Four Classic Albums (Forrest Fire / Groove Street / Testifying / Young Blues)

Hammond organist and pianist Larry Young started his career very young playing with the likes of Lou Donaldson, Kenny Dorham, Hank Mobley, Tommy Turrentine and Jimmy Forrest with whom he cut our first selection "Forest Fire" at the tender age of 20! In fact while still only 20 he would then begin to cut his own albums as featured here. Larry Young was certainly influenced by the great Jimmy Smith and his early albums are more orientated to the soul jazz sound as pioneered by Smith. It wasn't until later in the 1960's that he would participate in the pioneering of modal jazz as played by Miles and Coltrane amongst others while recording his classic sides for Blue Note. He would then, later, of course go on to play in the fusion bands of Miles Davis, notably "Bitches Brew" and even jammed with Jimi Hendrix. Larry Young died at the tragically early age of 38 from unknown causes after checking himself into hospital with stomach pains and being treated for pneumonia.