Even though the music on this LP has yet to be made available on CD, it gets the highest rating because the performances are so unique. Pianist
Lennie Tristano is heard with his finest group, a sextet with altoist
Lee Konitz, tenor-saxophonist
Warne Marsh, guitarist
Billy Bauer, bassist Arnold Fishkin, and either
Harold Granowsky or
Denzil Best on drums. Their seven selections include some truly remarkable unisons on "Wow," memorable interplay by the horns on "Sax of a Kind," and the earliest examples of free improvisation in jazz: "Intuition" and "Digression." In addition, the set features clarinetist
Buddy DeFranco with vibraphonist
Teddy Charles in a sextet on three numbers and backed by a big band for two others; the radical "A Bird in Igor's Yard" was composed and arranged by
George Russell. This essential LP (which is subtitled Capitol Jazz Classics Vol. 14) concludes with a feature for trombonist
Bill Harris on
Neal Hefti's "Opus 96." Consistently brilliant and advanced music.