Things Are Getting Better

VINYL FORMAT. All star session recorded in NYC in the autumn of 1958, led by Cannonball Adderley on alto sax and Milt Jackson on vibes. The rhythm section is also no less noteworthy with Wynton Kelly on piano, Percy Heath on bass and Art Blakey on drums. This date represents an interesting and successful juxtaposition of the two sides of jazz at the time, with Adderley coming from the more improvisational and swinging side of downtown jazz and Jackson coming from the more cerebral side of jazz as "high art." But despite hailing from different sides of the scene, both men are considered venerable 'practitioners of the blues' and this is perhaps the tie that binds these men together on this memorable date. The group plays a range of tunes including two of Adderley's own compositions: the title track "Things Are Getting Better" and "Sounds For Sid" (dedicated to a favorite disc jockey of the time). Jackson also contributes one of his own themes with the original "Blues Oriental," which leads off the disc. They also play Dizzy's bop-era classic "Groovin' High," while Adderley presents his own modern take on "The Sidewalks of New York." An important meeting of top-shelf jazz musicians in a critical year in jazz history.