Sidney Bechet - Brussels Fair 1958

One of the greatest Jazz creators of all time, Sidney Bechet was also one of the first Jazz soloists to be recorded and widely recognized. Sidney Bechet's fortunes changed drastically in 1949. He was invited to the Salle Pleyel Jazz Festival in Paris, where he participated along with modern Jazz figures such as Charlie Parker and Miles Davis, and caused such a sensation that he decided to move permanently overseas. Within a couple years he became a major celebrity and a national hero in France, even though he was virtually ignored by the general public in the United States. The concert presented on this CD was the last that Sidney Bechet ever made in public. After this concert, he would only record one studio session. The pickup group displayed a rare chemistry with Bechet and the music is of the highest quality. The caliber of the sidemen is best seen on two tunes. In Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood", trombonist Vic Dickenson demonstrates remarkable mastery and sensitivity. Buck Clayton's solo on "All of Me" lives up to the trumpeter's reputation with it's unflagging inspiration. RLR.