Lucky Thompson (1924-2005) has probably been the most underrated tenorist of his generation. After an active period in both the New York and Los Angeles scenes during the Forties, his career began to suffer all kind of in and outs, and from 1949 up to 1954 Lucky’s name rarely appeared on jazz club marquees. Fortunately, since that year the ‘unlucky’ Lucky Thompson would temporarily find what he was looking for. Lucky described the sessions at hand as the first “I got the freedom and the men I desired.” Here he blows his heart out in one of the most sustained examples of creative, soulful improvisation ever recorded. It is a hard-swinging set powered by Lucky’s big tone and beautifully built ideas, featuring the strength and driving pulse of Oscar Pettiford’s bass.
Featuring Lucky Thompson (ts), Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Skeeter Best (g), Hank Jones (p), Oscar Pettiford, Don Abney (b), Osie Johnson (d)
13 Tracks. Recorded: January 30, 1956 - December 12, 1956