonie Hazel* (tracks: 1 to 12), Miles Davis (tracks: 13 to 20), Ray Linn (tracks: 21 to 24), Raymond Orr (tracks: 1 to 12), Shorty McConnell (tracks: 1 to 12)
Vocals – Billy Eckstine

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Label: Classics (11) – CLASSICS1022
Series: The Classics Chronological Series – 1022
Format: CD, Compilation
Country: France
Released: 1998