Roy Eldridge, Oscar Peterson & Dizzy Gillespie - Jazz Maturity

1994 CD reissue.

Roy Eldridge was only six years older than Dizzy Gillespie, but he was Dizzy’s musical father, as Louis Armstrong was Eldridge’s. The closeness in their ages meant, happily, that long after Gillespie’s own style evolved out of Roy’s the two men had many opportunities to collaborate. Collaboration, when it comes to trumpeters, also means competition. Although the frequent jousts between Dizzy and Roy were friendly, they were serious. Both aspects are plainly heard in this encounter, which is superbly supported by Oscar Peterson, Ray Brown, and Mickey Roker.