Great Jazz Albums (IMO) #4

Sonny Clark, Cool Struttin' (1958).  The New York Times referred to this amazing album as an "enduring hard bop classic."  Sonny Clark was often described as having been influenced by Bud Powell but, as one critic pointed out, he also "developed an intricate and hard-swinging harmonic sensibility that was full of nuance and detail."  This album is a classic, as are all of the recordings in Clark's short career (he died at the age of 31 in 1963).  This album features Jackie McLean on saxophone, Art Farmer on trumpet.  Philly Joe Jones is the drummer and Paul Chambers is on bass.  [Related posts:  Really Great Jazz Albums #1, #2, and #3].