CD REVIEWS: Anita O’Day/Four Classic Albums Plus (Avid AMSC1136)

AVID’S fourth Anita O’Day brings another generous selection of albums recorded in her heyday in the 1950s and 1960s. A tremendous mix has her singing Rodgers and Hart with Billy May’s orchestras, guesting with the Three Sounds, accompanied by vibes player Cal Tjader and Singing the Winners with great support by the Marty Paich and Russ Garcia Orchestras. A smattering of 1940s singles fills the discs up nicely.

Donald Byrd/Four Classic Albums (Avid AMSC1133)

ONE of several outstanding trumpeters to emerge in the 1950s, Donald Byrd shows here what a distinctive voice he had from the beginning. The four albums showcase him with tenor players Frank Foster or Hank Mobley, fellow trumpeter Joe Gordon and an array of pianists including Hank Jones, Horace Silver and Mal Waldron not to mention drummers Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey and Arthur Taylor.

Buddy De Franco/Four Classic Albums Plus (Avid AMSC1135)

THE pattern is repeated here with four LPs from the 1950s fitted onto the 2CD set, with a couple of bonus tracks squeezed in to fill them up completely.

One of the most renowned and successful modern jazz clarinettists, De Franco is featured here in small group settings with Sonny Clark or Kenny Drew on piano and, briefly, Jimmy Raney on guitar. avidgroup.co.uk.