Illinois Jacquet’s classic 1956 album, *Swing’s The Thing*, is getting a reissue from Verve Records as part of their Acoustic Sounds Vinyl Series. The album will be available on November 21 and is open for pre-order now.
Originally recorded for the Clef label, *Swing’s The Thing* features Jacquet on tenor saxophone, joined by a talented sextet that includes Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Jimmy Jones on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Jo Jones on drums. This recording stands out, especially since Jacquet didn’t lead many sessions during this period.
The six-track album includes standout songs like “Las Vegas Blues,” “Harlem Nocturne,” and “Achtung.” It received critical acclaim, earning a four-star review. The reviewer praised the magic of the performances from Jacquet and his bandmates.
The album was recorded on October 16, 1956, at Studio Radio Recorders in Hollywood, CA, with Norman Granz as the producer. Granz was also the founder of both Clef and Verve.
In addition to *Swing’s The Thing*, Verve will also release *Coleman Hawkins and Confrères* on November 21. This album, originally released in 1958, features Hawkins with the Oscar Peterson Trio and other jazz greats.
Verve’s Acoustic Sounds series offers high-quality transfers from analog tapes, remastered onto 180-gram vinyl, all in deluxe gatefold packaging. Check out the Verve Acoustic Sounds Series on vinyl now!
