The late Harry “Sweets” Edison was one of the acknowledged masters of swing trumpet; this reissue combines the original LPs The Swinger and Mr. Swing into a two-CD set with the addition of the previously unreleased “How Am I to Know?” and an Edison original, “Blues in the Closet” (no relation to the Oscar Pettiford piece with the same name). Edison and tenor saxophonist Jimmy Forrest work well together, inspiring one another with lyrical lines on the ballads like “The Very Thought of You,” and Edison’s easygoing blues “Pussy Willow,” but also heat up the session with their playing on an up-tempo Basie-like blues in “Nasty.” Edison switches to open horn during most of the second CD. Forrest’s vibrato-filled solo on “Ill Wind,” and Edison’s memorable rendition of “Baby, Won’t You Please Come Home?,” including both open and muted trumpet solos, are second-half highlights. Pianist Jimmy Jones, bassist Joe Benjamin, drummer Charlie Persip, and rhythm guitarist Freddie Greene make up the capable rhythm section. This reissue is a part of the Verve Elite limited-edition series with only 6,500 copies pressed. – Ken Dryden