Willie Ruff - The Smooth Side of Ruff (1968/2018) [Official Digital Download 24/192]

This is a very unusual date as it features Willie Ruff in a relatively rare date as a leader, instead of with his long time musical partner, pianist Dwike Mitchell. This date for Columbia is like many 1960s releases which are quite good but were lost in the shuffle due to the focus on rock, so it is doubtful that it remained in print for long. The opener "Sheffield Blues," is a small group session with Ray Brown, Ed Thigpen, Howard Roberts, and Emil Richards joining the leader, who only makes a rather understated appearance on French horn.