Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Shelly Manne & Red Mitchell Four! (Contemporary Records Acoustic Sounds Series) 180g LP

Analog Planet Rated 9/11 Music, 8/11 Sonics!

TAS Rated 5/5 Music, 4.5/5 Sonics in the December 2022 Issue of The Absolute Sound!

Released as part of the Acoustic Sounds Series celebrating 70 years of Contemporary Records, Four! highlights the timeless talents of Hampton Hawes (piano), Barney Kessel (guitar), Shelly Manne (drums) & Red Mitchell (bass). First released in 1958 and recorded by legendary engineer Roy DuNann, this new edition features ALL-ANALOG mastering from the original tapes by Bernie Grundman. The record is pressed on 180-gram vinyl at QRP and presented in a Stoughton old-style tip-on jacket.

Pianist Hampton Hawes' 1950s recordings for the Contemporary label are at such a high level that they could all be given five stars. This outing...is also quite successful.

The stereo pressings weren't all that common back in the day, so finding them in any condition - much less a mint new copy - is a challenge. Even one of the 1980s Original Jazz Classics editions are going for about $75. So, for about $30, this new Acoustic Sounds reissue of Hampton Hawes' Four! is really a no-brainer bargain for any vintage jazz fan to pick up. Grab one while you can.

Pressed on 180-gram vinyl and featuring scholarly and insightful liner notes by the late dean of jazz journalism, Nat Hentoff, Four! is an absolute must for straight-ahead fans.