Personnel: Stan Getz (tenor saxophone); Stan Getz ; Drifting Johnny Smith, Johnny Smith (guitar); Zoot Sims & His Five Brothers, Allen Eager, Zoot Sims (tenor saxophone); Henry 'Hank' Jones, Sandford Gold, Henry Jones, Sanford Gold, Walter Bishop, Sr., Walter Bishop, Jr., Bengt Hallberg (piano); Gunnar Johnson, Dillon 'Curley' Russell, Joe Calloway, Eddie Safranski, Yngve Akerberg, Gene Ramey, Leonard Gaskin, Percy Heath, Teddy Kotick, Tommy Potter, Bill Crow, Clyde Lombardi, Bob Carter , Mert Oliver (bass guitar); Frank Isola, Jack Noren, Jack Noren (drums); Junior Parker (vocals); Jimmy Raney (guitar); Al Epstein, Al Cohn, Brew Moore (tenor saxophone); Lars Gullin (baritone saxophone); Norman Faye (trumpet); Earl Swope (trombone); Tony Aless, Duke Jordan, Horace Silver, Al Haig (piano); Charles Perry , Don Lamond, Kenneth Fagerlund, Max Roach, Morey Feld, Roy Haynes, Stan Levey, Tiny Kahn, Walter Bolden (drums); Carlos Vidal (congas); Stan Getz All Stars , Stan Getz Boppers , Stan Getz New Sound Stars , Stan Getz & Swedish All Stars , Al Haig Sextet, Stan Getz Quintet , Stan Getz Quartet , The Be Bop Boys.
Additional personnel: Bengt Hallberg.
Recording information: Boston, MA (07/31/1946-12/12/1952); New York, NY (07/31/1946-12/12/1952); Stockholm, Sweden (07/31/1946-12/12/1952).
THE SMOOTHEST OPERATOR is a four-disc box set that collects tracks from the early part of Stan Getz's career. The box is in no way comprehensive (there's none of the man's famous bossa nova work, for example), but the transfers, not to mention the music itself, are all of a high caliber. It's particularly interesting to hear Getz develop from a straightforward bebop player to a uniquely individual stylist of high lyricism, and the 98 cuts here give the listener ample opportunity to do so. Well compiled, THE SMOOTHEST OPERATOR is a great one-shop stop for collecting a generous cross-section of Getz's early work.
