Herbie Nichols: Herbie Nichols Trio (Blue Note Tone Poet Series)

Blue Note, 1956

Herbie Nichols was one of the most original pianists and composers in Jazz history. Blue Note founder Alfred Lion considered him to be as unique and important a voice as Thelonious Monk, another singular talent who Lion was the first to record a few years before he signed Nichols in 1955. Little-known during his lifetime, recognition has begun to grow in recent decades for Nichols' incredibly hip, angular compositions, each of which were miniature marvels built with their own sturdy inner logic. Following his introduction on the two 10" LPs The Prophetic Herbie Nichols, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2., Nichols returned to Rudy Van Gelder's Hackensack, New Jersey studio in August 1955 with drummer Max Roach and bassist Al McKibbon - and again in April 1956 with Roach and bassist Teddy Kotick - for sessions that produced Herbie Nichols Trio (BLP 1519). This 12" LP was another collection of idiosyncratic Nichols originals including "The Gig," "House Party Starting," "Wildflower," and perhaps his best-known composition "Lady Sings the Blues" which was written for Billie Holiday.