Every order supports this station. The under-appreciated jazz musician whose talents far outdistance his fame is a cliche plenty of players suffer through. This two disc set, released as part of the Blue Note Connoisseur series, documents the first three albums Criss made under his own name, all recorded in 1956. Criss combined an excellent technical command of his horn with a tone that directly conveyed a deep intensity of feeling. When Sonny played, he told the truth.
Every note is honest.
Criss honed his modern jazz skills on Central Avenue in Los Angeles, and as part of the Jazz at the Philharmonic concerts presented by Norman Granz in the late '40s and early '50s. Criss' fervent bop playing wasn't in vogue, so there was little opportunity to record. He took what gigs he could find, including a three year run with Buddy Rich beginning in 1955. Two of the sessions are a mix of standards and a few originals that are, for the most part, slow or boppish blues. The third session is titled Plays Cole Porter .