CD (Item 45017) Universal (France), 1947/1948/1949 -- Condition: Mint

Some of the first bop sides cut by Americans in Paris -- a quartet of material from four different sessions, issued properly for the first time on CD, with great mastering, and a good set of notes in French and English! Don Byas is at the forefront of two sessions here -- one with the Tyree Glenn Orchestra, the other featuring the Don Byas Ree-Boppers -- and tracks on those include "Walking Around", "Red Cross", "Cement Mixer", "Mad Monk", "Billie's Bounce", and "The Hour Of Parting". Howard McGhee is next up -- with 7 tracks from a rare 1948 session, and titles that include "Big Will", "Donna Lee", "Nicole", "Denise", and "Punkins". Last up are four tunes by James Moody -- cut during the prime of his early bop years, in 1949, and done with a nicely modern edge. Titles include "Verso", "Recto", "Oh Well", and "Convulsions". 23 tracks in all!