Gene Ammons All Stars - Jammin' with Gene

This tenor-saxophonist led a series of excellent all-star jam sessions for the Prestige label during the mid-'50s that took advantage of the extra time available on LPs (as opposed to the three-minute 78). This album features versions of "Jammin' with Gene" (a blues), "We'll Be Together Again" (which evolves from being an Ammons ballad feature into a group jam and then back again) and "Not Really the Blues" that clocks in between ten and over 16 minutes. With such sidemen as trumpeters Art Farmer and Donald Byrd, altoist Jackie Mclean, pianist Mal Waldron, bassist Doug Watkins and drummer Art Taylor, this is an excellent (and rather spontaneous) straightahead session. Read More