Rich noodles briefly on the hi-hats before dropping into a fast Basie-like groove on The Monster, which quickly turns into a dazzling exchange of musical athleticism between Rich and Peterson.įew of us ever manage to achieve what we admire. The Mosaic collection, packed with 78 tracks including 13 that have never appeared anywhere, is a Rich fan’s dream set bringing together many hard to obtain LPs that present him as a leader of studio dates in addition to the early sixties small group albums for both Verve and Argo. And when he needs to lay back and let someone else solo, he is respectfully ever-present. Even on blues numbers, which want naturally to drag, Rich pushes, producing maddening tension. Rarely will you find such agility and power, simultaneously. Like no one before him, he coaxes melody from a rhythm instrument. His solos are virtuoso presentations of licks known and invented on the spot. A highlight of the set is a 1957 quartet with with fabulous blowing by Flip Phillips.The “orchestra” assembled in 1956 includes two sets of great Basie tunes with a all-star band featuring Frank Rosolino, Pete Candoli, Buddy Collete, Jimmy Rowles, and others.Webster’s and Peterson’s presence on a 1955 date with borrowed Basie-ites Thad Jones, Joe Newman, Frank Wess, and Freddie Green, make for exciting listening.A 1954 session includes inspired playing by Harry “Sweets” Edison.There are delightful surprises from a sea of known talents that include Harry ‘Sweets’ Edison, Benny Carter, Thad Jones, Ben Webster, Oscar Peterson, and more: The seven-CDs features studio dates and live performances from 1953 to 1961 in quartet, quintet, sextet, septet, and octet settings – plus, an 11-piece orchestra. This limited edition collection is a complete look at Rich when he was, without question, a top star. With all the international fame and his musical legacy, it’s amazing that there has never been a major retrospective on CD.
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