Franco Cerri - Franco Cerri & His European Jazz Stars (1959) [2008]

A gem of a session from Italian guitarist Franco Cerri — recording here at the end of the 50s with a well-titled batch of European jazz stars ! The groups shift slightly throughout the set, and players include Lars Gullin on baritone sax, Flavio Ambrosetti on alto, George Gruntz on piano, and Pierre Favre on drums ! The album features one trio track, three quartet numbers, three quintet tunes, and one sextet cut — all of them with Cerri's illuminating single-line work on guitar — sounding especially nice next to the horns. Ambrosetti is a real treat here — a sharp-edged player we'd never heard before, working with a strong undercurrent of soul that we really appreciate.

Tracks:

01. Foxology (3:53)
02. East Of The Sun (3:54)
03. Felixin (4:11)
04. General Riff (3:37)
05. Flavio's Blues (4:08)
06. Just One Of Those Things (3:20)
07. Pennies From Heaven (3:04)
08. Runnin' Wild (5:07)

Personnel:

Franco Cerri - guitar
Flavio Ambrosetti - alto saxophone
Lars Gullin - baritone saxophone
George Gruntz - piano
Michael Geier - bass
Pierre Favre - drums