The Jazztet, essentially a hard bop sextet formed by Benny Golson and Art Farmer, ran from 1959 until it disbanded in 1962, the jobs having run out, the co-principals a constant, the remaining personnel more changeable. The group made six albums; Avid offer us four of them, spread over the usual two CDs.

The initial release Meet The Jazztet on Argo was recorded in February 1960 and positively fizzes with energy, Golson’s slippery Thompson-Gonsalves tenor skidding all over the harmonies while trumpeter Farmer is the clearer, more succinct soloist of the pair, wonderfully poised on Golson’s ‘I Remember Clifford’.

Fuller, the band’s original trombonist, is featured at his swaggering best on ‘It’s All Right With Me,’ while the 21-year-old pre-Coltrane Tyner tears into ‘Avalon’ before they all have fun on Golson’s ‘Blues March’, already a hit with the Messengers, and the always mesmeric ‘Killer Joe’ complete with its opening ‘hip’ narrative. The first and best of the band’s albums, this one deserves its classic status.

Later in 1960, Argo brought them back with The Jazztet at The Birdhouse, Tyner replaced by Walton and Fuller by McIntosh, its live atmosphere only enhancing the impression of a band in scintillating form. Golson is more centred in his solos, Farmer is up on his toes, flugelhorn largely supplanting trumpet, the material chosen a pleasing mix of old and new, a lengthy ‘Round Midnight’ the standout. The two Mercury albums from 1962, Here and Now and Another Git Together completed the Jazztet’s discography and again feature clever Golson charts and high calibre solo playing, as on the lovely ‘Whisper Not’, making the need to disband even more inexplicable.

Cracking music aplenty, with compositional gems scattered throughout all four sessions, and fine work from the co-leaders and the on-form Moncur and Mabern: not to be missed.