Kenny Drew - Six Classic Albums (3CD) (2012) {Compilation}

Some of the albums in this set are out-of-print, while others purchased individually are quite expensive. That alone makes this set not only a bargain, but a cache of excellent material that any Kenny Drew (or general jazz fan) should treasure.

A word about the sound quality. To my ears it's perfectly acceptable on each of the discs in this set. It's true that an audiophile will have justification to complain, but there are no egregious problems with the mastering of the discs. I ripped all of the tracks to my smartphone and play then in my car using GOgroove FlexSMART X2 In-Car Bluetooth FM Transmitter to connectmy car's sound system, and at home I use a Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver to connect my phone wirelessly to my stereo. Frankly, the sound quality is about on par with nearly all of my 2000 or so CDs. If you are into vinyl that's a different story and you probably will not be happy with this set.

This set contains six albums on three discs. Disc 1 pairs New Faces, New Sounds and Talkin' & Walkin', disc 2 pairs The Ideation Of Kenny Drew and The Kenny Drew Trio, and disc 2 pairs Pal Joey and Undercurrent. Each album is discussed in detail below. In most cases I have linked to the individual source albums. Clicking on those links will bring you to those product pages - many of which contain well written reviews by others, was well as sound samples on most of the pages.

New Faces New Sounds is out of print, but is Drew's first album as leader. It was recorded on April 16, 1953 in Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, NJ studio and features Drew on piano backed by Curly Russel on bass and Art Blakey on drums. The eight tracks on disc one in this set are the same tracks released on that album in 1953.

Talkin' & Walkin' was recorded for the Jazz West label on December, 1955 at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles and released in 1956. The original nine tracks from that album are in this set. In the album linked above there are three bonus tracks that are not included with this set: It's Only A Paper Moon, Leroy's Blues and Contour.

The Ideation Of Kenny Drew was originally recorded in various Los Angeles and New York sessions for the Nogran label, and released as Kenny Drew And His Progressive Piano in 1954. Norgran was Norman Granz label that morphed into Verve in 1956. Kenny is backed by Gene Wright on bass (who would go on to being a core member of the Dave Brubeck Quartet) and drummers Lawrence Marable and Charles 'Specs' Wright. Marable pops up on a lot of Chet Baker's recordings and performances during the same era.

Kenny Drew Trio Recorded in NY for Riverside on September 20 and 26, 1956, and released the same year. This is the first recording of Drew's Blues for Nica, which is a tribute piece to Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter. The Baroness has a very real place in jazz as a patron and was honored by nine musicians with songs composed and named in her honor. She is best known for Bird passing away in her apartment, as well as the one who took care of Monk in his final years. But I digress and will make a comment to this review with more about the Baroness. Drew is backed by Paul Chambers on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.

Pal Joey was recorded in NY for Riverside on October 15, 1957, but not released until 1959. Drew is backed by Wilbur Ware on bass and Philly Joe Jones on drums.

Undercurrent recorded in Rudy Van Gelder's Englewood Cliffs, NJ studio for Blue Note on December 11, 1960 and released in 1961. This is Drew's seventh recording as a leader and his last album recorded in the US (he would emigrate to Denmark in 1961). Musicians backing Drew are Jazz Messengers alumni Freddie Hubbard on trumpet and Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, and the rhythm section comprised of Sam Jones on bass and Louis Hayes on drums.

The bottom line is this set is an absolute bargain when you add up the prices of the individual albums. The tracks contained in the set get a lot of play in my listening rotation. ~ review by Mike Tarrani



CD1: Total Time 73'55
New Faces, New Sounds (1953)
1-1 Yesterday's 5:18
1-2 Stella By Starlight 2:26
1-3 Gloria 3:21
1-4 Be My Love 2:41
1-5 Lover, Come Back To Me 3:30
1-6 Everything Happens To Me 4:39
1-7 It Might As Well Be Spring 2:47
1-8 Drew's Blues 2:24

Talkin' & Walkin' (1955)
1-9 Talkin' & Walkin' 6:19
1-10 In The Prescribed Manner 5:02
1-11 Prelude To A Kiss 5:30
1-12 Wee-Dot 5:42
1-13 Hidden Channel 4:46
1-14 Deadline 3:17
1-15 I'm Old Fashioned 4:53
1-16 Minor Blues 5:37
1-17 Walkin' & Talkin' 5:36

CD2: Total Time 67'11
The Ideation Of Kenny Drew (1954)
2-1 Four And Five 3:16
2-2 Polka Dots And Moonbeams 4:21
2-3 Kenny's Blues 5:59
2-4 Lo Flame 3:37
2-5 52nd Street Theme 3:24
2-6 Chartreuse 4:32

The Kenny Drew Trio (1956)
2-7 Caravan 4:49
2-8 Come Rain Or Come Shine 6:01
2-9 Ruby, My Dear 5:39
2-10 Weird-O 3:59
2-11 Taking A Chance On Love 4:35
2-12 When You Wish Upon A Star 5:12
2-13 Blues For Nica 5:23
2-14 It's Only A Paper Moon 6:19

CD3: Total Time 76'18
Pal Joey (1959)
3-1 Bewitched, Bothered And Bewildered 4:10
3-2 Do It The Hard Way 5:47
3-3 I Didn't Know What Time It Was 4:00
3-4 Happy Hunting Horn 4:15
3-5 I Could Write A Book 4:40
3-6 What Is A Man 5:05
3-7 My Funny Valentine 4:05
3-8 The Lady Is A Tramp 5:40

Undercurrent (1961)
3-9 Undercurrent 7:17
3-10 Funk-Cosity 8:27
3-11 Lion's Den 4:53
3-12 The Pot's On 6:06
3-13 Groovin' The Blues 6:19
3-14 Ballade 5:29

Bass – Curly Russell (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8), Eugene Wright (tracks: 2-1 to 2-6), Leroy Vinnegar (tracks: 1-9 to 1-17), Paul Chambers (3) (tracks: 2-7 to 2-14), Sam Jones (tracks: 3-9 to 3-14), Wilbur Ware (tracks: 3-1 to 3-8)
Drums – "Philly" Joe Jones (tracks: 2-7 to 2-14, 3-1 to 3-8), Art Blakey (tracks: 1-1 to 1-8), Larance Marable (tracks: 1-9 to 1-17, 2-1 to 2-6), Louis Hayes (tracks: 3-9 to 3-14)
Piano – Kenny Drew
Saxophone – Hank Mobley (tracks: 3-9 to 3-14), Joe Maini (tracks: 1-9 to 1-17)
Trumpet – Freddie Hubbard (tracks: 3-9 to 3-14)





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