Complete Original Quartet / Quintet Sessions
Although Ruby Braff and Dave McKenna played together on several occasions during their long careers, these two sessions best represent their collective legacy for a number of reasons. It must be said that their recorded collaborations were not as abundant as one might expect. Their two initial sessions together were as sidemen for other musicians: a 1955 date as part of the Benny Goodman septet, and a February 1956 session backing singer Milli Vernon's recording debut. These dates were followed by the two incredible sessions included here. After that, the only known recordings of the Hackett-McKenna partnership are a 1961 live recording at Eddie Condon's with Bobby Hackett and Peanuts Hucko, and two 1991-93 double albums with a band including tenor saxophonist Scott Hamilton. The sessions featured on this edition are, thus, their only true small group quartet/quintet) recordings and the only instrumental sessions they made at the peak of their careers, in which both musicians can be considered, in a way, session leaders. Gambit. 2006.