by Scott Yanow
Lester Young's influence on younger tenor players was at its height in the early-to-mid-'50s. This enjoyable session matches together the three tenors of Al Cohn, Bill Perkins and Richie Kamuca but good luck telling them apart! Backed by pianist Hank Jones, either Barry Galbraith or Jimmy Raney (who used the pseudonym on this date of Sam Beethoven) on guitar, bassist John Beal and drummer Chuck Flores, the tenors play concise versions of originals by Cohn, Perkins, Nat Pierce, Bill Potts and Bob Brookmeyer in addition to the lone standard &Blue Skies.& The music is fun and swinging if not all that original or distinctive. [The disc was issued by Mosaic in 2006 with the addition of four bonus tracks.]