Top Picks
Tal Farlow
Guitar Genius: The L.A. Sessions, Giant Steps. 2-disc set that groups together Tal Farlow Quartet sessions with Claude Williamson, piano; Red Mitchell, bass; Stan Levey, drums, and includes other Verve releases
The Tal Farlow Album, Verve. Barry Galbraith, guitar; Oscar Pettiford, bass; Joe Morello, drums, on 8 of 12 tracks
Tal Farlow Trio
Fuerst Set and Second Set, Xanadu. Companion recordings with Eddie Costa, piano; Vinnie Burke, bass
A Sign of the Times, Concord. Hank Jones, piano; Ray Brown, bass
Swinging Guitar of Tal Farlow, Verve. Eddie Costa, piano; Vinnie Burke, bass
Tal, Verve. Eddie Costa, piano; Vinnie Burke, bass
Tal Farlow Quartet: Autumn in New York, Verve. Gerald Wiggins, piano; Ray Brown, bass; Chico Hamilton, drums
Red Norvo Trio
Legendary Trio, Vol. 2, Vintage Jazz Classics. Charles Mingus, bass
Move!, Savoy. Charles Mingus, bass
Superior
Tal Farlow Trio
Chromatic Palette, Concord. Tommy Flanagan, piano
Cookin’ on All Burners, Concord. James Williams, piano
Trilogy, Tristar. Mike Nock, piano: Lynn Christie, bass
Tal Farlow Quintet
The Legendary, Concord. Sam Most, flute, tenor sax; Frank Strazzeri, piano; Albert Heath, drums
On Stage, Concord. Red Norvo, vibes; Hank Jones, piano; Ray Brown, bass; Jake Hanna, drums
Buddy DeFranco Quintet
Cooking the Blues, Verve. Sonny Clark, piano
Like Someone in Love, Progressive. Derek Smith, piano; George Duvivier, bass
Oscar Pettiford Sextet, Vogue. Al Cohn, tenor sax; Kai Winding, trombone; Percy Heath, bass; Max Roach, drums
Excellent
Tal Farlow: A Recital by Tal Farlow, Verve. Bill Perkins, tenor sax; Bob Gordon, bari sax; Larance Marable, drums
Howard McGhee, Vol. 2/Tal Farlow Quartet, Blue Note. Farlow is present on the McGhee blowing session as well as heading up his own early quartet; the McGhee date includes Horace Silver, piano, and Percy Heath, bass.
Sonny Criss Quintet: Up, Up and Away, OJC/Prestige. Cedar Walton, piano; Bob Cranshaw, bass; Lenny McBrowne, drums
Artie Shaw and His Gramercy Five: Last Recordings: Rare and Unreleased and More Last Recordings, Music Masters. Joe Roland, vibes; Hank Jones, piano, and tracks including alternate guitarist Joe Puma, a great bonus