Clifford Jordan Quartet: Glass Bead Games CD

The original 1974 double LP was Clifford's most legendary session, "...one of those very special dates on which every player strutted high fire and high polish, so much so that the record achieved classic status upon release," recalls Stanley Crouch. "This is brilliant music-making...maybe the most significant saxophone performance on record since Coltrane" is All About Jazz's summing up. And indeed, every player was a giant: Billy Higgins, the legendary cymbal master; Stanley Cowell alternated with Cedar Walton on piano; the great composer-bassist Bill Lee alternated with the impeccably swinging Sam Jones. Obviously inspired by Clifford's playing, the quartet fused into a telepathic groove on cookers and ballads alike.