It was the critic Leonard Feather who dubbed Ben Webster "the Clark Gable of the tenor saxophone, at once a brute and a hero". The opening two tracks of this 1953 vintage recording proves the point with a breathy, caressing "Tenderly" followed by an up-tempo "Jive At Six" with Webster sinking his teeth into the reed to produce an urgent, gutsy sound. The album couples the first two sessions Webster did for Verve producer Norman Granz, who made sure that the tenor saxophonist had colleagues of an equal stature. On all 11 tracks Webster is backed by the Oscar Peterson Trio plus a drummer and on five of them he is joined by Harry Edison and Benny Carter for some excellent mainstream jazz. The album contains the previously unissued minor key blues "Poutin'" and two takes each of "Bounce Blues" and a gorgeous ballad, "That's All". Webster was a unique player who had complete control of the tenor and was capable of bringing his sound down to a whisper and then allowing it to die away leaving just a vibrating column of air in the instrument. This album demonstrates the artistry of a true giant at peak form. --Steve Voce