Comin' On
With less than a dozen recordings available on which Dizzy Reece was a leader, the appearance of this previously unreleased album by the talented trumpeter is cause for celebration. A Jamaican who came to New York via London, Reece released several albums in England during the mid-1950s that led to his 1958 Blue Note debut onBlues in Trinity. He followed withStar Brightin 1959, played congas on Art Blakey'sAfricaine, and in April 1960 laid down the first five tracks of this CD using the Jazz Messenger's rhythm section. The session is notable not only for marking the Blue Note debut of tenor saxophonistStanley Turrentine, but also for including "Achmet"--an unusual, percussive tune Reece based on an Algerian theme--and "The Case of the Frightened Lover," which showcases his skill as a composer of catchy melodies. The four remaining tracks, from a July 1960 session, have as their highlight a sublime Reece solo on a subdued quartet's reading of the standard "The Things We Did Last Summer."--Mitchell Feldman