At the impressionable age of fourteen, Opus de Jazz was the first jazz album I ever bought. While the other kids were rocking to Buddy Holly, The Del Vikings and The Platters, I was getting hooked on the likes of Gerry Mulligan, Dave Brubeck and Count Basie! It wasn’t until I became a disc jockey (Back when we actually played those round things made of vinyl) that I developed a nodding acquaintance with Rock music … but my love affair with jazz has only intensified to this day.
Opus de Funk and Opus And Interlude were recorded at a Savoy Records session in New York, October 1955 and were released on the album Opus de Jazz (subtitled A Hi-Fi Recording for Flute, Vibes, Piano, Bass, Drums) along with two other songs in 1956. All featured Frank Wess on flute (tenor sax on one tune), Milt Jackson on vibes, Kenny Clarke playing drums, Hank Jones at the piano and Eddie Jones on bass.
