[.ca] Bean Bags

From Amazon.co.uk:
As co-leaders of this 1959 session, reissued here in exactly the same shape as the original Bean Bags LP, Coleman Hawkins and Milt Jackson reveal their elegant immersion in slow tempos and blues structures. Coleman Hawkins has been called the first truly great saxophonist, in jazz or otherwise. Milt Jackson, who elected to play for decades in the collective Modern Jazz Quartet rather than pursue a mainly solo career, is certainly the first great modern vibes player in jazz. Jackson learned from Lionel Hampton but developed a harmonic approach to his instrument, which sparkled and resonated as warmly as either tuned drums or a piano. The two players bounce smouldering ideas off each other ("Close Your Eyes") and play to their individual strengths on the two Jackson-penned blues numbers, with Hawkins playing breathy shadows and then leaping registers and Jackson letting the vibes sing with controlled sustain and all the complex art of slowed bebop. The rest of the band is notable, too: bassist Eddie Jones and MJQ drummer Connie Kay work with young guitarist Kenny Burrell and pianist Tommy Flanagan to merge harmony and rhythm wonderfully. --Andrew Bartlett

They Did It Again!:
What a listening experience.Bags without a doubt is the "Absolute Truth" on the vibes,and Coleman is right there with him.My favorite jazz album of all time is "Opus De Jazz" by Milt,but this one is righ up there with it.The eloquence of their playing is just great.Especially loved the selection Close Your Eyes.It showcased both their talents to the utmost.Just great.

One of the best M.J. disc.:
A Nice Suprising. A must have for all M.J. fans. Both material and Sound is Super - 5 stars. I still think Kind of Blues is the best Jazz CD of all time, but this disc is definitely one of the best Jazz CD I've heard.

Clever Title....:
with Bean being Hawkins' nickname as Bags was for Jackson. More importantly that this '59 effort, now on cd, features two legends on their respective instruments and with a supporting cast who may be arguably legends as well. Fittingly, there are two ballads in the set as both Jackson and Hawkins had romanticism in their souls (who will ever forget Hawkins' recording of "Body and Soul"?). They both romp through the Hawkins' original, "Stuffy", and the standard "Get Happy". The set concludes with two Jackson original blues, one slow with the other a medium tempo, on which everyone gets their chops. A very listenable and enjoyable set!

1.000 stars:
with over 1,500 cds in my collection , mostly jazz . this recording by milt and coleman tops the list . passing miles davis bitches brew and kind of blue , beyond my kenny burrells (featured here) and gabor szabos ... past even coletrane and my main man mingus . this record is so smooth , so groovy that i'm gonna have a real hard time even buying any thing else . what would compare ? mor milt i suppose , color me addicted .

• Close Your Eyes
• Stuffy
• Don't Take Your Love From Me
• Get Happy
• Sandra's Blues
• Indian Blues