Kenny Burrell had been recording for Blue Note less than a year when he entered Rudy Van Gelder’s Hackensack, New Jersey studio in February 1957 for his 3rd session as a leader for the label. The date presented the guitarist’s signature stylings with a crack team of hard boppers featuring Horace Silver on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. Side 1 finds the band stretching out on a jaunty take of Silver’s tune “Nica’s Dream,” written for the jazz baroness Pannonica de Koenigswarter, and Burrell’s hard charging “Out for Blood.” Side 2 offers up several views of the blues with an excellent version of Lester Young’s “D.B. Blues” book-ended by two different takes of Burrell’s easy-going “K.B Blues.” Previously only issued on vinyl in Japan, this swinging set is given a new shine as part of the Tone Poet Series. 

Blue Note Tone Poet Series

The Tone Poet Audiophile Vinyl Reissue Series was born out of Blue Note President Don Was’ admiration for the exceptional audiophile Blue Note LP reissues presented by Music Matters. Was brought Joe Harley, a.k.a. the “Tone Poet,” on board to curate and supervise a series of reissues from the Blue Note family of labels.

Extreme attention to detail has been paid to getting these right in every conceivable way, from the jacket graphics and printing quality to superior LP mastering (direct from the master tapes) by Kevin Gray to superb 180g audiophile LP pressings by Record Technology Inc. Every aspect of these Tone Poet releases is done to the highest possible standard. It means that you will never find a superior version. This is IT.

This mono Tone Poet Vinyl Edition was produced by Joe Harley, mastered by Kevin Gray (Cohearent Audio) from the original analog master tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl at Record Technology Inc. (RTI), and packaged in a deluxe gatefold tip-on jacket.

Tracklist:

A1: Nica's Dream
A2: Out For Blood

B1: K.B. Blues
B2: D. B. Blues
B3: K. B. Blues (Alternate Take)