Benny Carter

Benny Carter was so good at so many things (bandleader, writer, arranger) that he's one of the few saxophone innovators who can be taken for granted. These West Coast cuts from the late 1940s showcase Carter's breezy, upbeat swing-to-bop chops, and multiple takes of the same songs show how he develops and changes his solo conceptions. Glorious, unpretentious music.