Thad Jones - Complete Albums Collection: 1954-1959 (2017)

Hailing from an esteemed jazz family, Thad Jones' talent stood out early on and he would go on to become a leading trumpeter, composer and arranger. Biographer Raymond Horricks referred to him as A man of purpose, a deep thinker and an idealist in his music almost to the point of aestheticism, believing that if a musician doesn't set out to be creative then there is no point in his playing at all. He appeared on the records of countless other artists during his lifetime, including those by Count Basie, Yusuf Lateef, Coleman Hawkins, Buddy Rich, Charles Mingus, Herbie Hancock and Kenny Burrell. However, Jones was at his finest when leading his own groups. This four disc collection brings together the entirety of Thad Jones's early catalogue as bandleader, collating as it does nine original, remastered albums and over five hours of music in total. Providing a fitting tribute to the unique genius of this master musician, the set serves as both the perfect introduction for those new to Jones' music, and a welcome reminder of the great man's work for those already familiar.