Ben Webster – Soulville (Full Album)

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Soulville is a 1957 album by swing tenor saxophonist Ben Webster, recording a session from October 15, 1957 which Webster played with the Oscar Peterson Trio. This session is described by AllMusic as “one of the highlights” of Webster’s “golden ’50s run”. The album was reissued in the early 1990s on CD with three bonus tracks, which include rare recordings of Webster playing piano. When it was remastered in 24-bit for a 2003 edition, additional photographs and new liner notes were also included (Wikipedia).

AllMusic Review by Stephen Cook :
The by turns grizzled and vaporous-toned Webster really hit his stride on the Verve label. During a stretch from roughly 1953-1959, the Ellington alumnus showcased his supreme playing with both combos and string sections, swingers and ballads — and lurking beneath his blustery and hulking sound were solo lines brimming with sophistication and wit. This 1957 date with the Oscar Peterson Trio is one of the highlights of that golden ’50s run. After starting off with two bluesy originals — the slow burning title track and gutsy “Late Date” — Webster gets to the heart of things on five wistful ballads: Here, his exquisitely sly “Makin’ Whoopee” is only outdone by an incredibly nuanced “Where Are You.” Providing sympathetic counterpoint, Peterson forgoes his usual pyrotechnics for some leisurely compact solos; his cohorts — guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Stan Levey — are equally assured and splendid. And ending the set with flair, Webster takes over the piano for three somewhat middling yet still impressive stride and boogie-woogie-styled numbers (these are his only piano recordings). Newcomers shouldn’t hesitate to start here (http://www.allmusic.com/album/soulville-mw0000198773).

Track listing:
“Soulville” (Ben Webster) – 8:03
“Late Date” (Webster) – 7:13
“Time on My Hands” (Harold Adamson, Mack Gordon, Vincent Youmans) – 4:16
“Lover, Come Back to Me” (Oscar Hammerstein II, Sigmund Romberg) – 8:26
“Where Are You?” (Adamson, Jimmy McHugh) – 4:41
“Makin’ Whoopee” (Walter Donaldson, Gus Kahn) – 4:29
“Ill Wind (Harold Arlen, Ted Koehler) – 3:30
Bonus tracks:
“Who?” (Hammerstein, Otto Harbach, Jerome Kern) – 2:56
“Boogie Woogie” (Webster) – 3:06
“Roses of Picardy” (Frederick E. Weatherly, Haydn Wood) – 2:05

Personnel:
Ray Brown – bass
Herb Ellis – guitar
Stan Levey – drums
Oscar Peterson – piano
Ben Webster – tenor saxophone, piano