Stan Getz - The Definitive Stan Getz (2002)

The Definitive Stan Getz winds its way through the major periods of the legendary tenor saxophonist, starting with his tenure in Woody Herman & the Second Herd in 1948, through '50s cool jazz dates recorded for the Roost label, mid-'60s bossa nova experiments with Joao Gilberto, his nod toward a harder sound in the '70s propelled by a rhythm section of Chick Corea, Ron Carter, and Grady Tate, and his final recordings in the late '80s/early '90s with pianist Kenny Barron. While The Definitive Stan Getz doesn't come close to presenting a complete overview of his career, it does an excellent job at scratching the surface. -- Al Campbell