Fats Navarro: Nostalgia, 1946-'47

One of jazz's greatest losses due to drug addiction was the death of Fats Navarro in 1950 at age 26. The trumpeter's promise was extraordinary and only partly expressed and fulfilled. After Dizzy Gillespie, Navarro was probably a close second in terms of sheer sound, technique, improvisation prowess and the ability to navigate bebop from its earliest days in 1945 and '46.

A good introduction to Navarro is a 12-inch compilation of his 78rpm recordings for the Savoy label in 1946 and '47. His playing was both piercing and fleshy, exhibiting raw power in places on solos and a fleet ability to come up with ideas.

Here's the complete Nostalgia showcasing Fats Navarro on Savoy without ad interruptions...