Ruby Braff - You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me (2020)

It is often written that Ruby Braff was born too late, that he would have been more at home if he entered the jazz scene during the era of Dixieland or swing. That didn't bother him in the least, as he went on to record dozens of albums as a leader during a career that spanned a half-century. This pair of studio sessions from 1959 features the trumpeter with an outstanding group consisting of vibraphonist Don Elliott, guitarist Mundell Lowe, bassist Milt Hinton, drummer Don Lamond, and either Nat Pierce or Hank Jones on piano. Sadly, the ten tracks recorded were popular at the time but have all faded from modern jazz repertoire, with the exception of You'd Be So Nice to Come Home To." Braff loved what he considered to be great melodies, and his improvisations are consistently well conceived, yet never stray too far from the basic chord structure. Highlights include the lush treatment of "You're Getting to be a Habit with Me" (with superb comping by Lowe), the brisk "Taking a Chance on Love," and an energetic "If Dreams Come True." The sound on this LP, which was made at the dawn of the stereo era, is amazingly intimate. This is one of many first rate recordings made by Ruby Braff during the early part of his career that is long overdue to be reissued. Expect to pay a premium price for this long unavailable Stere-o-craft LP, if you can find it at all. ~ Ken Dryden