“Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson”

• Artist: Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson
• Album: Ben Webster Meets Oscar Peterson
• Label: Verve
• Release Date: 1959
• Genre: Jazz
• Formats: CD, LP, MP3

It doesn’t come much better than Ben Webster and Oscar Peterson and this album demonstrates why. From Webster’s opening on “The Touch of Your Lips” to the final notes of “This Can’t Be Love”, these two great artists combined to create one of the best albums in jazz history. Its impossible to listen to this and not find yourself getting carried away. The highlight of the album, though, is Webster’s rendition of “In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning”. As the liner notes state, its not surprising that Webster captures this Sinatra classic perfectly given the fact that he’d probably listened to it hundreds of times before this recording was made. All the same, the lush, lyrical, tone he achieves is simply awesome, and it lead me to wonder what a duet between Ben and Frank might’ve sounded like…

“…this (45RPM AP re-issue) LP is from the stereo tapes. While I’ve always preferred the original in its mono version, that preference no longer stands. The stereo image is stunning, with good center fill, decent depth and no sense that instruments are stuck in the speaker locations – in other words all of the attributes of the best mono recordings with the advantages of stereo spread. You’ll use this record to show your doubting friends just how much better (vinyl) can sound than any digital format.”

Again, my preference would be for the 45 RPM Analog Products 45 RPM re-issue, compared to the 33 version, the 45 RPM version has huge, visceral bass. Close your eyes and Ray Brown is in the room playing just for you.