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Personnel: Earl Coleman (vocals); Gigi Gryce (alto saxophone); Gene Ammons (tenor saxophone); Gene Easton, Cecil Payne (baritone saxophone); Art Farmer, Nat Howard, Nat Woodyard (trumpet); Henderson Chambers, Edwin Moore (trombone); Hank Jones, John Houston, Lawrence Wheatley (piano); Wendell Marshall, Oscar Pettiford, Ben Stuberville, Ernie Shephard (bass); Wilbert Hogan, George Brown, Shadow Wilson (drums). Recorded at the Van Gelder Studio, Hackensack, New Jersey between February 8, 1955 and June 8, 1956. Originally released on Prestige (7045). Includes liner notes by Ira Gitler. Digitally remastered by Phil De Lancie (1994, Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California). Singer Earl Coleman, who had an early hit with "This Is Always" (cut with Charlie Parker in 1947), had a rather sporadic recording career. The music reissued on this CD (which adds four bonus cuts to the original Prestige LP) was, with the exception of a couple selections on Sonny Rollins and Elmo Hope albums, the singer's only recordings during 1949-1966 and (other than an obscure Atlantic album) his only sessions from 1949-1976. Coleman, who had a deep baritone voice influenced by Billy Eckstine, clearly deserved better. Although not an improviser, Coleman could swing, as he shows on these performances with the assistance of such fine players as trumpeter Art Farmer, altoist Gigi Gryce, and pianist Hank Jones; highlights include "It's You or No One," "Social Call," and a remake of "This Is Always." ~ Scott Yanow
