Junior Mance - The Complete Albums Collection 1959-1962 (2017)

Boasting a reputation still as one of the foremost pianists in all of American jazz, Junior Mance remains a master of multiple styles within the blues and jazz idioms. His trademark piano sound has graced the records of many legendary musicians, including those of Cannonball Adderley, Gene Ammons, Art Blakey, Dizzy Gillespie, Dinah Washington, Johnny Griffin and Buddy Guy. However, despite his skills as a sideman displayed during the earlier part of his career, Mance has collated a vast catalogue of albums as bandleader, and his enduring legacy has been built upon the finest of these. In September 1947, Mance made his first professional recordings with saxophonist Gene Ammons. They parted ways in 1949 when Ammons was offered Stan Getz s seat in the Woody Herman Band, and Mance would go on to record with Lester Young. This collection, collating over five hours of music across four discs, includes all of Junior Mance s albums as leader during the period for which he is most celebrated, from his debut to his final album of 1962. Including eight full, faithfully-remastered LPs, this set will provide the perfect introduction to one of jazz music s most enduring talents, or a welcome reminder of his work for those familiar with the great man s sound.