The Jazz We Heard Last Summer (Album of 1957)

by Brandon BurkeThis split LP pairs a sextet led by multi-instrumentalist Sahib Shihab with another under the direction of Herbie Mann. Big names all the way around on this one. On the Shihab session, John Jenkins and Clifford Jordan round out the front line, while Hank Jones, Addison Farmer, and Dannie Richmond hold down the rhythm. Mann, on the other hand, is joined by Phil Woods, Eddie Costa, Joe Puma, Wilbur Ware, and Jerry Segal. Nothing overly surprising here, but one can expect quality performances by all. The album's opener, "S.M.T.W.T.F.S.S. Blues," and Jenkins' own "Rockaway" are especially pleasing themes, as is the Phil Woods contribution, "World Wide Boots." Generally speaking, the Shihab tracks are a bit meatier, causing the momentum to taper off toward the end of the disc. This should not, however, sway fans of late-'50s bop, as a number of the scene's top players are featured on this admittedly short set.