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1950-1952 on CD

This 24 track CD opens with Al Hibbler's first session for Atlantic (with Billy Kyle's Orchestra) and moves on to songs recorded for the short-lived Mercer label, which reunites Al with the Ellingtonians (Red Rodney, Johnny Hodges, Harry Carney, Billy Strayhorn, Oscar Pettiford and Max Roach). Next up are four tracks featuring Benny Carter and Dave Barbour, possibly recorded in Los Angeles. Billy Taylor and Jimmy Mundy were in charge of the backing bands on the remaining Atlantic recordings included here. In July 1951, Al was again in the sympathetic company of the Ellingtonians. From 1952-54, Hibbler was temporarily under the wing of Norman Granz, and this CD ends with four of these happy occasions.