George Wallington - George Wallington. Complete 1956-1957 Quintet Sessions. Jazz for the Carriage Trade / The New York Scene / Jazz at Hotchkiss / 52nd Street (2015)

Pianist George Wallington decided to disband his very swinging quintet in October 1955, but reformed two months later, keeping only Donald Byrd from his old formation.

The new quintet recorded three memorable albums, each distinguished by superb solo work and all three shining examples of mainstream modern hard bop. Over a quality repertoire, both Donald Byrds distinct horn and warm, thoughtful lines, and the much featured Phil Woods heated, depth-filled inventiveness, give added life to these fine quintet sides. George Wallington, as always at his best on ballads, is particularly poignant on the very pretty Graduation Day. The members of the rhythm section changed from date to date, but they provide consistently inspired support to the freshness and incisiveness of the strikingly individual Wallington, Byrd and Woods a point marked by the case of Art Taylor, who was with Wallingtons first group and joined him again to replace Will Bradley Jr., who couldnt make it for the first album.

The music in the fourth album, which evokes the atmosphere of a typical set at one of the old 52nd Street clubs, is played by two quintets headed by Wallington, with Phil Woods, bassist Curley Russell, trumpeters Idrees Sulieman and Thad Jones, and drummers Denzil Best and Art Taylor sharing the chores with no loss of quality.