Trombonist Matthew Gee was primarily a section player and a valuable sideman, but as this CD reissue shows, he could have been a significant soloist too. The two sessions (Gee's only two as a leader) feature him in an unusual quintet with altoist
Ernie Henry (the trombone-alto blend has a unique sound) and at the head of a septet also including trumpeter
Kenny Dorham, tenorman
Frank Foster, and baritonist
Cecil Payne. The music is quite bop-oriented and mixes together standards with three swinging Gee originals. An underrated and generally overlooked gem by a forgotten trombonist. ~ Scott Yanow