Ben Webster : Ben And The Boys

This is the second of two Jazz Archives LPs that are comprised of rare Ben Webster performances. The first side has the eight selections recorded in 1944 by a hot quintet that stars the great tenor, trumpeter Hot Lips Page and pianist Clyde Hart; these strong swing sides were also reissued on the Circle label. The flip side has four oddities. Two other numbers are taken from a loose 1945 jam session and are of interest mainly because of the personnel which includes pianist Duke Ellington, violinist Stuff Smith and both Don Byas and Dexter Gordon on tenors (along with Webster). Ben is also heard with an all-star group backing Woody Herman's vocal on 'Somebody Loves Me' and jamming 'Flying Home' in 1958 with trumpeter Buck Clayton; the latter is taken from a television show. There is a lot of exciting music on this unusual and diverse set. ~ Scott Yanow, All Music Guide