One of the most distinctive saxophonists to emerge during the late 1950's, while Clifford Jordan did not achieve the mass adulation enjoyed by Gerry Mulligan or Roland Kirk, his work remains just as influential, esteemed and unique. Indeed, whereas many of his contemporaries favoured rough attacks and a hard-boiled fervour, Jordan instead perfected a light, floating approach. A typical Cliff Jordan solo used juxtaposition: a low note might break up a be-bop line, or an upper-register squeal would punctuate an evolving panorama of ideas. And Jordan was one of the few modern tenor saxophonists to use Lester Young as an inspiration, while his playing was always extraordinarily musical, never relying on second hand ideas. This four CD set features Cliff Jordan's first eight albums as leader or co-leader, recorded and released between 1957 and 1962 - the years generally accepted as the great man's golden age. Containing a masterful array of unique and individualistic jazz music, and featuring some of the world's finest musicians backing the maestro, the compilation works both as a fine introduction to Clifford Jordan's extraordinary music and as the go-to collection for those ready conversant.
- Disc 1 -
1 Status Quo
2 Bo-Till
3 Blue Lights
4 Billie's Bounce
5 Evil Eye
6 Everywhere
7 Not Guilty
8 St. John
9 Blue Shoes
10 Beyond the Blue Horizon
11 Ju-Ba
- Disc 2 -
1 Cliff's Edge
2 Tenderly
3 Princess
4 Soft Talk
5 Blue Jay
6 Laconia
7 Soul-Lo Blues
8 Cliff Craft
9 Confirmation
10 Sophisticated Lady
11 Anthropology
- Disc 3 -
1 Toy
2 Lush Life
3 Moon-A-Tic
4 Spellbound
5 Hot Water
6 Last Night When We Were Young
7 Au Privave
8 Cumberland Court
9 A Story Tale
10 You're Driving Me Crazy
11 Defiance
12 Prints
13 Hip Pockets
14 Falling in Love Is Wonderful
15 If I Didn't Care
- Disc 4 -
1 Sunrise in Mexico
2 Extempore
3 Down Through the Years
4 Quittin' Time
5 One Flight Down
6 Windmill
7 Don't You Know I Care
8 Mosaic
9 Bearcat
10 Dear Old Chicago
11 How Deep Is the Ocean
12 The Middle of the Block
13 You Better Leave It Alone
14 Malice Towards None
15 Out-House