Milt Jackson - Quintet & Sextet with Lucky Thompson - 2CD

EU import

Because of his ideas, time and arresting way of playing, Milt Jackson, nicknamed Bags, is considered by many the greatest of jazz vibraphonists. It can be historically verified that Jacksons nickname stems from his life in Detroit in the early 40s. Celebrating his completion of military service, Milt had little inclination to sleep. After a week or so, he had those bags under his eyes. The bags eventually disappeared, but the name stuck.

Leading these quintet sessions he had much more opportunity to show his gifts than the context of John Lewiss MJQ allowed. With him also on all but two tunes, is the superb, Hawkins-rich but always individualized tenor of Lucky Thompson, whose subtle swing and sophisticated solos build logically into satisfying solos delivered with warmth, emotion and an expressively malleable tone. The Savoy house rhythm sectionHank Jones, Wendell Marshall, and Kenny Clarke, one of the best integrated teams in the history of recorded jazz-is on most of these performances.

On the first date Wade Legge is on piano instead of Jones, and the session retains a relaxed, swinging mood, with all involved in excellent form. As a bonus the sextet sides Milt did for Atlanticalso with Luckyare included. On them Bags shows not only his great ability to suffuse his sensitive ballad playing with jazz feeling, but also that he was a masterly blues player. And the album as a whole confirms his status as a jazz icon, one of the greats not only on his instrument, but also in the overall jazz pantheon.