Chris

by Scott YanowThe music on this CD reissue by Evidence is excellent, but the packaging, which has breezy and inaccurate liner notes and no real personnel or date listings, is inexcusable. Chris Connor, whose deep voice sometimes sounds eerily close to Chet Baker's, is featured on four sessions from the 1954-55 period with backing by the Ellis Larkins trio, a quintet led by bassist Vinnie Burke (and including Ronnie Oldrich on flute and clarinet), a different quintet with flutist Herbie Mann and guitarist Joe Puma, and a unit that has some prominent trombone playing from J.J. Johnson and Kai Winding. In addition to the dozen selections (which include "All About Ronnie"), this CD also issues for the first time an alternate take apiece of each of the songs, so it is really two records in one. But why such poor packaging?