Billy Mitchell: This Is Billy Mitchell (Verve Vault) (180 g) (LP)

Tenor saxophonist Billy Mitchell had already made a name for himself in the mid-1950s as a member of the big bands led by Dizzy Gillespie and Count Basie before stepping into the spotlight for the first time as a bandleader in 1962 with *This Is Billy Mitchell* on Smash Records. The sextet combines its Detroit roots with the energy of hard bop: Alongside Detroit natives Herman Wright on bass and Otis Finch on drums, the lineup features Billy Wallace and Clarence “Sleepy” Anderson on piano and organ, trumpeter Dave Burns, and the then-up-and-coming vibraphonist Bobby Hutcherson. Together, the band unfolds a sound that is as powerful as it is nuanced, blending modern jazz sophistication with soul and irresistible swing—from the fiery opener “J&B” to the elegant ballad interpretation of Duke Ellington’s “Sophisticated Lady.” “This Is Billy Mitchell” is considered Mitchell’s most influential album under his own name and impressively captures the warmth, confidence, and rhythmic skill that made him a major voice in postwar jazz between Detroit and New York. Verve Vault Series: Stereo, mastered entirely analog by Ryan K. Smith at Sterling Sound from the original tapes and pressed on 180-gram vinyl by Optimal. Single sleeve featuring the iconic original artwork