"Donald Byrd and Hank Mobley had played together in the Jazz Messenger and John Coltrane, Paul Chambers and Philly Joe Jones represent, numerically, a majority vote in the Miles Davis quintet. Elmo Hope and Joe are old buddies, having played together in Joe Morris' band and in countless sessions, then and since.
"No introductions were necessary between the players but to you, the audience, it would be an oversight if they were omitted.
"Elmo Hope, the nominal leader on the date, is a native New Yorker who grew up with Bud Powell. With the Joe Morris' band in the Forties, Elmo has done mostly free-lance playing in the Fifties appearing occasionally with Dud Bascomb. [...]
"Donald Byrd is another of the recent Detroit immigrants to New York. Still in his early twenties. Donald studied at famed Cass Tech High in Detroit and continued at the Manhattan School in New York. He first appeared with George Wallington at Cafe Bohemia in 1955 and later replaced Kenny Dorham in the Jazz Messengers. [...]
"Henry 'Hank' Mobley was born in Georgia but raised in New Jersey. Played with Paul Gayten's R&B band but first attracted attention with Max Roach's combo in the early Fifties. After playing with Dizzy Gillespie for most of 1954, he joined Horace Silver's quartet late in that year. This group evolved into the Jazz Messengers of which Hank was a regular member until he left midway in 1956.
"John Coltrane is from Philadelphia. Born in North Carolina, he moved to the Quaker City at an early age. In that city he studied at both the Granoff and Ornstein music schools. 'Trane', as he is known, played with Eddie Vinson in 1947-48, Dizzy Gillespie 49-51, Early Bastic 52-53, Johnny Hodges 53-54 nad has been with Miles Davis since 1955. [...]
"Paul Chambers. Born in Pittsburgh but spent most of his life in Detroit before coming to New Yorkin 1954. Worked with Bennie Green, Jay and Kai and George Wallington. With Miles Davis group since 1955. Considered to be -the- new star on his instrument, Paul is equally adept at plucked or bowed solos. Two of the latter are his contributions in this set. [...]
"Philly Joe Jones is, as you've surmised, from the City of Brotherly Love. As mentioned before, he was with Elmo in Joe Morris' band. Joe came to prominence in the Fifties with Tony Scott's combo and Tadd Dameron's band. Since late 1955 he has been swinging the Miles Davis quintet along with Chambers. [...]
"In keeping with the informal format, the tunes are mainly vehicles for blowing. The two originals 'Weeja' and 'On It' are by Elmo. Both are riffers which expedite the blowing. 'Weeja' has everyone 'confirming' Bird's word and 'On It' is a blues. 'Polka Dots and Moonbeams' has that after a love affair feeling - a kind of reminiscing over what no longer is but how wonder were those moments, nevertheless. 'Avalon' lends itself to swinging admirably. 'Weeja' and 'On It' revive the tenor battle which died when Sonny Stitt and Gene Ammons broke up. It's still a stimulating tournament and Hank and Trane make it interesting because although they are both in a general idiom they are as different as two men in a similar area can be." (Ira Gitler. From the liner notes.)
Performers: Elmo Hope (pi), Donald Byrd (tp), John Coltrane/Hank Mobley (t-sx), Paul Chambers (bs), Philly Joe Jones (dr)
A1. Weeja
A2. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
B1. On It
B2. Avalon
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