Vibist Dave Pike began his career on the West Coast during the 1950s, working with the likes of Elmo Hope, Harold Land, Carl Perkins and Dexter Gordon before moving to New York in 1960, when the four albums anthologised by Avid on this release were made. It's Time for Pike (1961) is a workmanlike session with Barry Harris on piano working through two standards – ‘On Green Dolphin Street’ and ‘Little Girl Blue’ – and six originals by the likes of Parker, Dameron and Pike himself. Pike's Peak (1962) is distinguished by the presence of Bill Evans on piano and is basically a jam on some interesting vehicles for improvisation such as ‘Wild is the Wind’ and ‘Besame Mucho.’ Bossa Nova Carnival (1962) is another jam, this time on bossa novas to piggyback the vogue for Brazilian music following Stan Getz's hits like ‘Desifinado’ and the album Getz/Gilberto. Limbo Carnival (1962) is a more exuberant session with Ray Baretto whistled up to provide authenticity to this light hearted Afro-Cuban romp. Pike was a talented vibist who didn't really make the breakthrough he hoped in New York, with new kid on the block Gary Burton gathering all the plaudits with his four-stick technique that revolutionised vibes playing. He decamped to Europe in 1964, and found his feet with Volker Kriegal on guitar in a quartet inspired by the Burton/Coryell group, playing a highly energised version of jazz-rock that deserves to be much better known today than it is.