This album is certain to be placed in the MJQ section of any shop that carries it. In reality though, only four of the cuts here feature the permanent, stand-alone, 1952-vintage Modern Jazz Quartet; the other eight having been done in the summer and fall of 1951, when they were still known as the Milt Jackson Quartet, with Jackson providing all of the original material. The differences are so subtle as to be indistinguishable – Milt Jackson and John Lewis are on every cut, while Al Johns subs for Kenny Clarke on drums, and Ray Brown precedes Percy Heath on four of the tracks. Clarke's drumming is more impressive in its quiet way, but Ray Brown's bass work is simpler and more forceful.

On Jan. 3, 1963 producer-writer Joachim Berendt organized a concert in Germany featuring some of the top American jazzmen who were then residing in Europe. Originally released as 13 songs on two LPs, eight of the performances have been reissued on this single CD; left out are five of the seven numbers from Vol. 1 (three with clarinetist Albert Nicholas and one apiece with bluesmen Champion Jack Dupree and Curtis Jones). The CD contains a pair of fine features for tenor saxophonist Don Byas (including a lengthy workout on "All the Things You Are"), ballad showcases for trumpeter Idrees Sulieman ("I Can't Get Started") and pianist Bud Powell ("'Round Midnight"), two numbers by a trio consisting of guitarist Jimmy Gourley, organist Lou Bennett and drummer Kenny Clarke, and a pair of Bill Smith originals featuring the clarinetist in a quintet with altoist Herb Geller and guitarist Gourley. A fine bop-oriented set of music by a variety of mostly underrated players.