The Albums Collection 1959-62

Julian “Junior” Mance, who died in January 2021 at the age of 92, was a modern jazz pianist who began his career in the bebop era, and whose playing was characterised by a soulful bluesy style. He worked in the bands of Gene Ammons and Lester Young before army service, and then accompanied Dinah Washington and was with Cannonball Adderley and Dizzy Gillespie in the 1950s before forming his own trio to record first for Norman Granz’s Verve label and then for Jazzland and Riverside through into the 1960s. This 64-track 4-CD set comprises all the titles from his albums released during these years – “Junior” for Verve, “The Soulful Piano Of Junior Mance”, “Junior Mance Trio At The Village Vanguard”, “Big Chief”, “The Soul Of Hollywood” (recorded with an orchestra), and “Happy Time” for Jazzland, and “Junior’s Blues” for Riverside. The musicians featured in his trios include bassists Ray Brown, Ben Tucker, Larry Gales, Jimmy Rowser, Bob Cranshaw and Ron Carter, and drummers Lex Humphries, Bobby Thomas, Ben Riley, Paul Gusman and Mickey Roker. This set captures Mance during a key formative era when he was leading his own trios for the first time, after which he enjoyed another five decades performing and recording in a variety of settings. It offers a substantial and enjoyable showcase for his notable skills as a distinctive piano stylist.