1. Setting the Pace
2. Dexter's Deck
3. The Trance
4. Speak Low            play

Personnel: 
Booker Ervin, Dexter Gordon (tenor saxophone); 
Jaki Byard (piano); 
Reggie Workman (bass); 
Alan Dawson (drums).

Recorded in Munich, Germany on October 27, 1965.

This CD reissue has the complete contents of two former LPs, both recorded at the same session. With very stimulating playing by pianist Jaki Byard, bassist Reggie Workman and drummer Alan Dawson, tenors Booker Ervin and Dexter Gordon battle it out on marathon (19 and 22 1/2 minute) versions of "Setting the Pace" and "Dexter's Deck." Although Gordon is in good form, Ervin (who sometimes takes the music outside) wins honors. The other two selections ("The Trance" and "Speak Low") are by the same group without Dexter, and these long (19 1/2- and 15-minute) showcases also find Booker in top form, sounding quite distinctive and completely original playing inside/outside music. An exciting set. ~ Scott Yanow

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1. Lamp Is Low 
2. Come Sunday 
3. All the Things You Are      play
4. Just Friends 
5. Yesterdays 	
6. Love Is Here to Stay 

Personnel: 
Booker Ervin (tenor saxophone); 
Tommy Flanagan (piano); 
Richard Davis (bass); 
Alan Dawson (drums).

"The Song Book" was Booker Ervin's answer to the "Ballads" album trend of the early 60s. This album exclusively features jazz standards, and while Ervin plays beautifully on the ballads "Come Sunday" and "Yesterdays," he also tackles "The Lamp Is Low," "All The Things You Are," "Just Friends," and "Our Love Is Here To Stay" with his trademark aggressive fervor, and soulful meets avant-garde style. On "Song Book," Ervin is joined by frequent collaborators Richard Davis on bass and Alan Dawson on drums, and is joined on piano by Tommy Flanagan, with whom he recorded only this once. I find Flanagan's straight-ahead approach more suited to this outing than Ervin's usual piano partner of this period, Jaki Byard, who would have provided a more modern, exploratory feel which I don't think would have meshed as well. In all, "The Song Book" is another great piece of jazz literature from Booker Ervin. -- Michael B. Richman

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