Classic Albums Collection: 1954-1964

This Roy Haynes collection along with the other dozen I've purchased are excellent in sound quality and value. My only complaint is that about 40% or so of the cases were broken to the point of the discs flopping around with plastic fragments... so far the discs themselves have been unharmed.

This is a great collection of albums by Roy Haynes. Many of these titles are hard to find and I’m glad they put this collection out. All discs are enjoyable and it is great to hear how Roy’s playing progressed over these albums. Get it! You won’t regret it!

The various musicians Roy Haynes playes with on the selection make it twice as valuable - Rolan Kirk, Eric Dolphy, John Coltrane, McCoy Tyner, etc.

There's no listing of personnel for the original LPs, the details of the personnel are inconveniently buried in some liner notes and aren't always clear. And they have identifying thumbnail pictures of only eight of the nine original LPs, omitting the McCoy Tyner album on which Haynes was a sideman, not a leader. So here's the listing broken out a bit more simply (with Haynes on drums on all selections, of course): Disc 1, "Busman's Holiday" (1954) Sahib Shihab alto and baritone sax, Joe Benjamin bass, Adrian Acia piano, Byarne Nerem tenor sax, Ake Persson, trombone "Roy Haynes' Modern Group" (1954) Jay Cameron baritone sax, Joe Benjamin bass, Jimmy Gourley guitar, Henri Renaud piano, Barney Wilen tenor sax "We Three" (1959) Phineas Newborn piano, Paul Chambers bass Disc 2, "Just Us" (1960) Richard Wyans piano, Eddie De Haas bass "Out of the Afternoon" (1962) Roland Kirk tenor sax and his usual assortment of other wind instruments, Tommy Flanigan piano, Henry Grimes bass Disc 3, "Reaching Fourth" (1963), which was a McCoy Tyner album featuring Henry Grimes on bass and Haynes on drums "Cracklin" (1963) Booker Ervin tenor sax, Ronnie Matthews piano, Larry Ridley bass Disc 4, "Cymbalism" (1963) Frank Strozier alto sax and flute, Ronnie Matthews piano, Larry Ridley bass "People" (1964) Frank Strozier alto sax and flute, Sam Dockery Jr. piano, Larry Ridley bass

The living marvel of jazz drums proves here he was already a great bandleader over 50 years ago. Still-fresh music, at a can't-beat-it with two sticks price!

The music is great, and Roy Haynes is a fantastic musician, however there is no true information about the music on the albums or the tracks, or even the years recorded. It looks as if they were gathered from here there everywhere and printed on these 4 CDs, and even the cover of this album is misleading since not all the albums on the photo exist on this recording. It’s a mix up yet the music is good. Not recommended for collectors

There’s nothing to dislike about Roy Haynes