Backgrounder: Lucky Thompson + Oscar Pettiford

After I posted Tuesday on saxophonist Lucky Thompson, the emails poured in. So I decided to make my Backgrounder this week one of the Thompson albums I love dearly: Lucky Thompson Featuring Oscar Pettiford. The material was recorded in January and February 1956.

The four January tracks are Bo-Bi My Boy, OP Meets LT, Tricotism and Body and Soul. The trio was Lucky Thompson (ts), Skeeter Best (g) and Oscar Pettiford (b).

The four February tracks are Tom-Kattin, Old Reliable, Deep Passion and Translation. The group included Jimmy Cleveland (tb), who was listed as Jimmy Whatsmyname; Lucky Thompson (ts); Hank Jones (p); Oscar Pettiford (b) and Osie Johnson (d).

All of the songs were composed by Thompson, except Tricotism, which was by Pettiford. Thompson's first recording with Pettiford was in 1945 on four sides of two 78s. The group was billed as Estelle Edson with Oscar Pettiford & All Stars. The two recorded together fairly regularly in New York leading up to this album for ABC Paramount. The LP was one of the first produced for the label by Creed Taylor after he left Bethlehem Records.

Fresh Sound offers this LP and another by Thompson and Pettiford on one CD. Go here.

Here's Lucky Thompson Featuring Oscar Pettiford without ad interruptions...

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