Featuring: Gil Mellé (bs); Art Farmer, Kenny Dorham (tp); Seldon Powell (ts); Hal McKusick (as); Julius Watkins (frh);Joe Cinderella (g); Teddy Charles (vib); George Duvivier, Billy Phillips (b); Ed Thigpen, Shadow Wilson (d).

Writer-baritone saxophonist Gil Mellé led a quartet that played some of the most creative, ohesive and provocative jazz sounds of the Fifties. His unorthodox approach echoed his attitudes toward the whole field of jazz and his thoughtful frameworks were, in his own words, "the perfect admixture of classical techniques with jazz emotion and beat". Mellé´ s cliche-free writing was always fresh and bright, his lines attractive and flowing. On baritone he was a relaxed soloist, with a warm deep tone, rolling phrasing and fluid beat. But though his was the prime voice, his colleagues also displayed a consistent quality of musicianship. And although all were fine musicians in their own right, it¹s worth noting the lucid and imaginative guitarist Joe Cinderella, and the musical breadth and intelligence of drummer Ed Thigpen. That said, the music you will hear on this CD unquestionably bears the emotional and intellectual stamp of Gil Mellé (1931-2004), a thinking musician, daring and unafraid to push the boundaries.

Tracklisting:

CD-1
Gil Mellé, baritone sax; Joe Cinderella, guitar; Billy Phillips, bass; Ed Thigpen, drums.
Hackensack, N.J., April 6, and June 1 (#4-6) 1956
01. ADVENTURE SWING 6:01
02. MARK ONE 4:49
03. DEDICATORY PIECE TO THE GEOPHYSICAL YEAR OF 1957 4:45
04. DOMINICA 5:54
05. BALLET TIME 6:48
06. IRON WORKS 3:59

Gil Mellé, baritone sax; Joe Cinderella, guitar; George Duvivier, bass; Shadow Wilson, drums. Hackensack, N.J., April 26, 1957

07. WALTER EGO 3:24
08. JACQUELINE 5:18
09. IT DON¹T MEAN A THING 6:15
10. FULL HOUSE 5:15
11. QUADRAMA 3:35
12. IN A SENTIMENTAL MOOD 4:47
13. RUSH HOUR IN HONG KONG 6:49

CD-2
Art Farmer, trumpet, Julius Watkins, French horn; Hal McKusick, alto sax; Gil Mellé, baritone sax; Joe Cinderella, guitar; Vinnie Burke, bass; Ed Thigpen, drums.
Hackensack, N.J., August 10, 1956

01. TOMORROW 6:12
02. BLOCK ISLAND 4:55
03. SOUDAN 6:24

Kenny Dorham, trumpet; Don Butterfield, tuba; Hal McKusick, alto sax; Gil Mellé, baritone sax; Joe Cinderella, guitar; Vinnie Burke, bass; Ed Thigpen, Drums.
Hackensack, N.J., August 24, 1956

04. STILL LIFE 8:14
05. SIXPENCE 5:54
06. GHENGIS 3:47

Art Farmer, trumpet; Hal McKusick, alto sax; Seldon Powell, tenor sax; Gil Mellé, baritone sax; Teddy Charles, vibes; George Duvivier, bass; Shadow Wilson, drums.
Hackensack, N.J., January 18, 1957

07. FUNK FOR STAR PEOPLE 6:38
08. GOLDEN AGE 6:48
09. HERBIE 4:21

CD-1
Tracks 1-6 from the 12" LP 'Plays Primitive Modern' Prestige PRLP 7040
Tracks 7-13 from the 12" LP 'Quadrama' Prestige PRLP 7097

CD-2
Tracks 1-6 from the 12" LP 'Gil's Guests' Prestige PRLP 7063
Tracks 7-9 from an unfinished Prestige 12" LP