Tiny Grimes - Blues & Rhythm Series 5146: The Chronological Tiny Grimes 1951-1954 (2005)

How interesting that Tiny Grimes, an accomplished jazz musician with ties to bebop, swing, and jive, has a portion of his recorded legacy partitioned off into the category of R&B. That's the way Classics divvies it up, and this disc has therefore been designated as "the third and final CD of Tiny Grimes' rhythm & blues years." While genre delineations are usually arbitrary, the presence of Red Prysock, Freddie Redd, and Screamin' Jay Hawkins certainly tips the scales in favor of the R&B tag. Note also the presence of gifted swing-to-bop pianist Sir Charles Thompson. This exciting chronological compilation presents what appear to be all of the recordings issued under Grimes' name that were made between November 1951 and May 1954. Hopping from Chicago to New York to Philadelphia, Grimes cut 18 sides during this time period for the Gotham, United, Apollo, Atlantic, and Red Robin record labels. The Red Robin sides were issued as by Tiny Grimes & His Rocking Highlanders. A press photo of the entire band wearing kilts and tams bears silent witness to this curious phase of the guitarist's eventful career. ~arwulf arwulf