AVID Jazz here presents three classic Ben Webster albums plus including original LP liner notes on a finely re-mastered and low priced double CD. 'Blue Saxophones'… Take the Oscar Peterson Trio with Alvin Stoller on drums, add two of the greatest tenor saxophonists who ever lived, Coleman Hawkins and Ben Webster and voila… you have Blue Saxophones! Two masters together in 1957, one (Hawkins) a huge influence on the other (Webster), but now, both very much their own men. As the final paragraph of Charles Fox's liner notes attests 'This is tenor playing in the grandest of manners, unashamedly romantic, even sensuous, with both musicians constructing their solos firmly and audaciously'. 'Soulville'… Ben is once again joined by the Oscar Peterson Trio for another 1957 date. This time sitting in on drums is Stan Levey, in Bens own words 'he's improved since I heard him on the Street years ago.' Ben of course is a huge fan of Peterson…..'the guy can play a lot as a soloist but when it comes time for you to play a solo, he plays for you'. 'The Soul Of Ben Webster'… Here we find Ben joined by fellow tenor man Harold Ashby alongside among others Art Farmer on trumpet and Jimmy Jones on piano in a 1958 blowing date.

Ben Webster was considered to be one of the most important swing tenors alongside Coleman Hawkins and Lester Young. His tough, raspy tone on stomps earned him the nickname 'The Brute', yet he played ballads with warmth and sentiment.

Jazz' Best is a spectacularly comprehensive, deeply definitive, and historically monumental acoustic jazz anthology released on double-compact disc in 1991 by the legendary Verve Records. Spanning over two hours and twenty minutes across 36 masterfully selected tracks, this high-fidelity archive serves as the ultimate primer and a luxurious overview of mid-century jazz history, gathering the absolute finest vocalists, instrumentalists, and bandleaders from the golden ages of Swing, Bebop, Hard Bop, and Bossa Nova. The collection brings together an unparalleled vanguard of jazz royalty, tracing the foundational lineage of the genre through its most iconic pairings and definitive ensemble sessions. Listeners are treated to the sublime, cool jazz breezes of Stan Getz, João and Astrud Gilberto on foundational bossa classics like The Girl From Ipanema and Desafinado, juxtaposed with the timeless, unparalleled vocal chemistry of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong on standard pillars like Summertime and Cheek To Cheek. From the block-chord brilliance of The Oscar Peterson Trio and the roaring Hammond B3 wizardry of Jimmy Smith, to the heartbreaking vocal mastery of Billie Holiday and the deep, breathy tenor saxophone dialogues of Ben Webster and Coleman Hawkins, every single track represents a historic blueprint. Exceptionally preserved in pristine dual-format lossless and high-bitrate audio with full booklet artwork scans, this sweeping compilation stands as an absolute mandatory cornerstone for beginners and a prized collector's archive for global purists of elite jazz heritage and classic Verve catalog lore.

The Soul of Ben Webster is a spectacularly expansive, deeply soulful, and historically monumental mainstream jazz anthology masterfully documenting the peak late-1950s studio recordings of the legendary American tenor saxophonist Ben "The Brute" Webster, beautifully compiled on double-compact disc in 1995 by the definitive Verve Records. Spanning over two and a half hours across 26 tracks, this high-fidelity archive primarily brings together the complete, legendary 1958 Verve sessions including the entirety of the seminal album "The Soul of Ben Webster", alongside brilliant late-50s companion recordings featuring fellow tenor icon Harold Ashby. Renowned for his instantly recognizable, breathy ballad warmth and his fiercely stomping, blues-drenched swing velocity, Webster commands the spotlight with unparalleled emotional authority. He is flanked by an absolute powerhouse vanguard of mainstream jazz royalty, featuring the elegant trumpet stylings of Art Farmer, the subtle guitar work of Mundell Lowe, and a flawless, telepathic rhythm engine helmed by pianist Jimmy Jones, bass legend Milt Hinton, and drummer Dave Bailey. The tracklist is an absolute treasure trove of classic acoustic jazz history, showcasing explosive original swingers like Fajista, Charlotte's Piccolo, and Blues-A-Plenty, alongside definitive, breathtakingly intimate readings of timeless standards including Chelsea Bridge, Moonlight In Vermont, and Billy Strayhorn's Satin Doll. Expanded with rare, previously unissued alternate takes of Blues For The Blues and Reelin' And Rockin', and exceptionally preserved in pristine dual-format lossless and high-bitrate audio with full booklet artwork scans, this definitive compilation stands as a mandatory cornerstone and a prized collector's holy grail for global purists of classic tenor saxophone history, mid-century studio swing, and historic Verve catalog lore.

