Kenny Drew – Kenny Drew Trio (OJC Series) LP

Kenny Drew – Kenny Drew Trio (OJC Series)

The American-Danish pianist was long considered underrated, as this 1956 album proves. The LP is also notable for the enviable rhythm section around bassist Paul Chambers and drummer Philly Joe Jones, who, like Drew, would later play with Coltrane.
The trio comes together so comfortably in tracks like the breathless bop of "Caravan" (a Duke Ellington gem) and the cool, swinging "Blues for Nica", a tribute to Baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter, the famous jazz patroness from the Rothschild family. If you want to get up to speed and switch off again in less than an hour, this is the album for you.

Original Jazz Classics was launched in 1982 under Fantasy Records and revived in 2023 with a focus on audiophile reissues of landmark jazz recordings. With over 850 reissued titles to date from the seminal catalogs of Prestige, Riverside, Galaxy, Contemporary, Jazzland, Milestone and others, OJC remains a trusted source for jazz discovery and rediscovery.

Since its reintroduction, the series has garnered much praise from critics, with Record Collector Magazine declaring, "The sound is out of this world." Tracking Angle described the OJC reissue of Thelonious Monk's "Monk's Music" as "remarkable" and "the best sounding pressing" of the album to date. Absolute Sound raved about the stereo reissue of Mal Waldron's "The Quest", noting that it "sounds fabulous - full-bodied, immediate and crackling with energy". Jazzwise praised the "unparalleled" quality of the series, describing the reissues as 'exceptional' and with "stunningly eloquent" sound. Qobuz highlighted the remastering, raving that it "breathes vibrant life into the original tapes".

Tracklist:
A1 Caravan
A2 Come Rain Or Come Shine
A3 Ruby My Dear
A4 Weird-O

B1 Taking A Chance On Love
B2 When You Wish Upon A Star
B3 Blues For Nica
B4 It's Only A Paper Moon

Label: Concord
Released: 1956/2025