Herb Ellis - Thank You, Charlie Christian (1960)

Thank You Charlie Christian pays homage to the legendary jazz guitarist in a manner most appropriate to an innovator of his stature rather than merely imitate that which is inimitable, Herb Ellis channels the imagination and expressiveness of his hero to create a lean, mean sound far more forward-thinking than nostalgic. Like Christian, Ellis favors feeling over flash and economy over excess paired here with pianist Frank Strazzari, bassist Chuck Berghofer, cellist Harry Babasin and drummer Kenny Hume, he creates a series of compact and determinedly contemporary bop snapshots in vivid Technicolor, not the black-and-white of a bygone era. A beautiful and heartfelt record that draws from the past but refuses to live in it.