Album of the Day

With an innovative 4-mallet technique and 7 Grammys to his name, Gary Burton is among the most distinguished vibraphonists in jazz. Violinist Stéphane Grappelli's tenure as a jazz great stretches back to his landmark recordings with guitarist Django Reinhardt in the 1930s. Burton and Grappelli joined forces in 1969 for PARIS ENCOUNTER, a superb set that makes you wish they'd collaborated more often. Joined by bassist Steve Swallow and drummer Bill Goodwin, the two headliners mesh beautifully on a mix of originals (“Eiderdown”) and well-chosen standards (“Here's That Rainy Day,” “Coquette”). Perhaps the most accessible of Burton's Atlantic releases, PARIS ENCOUNTER was recorded in that city at Studio Europe Sonor 50 years ago today.