Complete Album Collection 1957-1962 (CD)

One of the most distinctive saxophonists to emerge during the late 1950's, while Clifford Jordan did not achieve the mass adulation enjoyed by Gerry Mulligan or Roland Kirk, his work remains just as influential, esteemed and unique. Indeed, whereas many of his contemporaries favoured rough attacks and a hard-boiled fervour, Jordan instead perfected a light, floating approach. A typical Cliff Jordan solo used juxtaposition: a low note might break up a be-bop line, or an upper-register squeal would punctuate an evolving panorama of ideas. And Jordan was one of the few modern tenor saxophonists to use Lester Young as an inspiration, while his playing was always extraordinarily musical, never relying on second hand ideas. This four CD set features Cliff Jordan's first eight albums as leader or co-leader, recorded and released between 1957 and 1962 - the years generally accepted as the great man's golden age. Containing a masterful array of unique and individualistic jazz music, and featuring some of the world's finest musicians backing the maestro, the compilation works both as a fine introduction to Clifford Jordan's extraordinary music and as the go-to collection for those ready conversant.

Track List

1. Status Quo
2. Bo-Till
3. Blue Lights
4. Billie's Bounce
5. Evil Eye
6. Everywhere
7. Not Guilty
8. St. John
9. Blue Shoes
10. Beyond The Blue Horizon
11. Ju-Ba
12. Cliff's Edge
13. Tenderly
14. Princess
15. Soft Talk
16. Blue Jay
17. Laconia
18. Soul-Lo Blues
19. Cliff Craft
20. Confirmation
21. Sophisticated Lady
22. Anthropology
23. Toy
24. Lush Life
25. Moon-A-Tic
26. Spellbound
27. Hot Water
28. Last Night When We Were Young
29. Au Privave
30. Cumberland Court
31. A Story Tale
32. You're Driving Me Crazy
33. Defiance
34. Prints
35. Hip Pockets
36. Falling In Love Is Wonderful
37. If I Didn't Care
38. Sunrise In Mexico
39. Extempore
40. Down Through The Years
41. Quittin' Time
42. One Flight Down
43. Windmill
44. Don't You Know I Care
45. Mosaic
46. Bearcat
47. Dear Old Chicago
48. How Deep Is The Ocean
49. The Middle Of The Block
50. You Better Leave It Alone
51. Malice Towards None
52. Out-House