Tenor saxophonist
Eli "Lucky" Thompson came up in Detroit but made all of his earliest recordings in the Los Angeles area during the 1940s. This fascinating album of rare jazz opens with a mind-blowing
Timme Rosenkrantz-sponsored jam session recorded on December 26, 1944.
Thompson leads an ensemble combining violinist
Stuff Smith, trombonist
Bobby Pratt, pianist
Erroll Garner, and drummer
George Wettling. "Test Pilots" appears to be a collective improvisation during which, like many
Stuff Smith dates, the mood is wonderfully relaxed and informal. Recording for the Excelsior label in September of 1945,
Lucky Thompson's All-Stars consisted of trumpeter
Karl George, trombonist
J.J. Johnson, bop clarinetist
Rudy Rutherford and a tough rhythm section in
Bill Doggett,
Freddie Green,
Rodney Richardson, and
Shadow Wilson. In August, 1946,
Thompson appeared in a live performance with fellow tenor
Jack McVea and trumpeter
Howard McGhee, along with pianist
Jimmy Bunn, guitarist
Irving Ashby, bassist
Red Callender and drummer
Jackie Mills. The proceedings were recorded and issued on the Black and White label under the heading of "Ralph Bass' Junior Jazz Series." The five-minute "Oodle Coo Bop" is really "Ornithology." It is followed by a gutsy jam titled "Bopin' Bop," and a 12-minute blowout simply called "Big Noise." This begins with a detailed introduction by producer
Ralph Bass, who speaks like a 1940s high school principal or camp counselor. "Body and Soul," a feature for
Hilton Jefferson-styled alto saxophonist
Les Robinson, was included for the sake of completeness even though
Thompson is not heard on this track. His next date as a leader occurred on September 13, 1946 and is noteworthy for the presence of piano genius
Dodo Marmarosa.
Red Callender and
Jackie Mills acted as the perfect "other half" of this smart little quartet.
Dodo and
Red were present at the "Lucky Moments" session on April 22, 1947, where
Thompson delivered a masterpiece in tenor sax ballad artistry, "Just One More Chance." This inventive octet included
Benny Carter,
Neal Hefti, baritone saxophonist
Bob Lawson, guitarist
Barney Kessel, and
Lester Young's brother
Lee on the drums. It forms one rousing conclusion for this excellent collection of
Lucky Thompson's earliest recordings.