Backgrounder: Herbie Mann - Yardbird Suite

By 1957, the West Coast jazz scene was firmly established and its musicians were working regularly in Los Angeles' many recording studios. The best ones worked relentlessly cranking out 12-inch LPs. The same was true of New York's jazz scene, where improvisers found themselves in strong demand by leading labels such as Blue Note, Prestige, Savoy and Riverside.

That year, six of the finest New York players appeared on Yardbird Suite, an extraordinary album led by flutist Herbie Mann. Recorded for Savoy in May 1957, the album featured Herbie Mann (fl,ts), Phil Woods (as), Eddie Costa (p,vib), Joe Puma (g), Wendell Marshall (b) and Bobby Donaldson (d). 

The tracks:

• Yardbird Suite
• Here's That Mann
• One for Tubby
• Squire's Parlor
• Who Knew?
• Opicana

Here's the complete Yardbird Suite without ad interruptions...