Wiggins (1922-2008) often appeared in Europe during the summer festival season, otherwise he stayed close to Los Angeles where he enjoyed success in the parallel worlds of club jazz and the Hollywood studios. When I visited him at his home in LA, it was to observe him endlessly working at the piano with a framed photo of Marilyn Monroe, signed to him in gratitude for his help as her vocal coach prominently displayed.

Here though, this double CD set concentrates on Wiggins the trio specialist, working his way through four 1950s albums originally issued on the Crown, Contemporary, Dig and Motif labels plus some nifty TV show tracks. His ‘Criss Cross’ is firmly struck and then moves into a strongly chorded exposition, Wiggins’ ability to span swing and bebop clearly evident. All five of the Crown pieces are by him, his ‘X-15’ moving readily into boppish territory before ’Gerald’s Train’ takes a steadier line, with gospel-ish overtones.

Elsewhere in these always stimulating trio compilations, he’s working with more familiar songs, standards mostly, interspersed with the occasional original, bass and drums properly supportive. Wiggins went to record many more trio albums for the likes of Concord, his later years ever more productive and well-regarded. Compiler Jordi Pujol’s booklet essay is worth the price of the album alone. Resourceful playing, and designed to please.