This 1955 recording finds pianist Oscar Peterson delving into the Count Basie songbook, one of several albums Peterson recorded in the 1950s dedicated to specific composers. He is surrounded by a stunning line-up of talent here, namely Ray Brown on double bass, guitarist Herb Ellis and legendary drummer Buddy Rich.

When Jim Davis started producing records at Verve, he changed the company's recording philosophy toward its most prolific instrumentalist. Where Norman Granz had produced countless Oscar Peterson albums dedicated to the popular song, Davis was more interested in making albums closer to how the Peterson trio sounded live. His first Peterson records were the legendary London House sessions. By the time of this album, there had been no personnel change in the trio for five years - so it is no surprise that the rapport among the musicians here is telepathic.

Most of the songs on this session were originally released on 10-inch vinyl in 1952 under the title "Billie Holiday Sings"; four additional tunes were added to this 1956 LP version, now renamed "Solitude". Holiday is backed by some impressive musicians including Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on double bass, Barney Kessel on guitar and drummer Alvin Stoller on these standards, among them "Blue Moon" and "I Only Have Eyes For You".

Recorded and released in 1957, this groundbreaking jazz-country album features Sonny Rollins accompanied by Ray Brown on bass and drummer Shelly Manne, with no pianist. Rollins chose cover songs and wrote originals that captured his love of the Western movies he grew up watching, with their themes of independence and self-sufficiency.

Two of the most influential and popular voices in modern music, Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong form a jazz dream team on "Ella and Louis". A once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece, their distinctive vocals meld seamlessly together along with Armstrong's exceptional trumpet playing. This recording has become the touchstone and template for jazz vocal duets.

Recorded in 1957, „Ella And Louis Again“ re-teams Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong after the success of their first album and a popular series of concerts at the Hollywood Bowl the previous year. This is not a mere retread, however, and if anything, „Ella And Louis Again“ is the stronger of the two records. Fitzgerald shines particularly brightly, singing with sassy confidence throughout, as if goosed by Pops' infectious good humor. The backing quartet, led by the great Oscar Peterson on piano and featuring guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Louis Bellson, is up to the challenge of playing with these two magnificent singers.

Guitarist Herb Ellis is joined by rhythm guitarist Freddie Green, pianist Ross Tompkins, bassist Ray Brown and drummer Jake Hanna for this lightly swinging but uneventful program which has been reissued on CD. Since Green as usual does not solo, his contribution is purely as a background player. Ellis, Tompkins and Brown are the lead voices on a variety of swing tunes; best are "It Had To Be You," "A Smooth One" and "When My Dream Boat Comes Home".

Smokey-voiced jazz vocalist Jerri Winter sang with Stan Kenton's orchestra before she ventured out on her own short-lived recording career. With only three albums to her credit, her legacy leans towards quality rather than than quantity. On this 1957 session, only her second solo album, she is backed up by the Al Belletto Sextet.

The selections are a mixture of standards, most of them typical jazz springboards (though the 1940s pop hit "To Each His Own" seems to be new to the medium) with a Brown original and showcase, "Blues for Junior," and another original, "Captain Bill," that contains associations with Count Basie. Whether playing fast or slow, the three musicians interact well together, the younger Alexander holding his own with his veteran partners.

This 1959 release from Oscar Peterson is dedicated to Harry Warren and Vincent Youmans, one of several Song Book albums the pianist recorded in the 1950s. While not exactly household names, both Warren and Youmans are credited for writing many familiar songs and standards, as demonstrated here by Peterson and his trio of bassist Ray Brown and Ed Thigpen on drums.

This 1959 release from Oscar Peterson is one of several albums he recorded in the 1950s dedicated to specific composers. On this collection Peterson revisits several of the Harold Arlen songs he included on a previous album years earlier, in a trio configuration here backed by bassist Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen.

The Ray Brown Trio consisted of Brown’s colleagues Gene Harris, who plays a lot of piano that sounds rich, full-bodied, and not overly refined. The trio also features Jeff Hamilton, one of the stand-out drummers of the latter-day Woody Herman Herds. The Ray Brown Trio recorded this album live at The Loa in Santa Monica, CA, in July 1988. The club no longer exists, but at the time it was co-owned by Ray Brown.

Before he left us in July 2, 2002, Ray Brown reigned as the king of jazz bassists for over five decades. As a disciple of Oscar Pettiford and Jimmy Blanton, Brown's sturdy tone, impeccable technique, and swinging drive propelled Ella Fitzgerald, Oscar Peterson, Milt Jackson, and countless other jazz stars to fame. On this CD, his 18th recording for the Telarc label and his fifth in his celebrated Best Friends series, Brown is joined by the young guitar wizard Russell Malone and the lyrical, Jamaican-born pianist Monty Alexander. The drumless lineup is a tribute to the groundbreaking trios Brown lead with Oscar Peterson, and the music is simply remarkable. With Alexander's flowing pianisms shadowed by Malone's articulate guitar work, Brown's deep grooves are only topped by his flawless melodic ideas.

Oscar Peterson has thoroughly assimilated not just every piano style that preceded him buy every ensemble idiom as well: swinging big bands, gospel, European classical, and, of course, the blues. Having mastered all of this, Peterson found the standard piano trio the perfect vehicle for exploring all of these types of music. In this classic album, the crowning achievement in his greatest year, Peterson doesn't just explore these styles – he conquers them. "Night Train" is one of Peterson's most commercially successful recordings.

"Getz Meets Mulligan" (also released as "Gerry Mulligan Meets Stan Getz" and "Getz Meets Mulligan in Hi-Fi") is an album by American jazz saxophonists Gerry Mulligan and Stan Getz featuring performances recorded in 1957 and released on the Verve label.