BLUE MITCHELL - Step Lightly (1963-2015) RM / BLUE NOTE MASTERWORKS / SHM-CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Trumpeter Blue Mitchell's Blue Note debut went unissued for 17 years, only coming out on this 1980 LP (not yet reissued on CD). The set must have been lost in the shuffle, for the music is consistently excellent. Mitchell, tenor saxophonist Joe Henderson, altoist Leo Wright, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Gene Taylor, and drummer Roy Brooks perform four originals and obscurities, plus lyrical versions of "Sweet and Lovely" and "Cry Me a River." Worth searching for. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Mamacita 5:46
Joe Henderson
2 Sweet and Lovely 7:44
Gus Arnheim / Jules LeMare (Chas. N. Daniels) / Harry Tobias
3 Andrea 5:13
Roger Boykin
4 Step Lightly 8:33
Joe Henderson
5 Cry Me a River 6:45
Arthur Hamilton
6 Bluesville 4:07
Sylvester Kyner
Credits:
Alto Saxophone – Leo Wright
Bass – Gene Taylor
Drums – Roy Brooks
Engineer – Rudy Van Gelder
Piano – Herbie Hancock
Tenor Saxophone – Joe Henderson
Trumpet – Blue Mitchell

JOHNNY GRIFFIN - The Little Giant (1959-1995) RM / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

 
 A bit of an offbeat session for tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, The Little Giant features three originals by then-obscure pianist Norman Simmons, a reworking of the pop tune "Playmates," Babs Gonzalez's "Lonely One," and the tenorist's "63rd Street Theme." Simmons' arrangements for the three horns (which include trumpeter Blue Mitchell and trombonist Julian Priester) are colorful; the rhythm section (pianist Wynton Kelly, bassist Sam Jones, and drummer Albert "Tootie" Heath) is state of the art for the period, and Griffin (who is featured in a trio with Jones and Heath on "Lonely One") is in fine form. An interesting set of obscure straight-ahead jazz. by Scott Yanow
Tracklist:
1 Olive Refractions 4:15
Written-By – Norman Simmons
2 The Message 7:20
Written-By – Norman Simmons
3 Lonely One 4:13
Written-By – Babs Gonsalez
4 63rd Street Theme 7:34
Written-By – Johnny Griffin
5 Playmates 4:18
Written-By – Saxie Dowell
6 Venus And The Moon 6:29
Written-By – Norman Simmons
Credits
Bass – Sam Jones
Drums – Albert Heath
Piano – Wynton Kelly (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6)
Producer, Liner Notes – Orrin Keepnews
Tenor Saxophone – Johnny Griffin
Trombone – Julian Priester (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6)
Trumpet – Blue Mitchell (tracks: 1, 2, 4 to 6)