Jazz Collection

Any program that includes live performances by legitimate jazz legends such as Art Blakey, Stan Getz, and Dizzy Gillespie is nothing to sneeze at. So while this package has plenty of shortcomings, including misspellings of names and mislabeling of tunes, relatively poor sound and a generally shoddy approach (blues singer/songwriter Willie Dixon a jazz artist?…uh, not really), it still has its worthwhile elements. You get tunes by Blakey, the master drummer who provides his uniquely explosive backing for a band that includes the young Wynton and Branford Marsalis; Getz, whose sublime tenor sax tone is one of the most distinctive sounds in jazz; Dizzy, seen here with a relatively undistinguished, mostly electric group; and appearances by lesser-known but still superb artists such as trumpeter Red Rodney, pianist Kenny Drew and saxophonist Dexter Gordon. As for Dixon, well… a jazzbo he ain't, but it's still nice to hear “Seventh Son.” Also nice are the surprisingly complete bios of the players, and a history of jazz that thoroughly explicates styles from ragtime to fusion. Hardly an essential purchase, but this will appeal to devoted jazz fans. Optional. Aud: P. (S. Graham)