Presenting Red Mitchell

Though he never became a marquee name like Ron Carter or Oscar Pettiford, bassist Red Mitchell was an important figure in the development of the West Coast “cool” jazz style that was in the ascendant during the 1950s. Despite its title, this was actually Mitchell’s second album as a leader, and it gave him an opportunity to show off the chops he’d acquired during stints alongside the likes of Woody Herman, Red Norvo, and Hampton Hawes. Leading a small combo that included saxophonist/flutist Paul Clay and the brilliant young pianist Lorraine Geller, Mitchell delivers a solid set of cool and bebop standards recorded in a dry, warm acoustic; as an album it’s an exemplar of the 1950s jazz sound, and a consistently and thoroughly enjoyable listening experience.