Larry Young, one of the most significant jazz organists to emerge after the rise of
Jimmy Smith, is heard on this limited-edition six-CD set at the peak of his creativity. Formerly available as nine LPs, the set includes the original
Larry Young albums
Into Somethin',
Unity,
Of Love and Peace,
Contrasts,
Heaven on Earth, and
Mother Ship, while drawing from the compilations 40 Years of Jazz, The History of Blue Note (Dutch), The World of Jazz Organ (Japanese), and The Blue Note 50th Anniversary Collection Volume Two: The Jazz Message, and also including guitarist
Grant Green's Talkin' About, Street of Dreams, and I Want to Hold Your Hand.
Young was still very much under
Smith's influence on the first four sessions released as Talkin' About,
Into Somethin', Street of Dreams, and I Want to Hold Your Hand (all featuring a trio with
Green and drummer
Elvin Jones plus guests
Sam Rivers or
Hank Mobley on tenor and vibraphonist
Bobby Hutcherson). However, starting with the monumental
Unity session (a quartet outing with
Joe Henderson on tenor, trumpeter
Woody Shaw, and
Jones),
Young emerged as a very advanced and original stylist in his own right.
Young's final four dates (
Of Love and Peace,
Contrasts,
Heaven on Earth, and
Mother Ship) are generally pretty explorative and feature such notable sidemen as altoist
James Spaulding and
Byard Lancaster, guitarist
George Benson, and trumpeter
Lee Morgan along with some forgotten local players. This definitive
Larry Young set is highly recommended.
–
Scott Yanow, Rovi