Booker Ervin: The Good Book – The Early Years 1960-62 | CD, Acrobat

Description

The terms “unsung hero” and “musicians’ musician” were all too frequently appended to Ervin’s name during his short lifetime, yet in spite of these inhibiting labels he recorded no fewer than fifteen albums as a leader, as well as appearing as a sideman on over a dozen others.

This new Acrobat anthology celebrates the early years of his recorded career at the dawn of the 1960s, a juncture in which Hard Bop, Soul Jazz and the Avant-Garde all jostled for primacy, and which found Ervin a player perfectly equipped for the times. Featuring all three of his initial albums as a leader – The Book Cooks, Cookin’ and That’s it! – together with selected appearances with bands led by vibraphonist Teddy Charles, pianists Horace Parlan and Mal Waldron and fellow-tenor Bill Barron (the rare Hot Line album), this 4-CD retrospective is accompanied by an extensive booklet note by award-winning saxophonist and author Simon Spillett, carefully re-examining Ervin’s work, and uncovering much hitherto unknown information about his early life, alongside period photographs.

Brand new, unsealed 4-CD set. A few marks on jewel case from storage.