The Complete 1960 Sextet Jazz Cellar Session is an absolutely sublime, breathtakingly smoky, and historically monumental swing jazz document uniting two of the greatest saxophone stylists in music history—tenor giant Ben Webster and alto maestro Johnny Hodges—beautifully compiled and released in 2011 by Solar Records. Spanning over 73 minutes across 17 magnificent, high-fidelity archival tracks, this definitive edition brings together the complete, legendary November 22, 1960 studio session recorded at San Francisco's Jazz Cellar, heavily augmented by rare, essential bonus recordings captured in Los Angeles just two months later. Both alumni of the legendary Duke Ellington Orchestra, Webster and Hodges display an unparalleled, telepathic musical empathy, trading gorgeous phrases built on deep blues sensibilities, elegant vibrato, and effortless melodic swing. On the main San Francisco sessions, the two horn titans are backed by an elite West Coast rhythm engine featuring pianist Lou Levy, master guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Wilfred Middlebrooks, and the crisp, impeccable drumming of Gus Johnson. The January 1961 bonus tracks expand the sonic architecture even further, adding brass legends Ray Nance and Lawrence Brown alongside modern jazz stalwarts Emil Richards and Mel Lewis under Jimmy Hamilton's brilliant orchestrations. The tracklist is an absolute masterclass in timeless mainstream jazz, highlighting the driving rhythm of Ben's Web and Blues'll Blow Your Fuse, the exquisite balladry of Val's Lament, and glorious, loose-swinging readings of Great American Songbook classics like Exactly Like You and I'm Beginning to See the Light. Exceptionally preserved in pristine dual-format lossless and high-bitrate audio with full booklet artwork scans, this rare collector's archive stands as an absolute mandatory cornerstone and a prized holy grail for global purists of classic swing, mainstream jazz history, and elite saxophone mastery.

The by turns grizzled and vaporous-toned Webster really hit his stride on the Verve label. During a stretch from roughly 1953-1959, the Ellington alumnus showcased his supreme playing with both combos and string sections, swingers and ballads – and lurking beneath his blustery and hulking sound were solo lines brimming with sophistication and wit. This 1957 date with the Oscar Peterson Trio is one of the highlights of that golden '50s run. After starting off with two bluesy originals – the slow burning title track and gutsy "Late Date" – Webster gets to the heart of things on five wistful ballads: Here, his exquisitely sly "Makin' Whoopee" is only outdone by an incredibly nuanced "Where Are You." Providing sympathetic counterpoint, Peterson forgoes his usual pyrotechnics for some leisurely compact solos; his cohorts – guitarist Herb Ellis, bassist Ray Brown, and drummer Stan Levey – are equally assured and splendid.

King Of The Tenors is a landmark album by Ben Webster, recorded in 1953 and initially released as The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster, then retitled for its classic 1957 Verve Records reissue. Webster is joined by jazz icons including the Oscar Peterson Trio throughout, as well as Benny Carter (alto saxophone) and Harry “Sweets” Edison (trumpet) on select tracks, resulting in ensemble interplay that balances lush ballads and blues with joyous swing. The program includes Webster originals like “Bounce Blues,” alongside inspired versions of Ellington’s “Cottontail” and “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” standards such as “Tenderly,” and a moving “Danny Boy.” His performances here span warm lyricism to exuberant, robust soloing, offering a panoramic view of Webster’s artistry at its zenith.​

