Tenor saxophonist
Bob Cooper
's only
Contemporary
album (reissued on CD in the
Original Jazz Classics
series) is a near-classic and one of his finest recordings.
Cooper
, along with trombonist
Frank Rosolino
, vibraphonist
Victor Feldman
, pianist
Lou Levy
, bassist
Max Bennett
, and drummer
Mel Lewis
, performs colorful versions of five
standards
(best are
"Confirmation,"
"Easy Living,"
and
"Somebody Loves Me"
) that show off his attractive tone and ability to swing at any tempo. Half of the release consists of his
"Jazz Theme and Four Variations,"
a very interesting work that holds together quite well throughout 23-and-a-half minutes and five movements. Three trumpeters (including
Conte Candoli
) and one trombone are added to make the ensembles richer. This set is an underrated gem. ~ Scott Yanow