Benny Carter – 3, 4, 5: The Verve Small Group Sessions
(Verve 849395-2. Reissue release date: 25 June 1991)
Tracklist:
1. Little Girl Blue
2. June In January
3. Jeepers Creepers
4. Rosetta
5. The Birth Of The Blues
6. When Your Lover Has Gone
7. The Moon Is Low
8. This Love Of Mine
9. Moonglow
10. My One & Only Love
11. Our Love Is Here To Stay
12. This Can’t Be Love
13. Tenderly
14. Unforgettable
15. Ruby
16. Moon Song
17. Don’t You Think
18. Will You Still Be Mine
19. We’ll Be Together Again
Musicians:
Tracks 1-8:
Benny Carter: Alto Saxophone
Teddy Wilson: Piano
Jo Jones: Drums
Tracks 9-16:
Benny Carter: Alto Saxophone
Don Abney: Piano
George Duvivier: Bass
Louie Bellson: Drums
Tracks 17-19:
Benny Carter: Alto Saxophone
Oscar Peterson: Piano
Herb Ellis: Guitar
Ray Brown: Bass
Bobby White: Drums
Exact recording dates not known. However, must be mid 50’s
From Verve’s site:
With this CD, Verve begins a more logical presentation of its Benny Carter holdings while simultaneously putting into print his rarest recordings. “Benny Carter: 3, 4, 5” offers “The King” as a performer, not composer, a showcase further emphasized by these small combos. The listening is flavored by an ‘add-a-musician’ quality as this package goes from trio to quartet then quintet settings.
Scott Yanow, All Music Guide, wrote:
Has there ever been a more consistent performer in jazz history over a longer period of time than Benny Carter? The classic altoist, who had fully formed his sound by the early ’30s (he first recorded in 1927), has not altered his style much in the past 65 (and counting) years. The music on this Verve reissue CD features Carter in three settings: in a trio with pianist Teddy Wilson and drummer Jo Jones (those performances were only previously out in Japan), heading a quartet with pianist Don Abney, bassist George Duvivier and drummer Louis Bellson and showcased on three previously unissued tracks with the Oscar Peterson trio plus drummer Bobby White. Carter knew most of these standards extremely well and he glides effortlessly over the chord changes, infusing the music with swing and subtle creativity.
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