Search - Various Artists :: Hip Jazz Bop: Batteries Not Included

As its title implies, this compilation of bebop nuggets puts an emphasis on straight-ahead acoustic jazz. Culled from the vaults of the Black Lion, a British label dedicated to documenting expatriate American boppers from the 1950s and '60s, this edition has a consistent midtempo feel. Freddie Hubbard's "Lex," Donald Byrd's "Groovin' for Nat," Zoot Sims's "Snake Eyes," and Don Byas's "All the Things You Are" feature swinging horn-led ensembles, while Mal Waldron's "Blues for Lady Day," Hampton Hawes's "My Romance," and Thelonious Monk's "Evidence" put the piano at the fore. Stephane Grappelli's violin is showcased on "You Took Advantage of Me," and bassist Oscar Pettiford gets ample solo space on his own composition, "Cohn's Limit." The fluid alto sax of Lee Konitz makes its way through "My Old Flame" to round out the CD. The folks at Hip Jazz-Bop have dressed up these classic sounds in a colorful, contemporary package, striving to make the timeless bebop sound attractive to a new audience, and they have succeeded admirably. --Wally Shoup