Barrett Deems, 81 at the time of this recording, will always be best known for his stint with the Louis Armstrong All-Stars in the 1950s. After settling in Chicago, the drummer became the leader of a top-notch jazz orchestra which made its recording debut on this Delmark release. Deems, whose musical role model is Buddy Rich, is in top form throughout the set, which is a bit surprising considering his shaky health at the time. The performances (mostly veteran standards) are usually hard-driving...   [ read more ]

CD $16.13

It said something about the status of Motown Records in America in 2004 that U.S. listeners had a 12-song compilation of Barrett Strong material, while in England Universal released this 22-song collection -- ten of the tracks previously unreleased anywhere in any form -- covering his complete Motown history. This CD was the result of a thorough vault search, and those ten previously unreleased songs aren't second-rate -- indeed, "Tell All Your Friends" and "Believe It or Not" (the latter...   [ read more ]

CD $10.43

Barrett's strong tone and fine sense of melody are put to excellent use on this vibrant set. With guests Kenny Garrett, Aaron Goldberg and Jimmy Greene, Barrett runs through a batch of fine original tunes and a couple of lovely covers. His take on Steve Allen's "Impossible" is particularly lovely. ~ Tim Sheridan, All Music Guide

CD $16.13