Dizzy Reece - Star Bright (Blue Note Classic Vinyl Series) Vinyl LP

Born in Kingston, Jamaica, trumpeter Dizzy Reece moved to London at 17 and quickly established himself across Europe, especially in Paris where he performed with Don Byas and Kenny Clarke. His fiery style caught the attention of Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins, who spread the word about a rising star on the European scene. When Donald Byrd and Art Taylor came through Paris in 1958, they sought out Reece and joined him in the studio for what became his Blue Note debut, Blues in Trinity.

Encouraged by Blue Note co-founder Alfred Lion, Reece relocated to New York the following year and was soon back in the studio with a powerhouse hard bop lineup: Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Taylor once again on drums. The resulting album, Star Bright, remains a hidden gem in the Blue Note catalog. Reece shines on a six-song set that includes bluesy originals like “The Rake,” “Groovesville,” “The Rebound,” and the Monk-inspired “A Variation on Monk,” alongside swinging renditions of the standards “I’ll Close My Eyes” and “I Wished on the Moon.” This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition brings the 1959 session back to life in stereo, cut all-analog by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal.

This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is stereo, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, and pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Optimal.