1-12: THE JAZZ WORKSHOP: Manny Albam & his Orchestra, including Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Milt Hinton, Urbie Green and Osie Johnson. Recorded in New York, December 24, 29 & 31, 1955. 13-18: THE DRUM SUITE: Manny Albam & his Orchestra, including Joe Newman, Conte Candoli, Jimmy Cleveland, Urbie Green, Al Cohn, Hank Jones, Freddie Green, Eddie Costa and Osie Johnson. Recorded in Los Angeles, 1956 Total Time: 73:00.
Featuring: Joe Newman, Thad Jones, Conte Candoli, Bob Brookmeyer, Al Cohn, Milt Hinton, Urbie Green, Jimmy Cleveland, Hank Jones, Freddie Green, Eddie Costa and Osie Johnson.
This issue comprises for the first time on one CD the first two albums Manny Albam recorded under his own name. Many outstanding figures participated on the sessions. Albam's recording career spanned seven decades, beginning in 1944 (on his first sessions he was more of a baritone sax player than an arranger) and ending in 1999. Highly acclaimed, he died at the age of 79 on October 2, 2001. "He was the dearest man that could be and an irreplaceable friend and mentor", stated Bob Brookmeyer during Albam's memorial service.
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