LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

Illinois Jacquet made his mark with Lionel Hampton in 1941 as a specialist in swagger, screech, and stimulation. That aspect of his playing became further fixed in the public mind when he toured with Jazz At The Philharmonic. Those who paid attention to the whole musician knew that Jacquet's abilities encompassed a great deal more than exhibitionism, as he proved in the mid-Forties on his Apollo, Aladdin, and Savoy recordings. Jacquet was never off the scene, but he was neglected through the 1950s and early '60s. When his Prestige albums attracted critical favor and gathered a new audience, it amounted to a comeback that has never slowed. For The King! Jacquet surrounded himself with sidemen who understood not only his excitement but his lyricism and thoughtfulness. They included the daddy of modern drumming, Jo Jones.
Track listing:A Haunting Melody, I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free, How High the Moon, The King, Blue and Sentimental, Caravan, plus CD bonus tracks A Haunting Melody (take 9), Blue and Sentimental (take 5)