DAVIS, MILES

In the 1950s, the Hi-Hat was one of Boston's top jazz clubs. The place boasted a lot of high-quality local talent, and it had no problem attracting famous visitors like Charlie Parker, Sonny Stitt, and Miles Davis. This CD, which the Spanish Fresh Sound label put out in 1989, contains a very rare recording of Davis performing at the Hi-Hat in 1955. The trumpeter is teamed up with four Boston-based Hi-Hat regulars who were billed as the Hi-Hat All Stars: tenor saxophonist Jay Migliori, pianist Al Walcott, bassist Jimmy Woode, and drummer Jimmy Zitano. The musicians prove to be highly compatible during an enjoyable, bop-oriented program that ranges from spirited performances of "Tune Up," "Dig," and Thelonious Monk's "Well, You Needn't" to a lyrical version of the ballad "Darn That Dream." The sound quality wouldn't impress an audiophile, but it's definitely listenable. Although Hi-Hat All Stars isn't essential and isn't recommended to casual listeners, it's a CD that serious bop collectors will want to hunt for.

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