Ray Crawford - Smooth Groove

2005 CD reissue.

After being with the Gil Evans Orchestra for a couple of years, participating in two albums (one from early 1959 and the other from late 1960), things became somewhat disenchanting for Ray Crawford, and he eventually moved to the West Coast. Immediately after the "Out of the Cool" album came out, Nat Hentoff called Ray to make this album.

Ray worked furiously on the arrangements and assembled the musicians he knew could read and could play right away, and after just one rehearsal, the date was made in February 1961. Features Johnny Coles, Cecil Payne, Junior Mance, Ben Tucker and Frankie Dunlop.