Buck Clayton

4 1/2 STARS ALL MUSIC GUIDE

Pure Pleasure Records has brought this mono fidelity session to life on 180-gram vinyl. The original, meticulous engineering sounds flawless. The instrumentation (both individual and combined) is pristine in clarity and mixing. All of the horns and reeds sound great, without a trace of shrillness. The reproduction of the original gatefold is top-notch (including the plug for Columbia needles). [Interesting how the audiophile vinyl reissues often look so much like the original LP release (if someone has it) that even the name of the repressing label doesn’t appear anywhere, even on the vinyl’s center label…Ed.] "How Hi The Fi" is jazz at its best!

TRACKS, DATES & PERSONNEL

SIDE 1: How Hi The Fi
SIDE 2: Blue Moon

BUCK CLAYTON,  JOE THOMAS, trumpet
URBIE GREEN, TRUMMY YPUNG, trombone
WOODY HERMAN, clarinet
LEM DAVIS, alto sax
JULIAN DASH, AL COHN, tenor sax
JIMMY JONES, piano
STEVE JORDAN, guitar
WALTER PAGE, bass
JO JONES, drums

Recorded March 31st 1954

SIDE 3:  Sentimental Journey
SIDE 4: Moten Swing

BUCK CLYTON, JOE NEWMAN, trumpet
URBIE GREE, BENNY POWELL, trombone
LEM DAVIS, alto sax
JULIAN DASH, tenor sax
CHARLIE FOWLKES, baritone sax
SIR THOMAS THOMPSON, piano
FREDDIE GREEN, guitar
WALTER PAGE, bass
JO JONES, drums

Recorded December 14th 1953