The Ben Webster Quintet-Soulville (1958)

 

Artist: The Ben Webster Quintet

Title: Soulville

Label: Verve

Format: CD

Cat:  833 551-2

Year of Release: 1958

Country and Year of Edition: US 1989 BMG Music Club Reissue

Sell Price: $4.99 VG+/VG+ 9/24/22 

Discogs Last Sold:7/25/22 NM/NM $5.73

Low: $2.50 VG/VG+ 6/11/22

Median: $4.25

Average: $4.59

High: $9.98  NM/VG+  1/19/16

Current low price: $4.99 VG+/VG+

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 7

Have/Want: 88/29

Where Sold:   Loveland, CO

Time it took to sell:  8 years

Where and When Purchased: 90's BMG Music Club

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: A

Sad To See It Go: No

One of those classic jazz albums on Verve I knew very little about even though I've had it over 20 years.  Ben Webster is a tenor saxophonist who played with Cab Calloway and Count Basie in the 30's, Duke Ellington in the 40's and began leading his own group in the early 50's.  He passed in 1973 due to stroke after performing in Copenhagen.

Pianist Oscar Peterson, who is part of this quintet, is the name I know from childhood, although Webster himself also plays piano on some of the tracks.  Bass player Ray Brown, also from Peterson's group is here, as is guitarist Herb Ellis and drummer Stan Levy.  Jazz is an incestuous thing and you'll see these names all over the place.

It's pointless for me to analyze this, but if you want to dig a little deeper into the classic and great, and hear an important tenor saxophonist led combo with a couple decades under his belt from playing with masters, this is a good place to go.

Another good Sunday morning record.