Greatest Trumpet of Them All

High-definition premium 180gm vinyl pressing of this classic Jazz album. Wax Time Records. 2010. Beyond the meaningless controversy presented by Leonard Feather in the original liner notes as to who plays "the greatest jazz trumpet" (how can you compare the likes of individual geniuses such as Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Roy Eldridge and Clifford Brown, to name but a few?), the Greatest Trumpet of Them All is a truly interesting album. It presented Dizzy Gillespie in a relatively new context: an octet featuring the arrangements of Gigi Gryce and Benny Golson. Two of the most creative composers and arrangers of their time, they were also wonderful instrumentalists who formed part of the octet. Golson had first recorded with Diz in 1956 as a member of Gillespie's big band. Gryce had been a member of the trumpeter's orchestra in 1955 (participating on a recording session for Norman Granz on September 12 of that year), but wouldn't record with Diz again until the Greatest Trumpet of Them All, which would mark their final recorded collaboration. The contrast between Gillespie's trumpet and Golson and Gryce's compositions and arrangements is quite interesting and differentiates this LP from other albums by Diz in which he tended to present more "popular" material or to clown a bit while singing on some tracks. This is by far a more serious project, and Gillespie limits himself to playing his horn. While it can be argued that he alone was not the greatest trumpeter of all time, it is an indisputable fact that Dizzy was certainly one of the greatest trumpeters of them all.