AVID Jazz here presents three classic Roy Eldridge albums plus, including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD. “Roy And Diz”, “Little Jazz”, “Swing Goes Dixie” plus 7 of 8 tracks from “Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge at the Opera House”. We have something to trumpet about for our first album selection in this collection “Roy and Diz”. In fact, make that two things! Here we feature the first recorded collaboration between two of the finest exponents of the jazz trumpet………Roy “Little Jazz” Eldridge and Dizzy “Diz” Gillespie. On this date the rhythm section was instructed to drive the music forward and then “get out of the way!” Something that Oscar Peterson, Herb Ellis, Roy Brown and Louis Bellson do with remarkable results as you will hear for yourself! For “Little Jazz” Bellson is replaced by the incendiary Buddy Rich for a driving set of mostly standards material. On “Swing Goes Dixie” Roy does exactly that…….accompanied by the Central Plaza Dixielanders, Benny Morton on trombone, Eddie Barefield on clarinet, Dick Wellstood on piano and Jo Jones on drums. As Little Jazz is quoted on the liner notes “we had a good date……..we enjoyed it”. Our final selection finds Roy in the company of the great tenor man Coleman Hawkins plus three quarters of the MJQ……John Lewis, Connie Kay and Percy Heath. Perhaps due to the live setting at the atmospheric Chicago Opera House and the unique rhythm section this is considered to be one of their most exciting sessions together. All three albums plus have been digitally re-mastered for probably the finest sound quality ever!
CD1 1-5: ‘Roy And Diz’ 1. I’ve Found A New Baby 2. I Can’t Get Started 3. Trumpet Blues 4. Algo Bueno 5. Pretty Eyed Baby 6-13: ‘Little Jazz’ 6. A Foggy Day 7. Blue Moon 8. Stormy Weather 9. Sweethearts On Parade 10. If I Had You 11. I Only Have Eyes For You 12. Sweet Georgia Brown 13. The Song Is Ended
CD2 1-8: ‘Swing Goes Dixie’ 1. That’s A Plenty 2. Royal Garden Blues 3. Jazz Me Blues 4. Tin Roof Blues 5. Struttin’ With Some Barbecue 6. Black And Blue 7. Bugle Call Rag 8. Jada 9. Bean Stalkin’ from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House 10. The Nearness Of You from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House 11. Time On My Hands from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House 12. The Walker from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House 13. Tea For Two from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House 14. Blue Moon from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House 15. Cocktails For Two from Coleman Hawkins and Roy Eldridge At The Opera House
