Reissued in this two-CD set are all of the recordings from the first
Cannonball Adderley Quintet, a group that despite its talents failed commercially. With
Cannonball on alto, cornetist
Nat Adderley, pianist
Junior Mance, bassist
Sam Jones, and drummer
Jimmy Cobb, it is surprising that the group did not make it, but the
Adderleys were fairly unknown at the time. The music is quite bop-oriented, bluesy but not as soulful as it would be when
Cannonball put together a new group in 1959. This set reissues all of the music originally included on
Nat Adderley's
To the Ivy League from Nat, and
Cannonball's Sophisticated Swing,
Cannonball Enroute, and
Sharp Shooters (except for one trio feature without the horns) plus a few cuts not released until the CD era. The generous reissue not only gives one a fine sampling of the first
Cannonball Adderley Quintet but everything they recorded. Highly recommended to bop fans.