This is the type of project the Mosaic label does best: releasing the complete output as a leader of a classic jazz musician including obscurities and a couple of fairly well-known sessions. Serge Chaloff, one of the top baritone-saxophonists in jazz history, is featured as the leader of bop-based small groups on sessions originally out on Dial, Savoy, Futurama, Motif, Storyville, and Capitol. Such sidemen as trumpeters Red Rodney and Herb Pomeroy, tenorman Al Cohn, altoist Charlie Mariano and Boots Mussuli, vibraphonist Terry Gibbs, and pianists Ralph Burns, George Wallington, Dick Twardzik, Russ Freeman, Barbara Carroll, and Sonny Clark have solo space, but it is the somewhat forgotten Chaloff who rightfully is the main focus.

This set includes everything Chaloff recorded for various labels, such as Capitol, Prestige, Storyville, Dial, and others between 1946 and 1956. While many haven't heard of him, because of his untimely death at 33, Serge Chaloff was one of the great baritone saxophonists and one of the best of the be-bop era. He was overshadowed by others such as Gerry Mulligan who had much longer careers, but this man could PLAY! Not a household name, but highly regarded by jazz aficionados. You won't be disappointed by what you hear!

From the Booklet: "Serge Chaloff's great legacy is the performances scattered throughout his career on which he was featuered as a soloist. In fact, those records stand as landmarks in the history of jazz and helped define the style of the era. Alongwith Leo Parker, Chaloff was one of the first baritone saxophonists to be featured extensively and present an individual style in the new idiom known as be-bop. That alone would insure his place in jazz history. But as his sessions as a leader contained in this set bear out, it is his improvisational brilliance that earns him immortality."

Tracklist:

CD1
01. Blue Serge
02. Blue Serge (long version)
03. Pumpernickel (alt. tk)
04. Pumpernickel
05. Gabardine And Serge (alt. tk)
06. Gabardine And Serge
07. Serges Urge (alt. tk)
08. Serges Urge
09. A Bar A Second (alt. tk)
10. A Bar A Second
11. Chickasaw
12. Bopscotch
13. The Most!
14. Chasin The Bass
15. Pat
16. King Edward The Flatted Fifth

CD2
01. You Brought A New Kind Of Love
02. Zdot
03. Oh! Baby
04. Love Is Just Around The Corner
05. Easy Street
06. All I Do Is Dream Of You
07. Sherry
08. Slam
09. Lets Jump (alt)
10. Lets Jump
11. A Salute To Tiny (alt)
12. A Salute To Tiny
13. Eenie Meenie Minor Mode (alt)
14. Eenie Meenie Minor Mode

CD3
01. The Fabel Of Mabel (alt #1)
02. The Fabel Of Mabel (alt #2)
03. The Fabel Of Mabel
04. Mar-Dros
05. Kip
06. Unison
07. Body And Soul
08. Yesterdays Gardenias
09. Bob The Robin
10. Whats New
11. Bomareemaroja
12. Dianes Melody
13. Herbs (short take)
14. Herbs (long take)
15. Sergical
16. JR

CD4
01. Ive Got The World On A String
02. Thanks For The Memory
03. The Goof And I
04. Susies Blues
05. A Handful Of Stars
06. All The Things You Are
07. Stairway To The Stars
08. How About You