King of the Tenors is an album by American jazz saxophonist Ben Webster featuring tracks recorded in 1953 for the Norgran label and originally released as The Consummate Artistry of Ben Webster (MGN 1001). The album was re-issued in 1957 on Verve Records as King of the Tenors (MGV 8020), and has been released with that title ever since. Webster is accompanied by The Oscar Peterson Trio, and, on several tracks, by Benny Carter and Harry "Sweets" Edison. In the book Someone to Watch Over Me: The Life and Music of Ben Webster, Frank Büchmann-Møller writes of the album, "These recordings show a broad spectrum of Ben's craft and can be heard as a summary of his artistic level at the time.

Tenor saxophonist Ben Webster and trumpeter Harry "Sweets" Edison, both veterans of the swing era (although associated with different orchestras), had long wanted to record a full album together. The results, a swinging quintet set with pianist Hank Jones, bassist George Duvivier, and drummer Clarence Johnston, are quite rewarding. There are two ballad features for the tenor ("How Long Has This Been Going On" and a beautiful version of "My Romance") and one for Edison ("Embraceable You"), along with three medium-tempo collaborations. Nothing unexpected occurs but the melodic music is quite enjoyable.

The complete memorable recordings made by Billie Holiday in 1956-57 backed by a small group including Ben Webster, Harry Edison, Jimmy Rowles and Barney Kessel. A complete Holiday set recorded at Newport during the same period has been added as a bonus. Includes 16-page booklet.

This 4 CD set brings together eight original albums from Ben Webster, on which he collaborates with a host of other Jazz Greats. Ideal as both a starting point for those new to Webster's work, and as a compilation more diverse in it's content than the more traditional anthology, this selection is certain to delight fans new and old of one of the greatest sax-players to have ever blown a note.

In the 1950s, tenor-saxophonist Ben Webster was at the peak of his powers. His musical personality really featured two separate emotions: harsh and tough on the faster pieces and surprisingly warm and tender on the ballads. Webster uses the latter voice throughout this two-LP set. On all but four of 20 selections, Ben is backed by a string section arranged by Ralph Burns (except for "Chelsea Bridge" which was arranged by Billy Strayhorn) and, although clarinetists Tony Scott and Jimmy Hamilton and pianists Teddy Wilson and Hank Jones are heard from, the focus is otherwise entirely on the great tenor. The final four numbers, which matches Webster with Wilson in a stringless quartet, also stick to ballads. Music that is both beautiful and creative.

Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original master tapes to vinyl and PCM. Small jazz groups brought out the best in Billie Holiday - especially groups as good as the one heard on this classic 1957 recording. Ben Webster, Harry "Sweets" Edison and the other members of this stellar ensemble were not just gifted soloists but sensitive accompanists as well. Lady Day was rarely more ably supported than she was on this program of sturdy standards, including three gems by the Gershwin brothers -and she rarely sounded more luminous. Originally released in 1957.

Mastered by George Marino at Sterling Sound from the original master tapes to vinyl and PCM. After the publication of her autobiography, Lady Sings The Blues, Billie Holiday was doing good business in clubs in what turned out to be a last burst of stardom. We cannot know why she stopped recording for Norman Granz after January 1957, but All or Nothing at All, is a magnificent culmination of her years with the producer. As this set demonstrates in the subtle blending and dissolving of moods within one number as well as in the emotional changes throughout the program as a whole, perhaps the primary reason Holiday was always able to reach so deeply into her listeners is that more than any other jazz singer, she could communicate the complexities of feeling in which we are all involved. This audiophile hybrid SACD remastering from Analogue Productions offers listeners the best possible sound quality.

Recorded live at The Renaissance in Hollywood, CA on Oct 14 1960, Ben Webster “At the Renaissance” was released on Contemporary Records. Featuring with Saxophonist Webster are Jim Hall (guitar), Jimmy Rowles (piano), Red Mitchell (bass), and Frank Butler (drums). This new edition features remastered hi-res audio from the original tapes.