Broadcast on 16-Mar-2015

Today is the Birthday of Tommy Flanagan and The Jazz Show is pleased to present his first Trio recording. It was done in Sweden in August 1957 while he was on tour with trombonist J.J.Johnson. The Swedes brought Flanagan, bassist Wilbur Little and drummer Elvin Jones into the studio to record 9 tunes. 6 are by Tommy and there is one by Charlie Parker (Relaxin' At Camarillo) and one by Billy Strayhorn (Chelsea Bridge) and a great standard "Willow Weep For Me". Tommy brought the Swedish discs home and Prestige Record's honcho Bob Weinstock loved them and issued them domestically on Prestige and called it Tommy Flanagan "Overseas". These stand as some of the best Flanagan on record and this unique trio benefits fromn the exciting brushwork of Elvin Jones.Happy Birthday Tommy Flanagan! Today he would have been 85.