Earl Bostic: His Finest Albums (4 CDs) ENLIGHTENMENT

American jazz alto saxophonist and pioneer of the post-war American rhythm and blues style, Earl Bostic was an enormous influence in the development of jazz since he emerged as a maverick musician within the genre, in the early 1940s. He would go on to inform major and unique players as diverse as John Coltrane (on whom he was a profound influence), Gerry Mulligan, Hank Mobley and numerous other sax-men. Bostic had a number of popular hits such as ‘Flamingo’, ‘Harlem Nocturne’, ‘Temptation’, ‘Sleep’, ‘Special Delivery Stomp’ and ‘Where or When’, all of which showed off his characteristic ‘growl’ on his instrument. The multi-disc collection features what are almost certainly the finest albums Earl Bostic ever recorded. Released between 1953 and 1963 – the great man’s ultimate heyday – these records, featured here in beautiful re-mastered quality, illustrate clearly the musical prowess of Earl Bostic, and the huge contribution he made to jazz music throughout his life.



– Disc 1 –
1 East of the Sun
2 When Your Lover Has Gone
3 Bugle Call Rag
4 Remember
5 Blue Moon
6 Beyond the Blue Horizon
7 ‘Cause You’re My Lover
8 Melody of Love
9 Cocktails for Two
10 I’ll String Along with You
11 I Love You Truly
12 Dream
13 Harlem Nocturne
14 Where or When
15 Sweet Lorraine
16 Poeme
17 You Go to My Head
18 Off Shore
19 The Moon Is Low
20 Ain’t Misbehavin’
21 The Sheikh of Araby
22 I Hear a Rhapsody
23 Roses of Picardy
24 Melancholy Serenade

– Disc 2 –
1 Lover Come Back to Me
2 The Merry Widow Waltz
3 Cracked Ice
4 Song of the Islands
5 Danube Waves
6 Wrap It Up
7 Blue Skies
8 Ubangi Stomp
9 Cherry Bean
10 Earl’s Imagination
11 My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice
12 Lieberstraum
13 Temptation
14 Jeannine, I Dream of Lilac Time
15 September Song
16 She’s Funny That Way
17 Just Too Shy
18 Exercise
19 Josephine
20 Away
21 A Gay Day
22 Make Believe
23 Vienna, City of My Dreams
24 Answer Me

– Disc 3 –
1 Southern Fried
2 Jersey Bounce
3 Jumpin’ at the Woodside
4 Tuxedo Junction
5 720 in the Books
6 Air Mail Special
7 Pompton Turnpike
8 Woodchopper’s Ball
9 Night Train
10 Stompin’ at the Savoy
11 Honeysuckle Rose
12 No Name Jive
13 Lester Leaps in
14 920 Special
15 Special Delivery Stomp
16 Anvil Chorus
17 Two O’Clock Jump
18 Back Beat
19 John’s Idea
20 Royal Garden Blues
21 Indian Boogie Woogie
22 Fur Trapper’s Ball
23 Lunceford Special
24 Back Bay Shuffle

– Disc 4 –
1 Twilight Time
2 Stairway to the Stars
3 Rockin’ with Richard
4 Be My Love
5 Pinkie
6 Goodnight Sweetheart
7 Over the Waves Rock
8 Jer-On-Imo
9 C Jam Blues
10 Wee-Gee Board
11 The Wrecking Rock
12 Sweet Home Rock
13 Don’t Do It Please
14 Ten Out
15 Telstar Drive
16 Taste of Fresh Air
17 Hunt and Peck
18 Fast Track
19 Apple Cake