Tal Farlow_Yardbird Suite
On this 1956 session, Farlow led a trio with pianist Eddie Costa and bassist Vinnie Burke. The style of the group--without horns or drums--might be described as "chamber bop," relatively quiet music that swings mightily with complex and mutually supportive interaction, rhythmic verve and fluid invention. Farlow spins out stunning, seemingly effortless, lines of melody, both on bop tunes like Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite" and standards such as "Like Someone in Love." His overlapping exchanges with Costa--who possessed a Bud Powell-like fluency--are inspired. --Stuart Broomer