CD (Item 37457) Universal (France), 1950/1951/1952 -- Condition: Mint

Tenorist Don Byas is one of those players who always seemed to get more recognition in Europe than the US -- or if that's not entirely the case, he at least got more chances to record properly than he ever did over here! This excellent 18 track CD features tunes from 3 early 50s sessions that Byas recorded in Paris -- all of them in a small group setting that really let him open up on tenor in a mellow soulful way. Most tracks are relatively short, but the quality of Byas' solos is wonderful -- and the CD represents some of the finest work you could ever hope to find by him from the postwar years. Titles include "Summertime", "The Man I Love", "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes", "Riviera Blues", "Somebody Loves Me", and a sublime version of "Laura".