Howard McGhee - Maggie's Back in Town!! (1961) [1992]

Trumpeter Howard McGhee, after spending much of the 1950s only partly active in music (due to drug problems), made a full-fledged comeback in the early '60s only to find his bop-oriented music out of fashion. This Contemporary set was McGhee's finest recording of the period, a quartet outing with brilliant pianist Phineas Newborn, bassist Leroy Vinnegar, and drummer Shelly Manne. Although tenor saxophonist Teddy Edwards is not on the date, two of his compositions (his famous "Sunset Eyes" and a tribute to the trumpeter, "Maggie's Back in Town") are fully explored by the quartet. Other titles include three standards plus McGhee's original blues "Demon Chase." This CD is a perfect starting point for listeners not familiar with the underrated (and often overlooked) Howard McGhee.

Tracks:

01. Demon Chase
02. Willow Weep for Me
03. Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise
04. Sunset Eyes
05. Maggie's Back in Town
06. Summertime
07. Brownie Speaks

Personnel:

Howard McGhee(trumpet)
Phineas Newborn, Jr.(piano)
Leroy Vinnegar(bass)
Shelly Manne(drums)