The Fabulous Fats Navarro Volume 1

The prodigiously talented trumpeter Theodore “Fats” Navarro was a bebop innovator whose career was cut tragically short when he died in 1950 at the age of 26. Navarro played with Charlie Parker and forged a distinctive style on his horn that would influence many greats that followed him including Clifford Brown. The year after his death Blue Note compiled the 10” LP Fats Navarro Memorial Album as a tribute to the late trumpeter with selections from various dates Fats had featured on between 1947-49 with the Tadd Dameron Sextet, the Bud Powell Quintet, and the McGhee-Navarro Boptet which Fats co-led with trumpeter Howard McGhee. In 1957, the label expanded the release into two 12” LPs titled The Fabulous Fats Navarro as part of the 1500 series including additional tracks from the sessions as well as alternate takes of several pieces in order to showcase the sheer creativity and originality of Navarro’s improvisations. Altogether the collection is a bebop masterclass that featured various distinguished casts of bebop luminaries.

This Blue Note Classic Vinyl Edition is mono, all-analog, mastered by Kevin Gray from the original masters, and pressed on 180g vinyl at Optimal.

A1 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – Our Delight (Alternate Master)
A2 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – Our Delight
A3 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – The Squirrel (Alternate Master)
A4 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – The Squirrel
A5 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – The Chase (Alternate Master)
A6 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – The Chase
B1 Bud Powell Quintet – Wail (Alternate Master)
B2 Bud Powell Quintet – Bouncing With Bud (Alternate Master)
B3 The McGhee-Navarro Boptet – Double Talk
B4 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – Dameronia (Alternate Master)
B5 The Tadd Dameron Sextet – Dameronia