Painter/photographer David X. Young utilized his artist loft in New York City's Flower District as a forum and meeting place for many jazz musicians to stretch their wares, amid other extracurricular activities, during the mid-1950s up until 1965. With this sharply dressed 2000 two-CD release, the folks at Jazz Magnet offer the listener over two hours of previously unreleased jam material spanning 1957 through 1965, featuring tenor sax legend Zoot Sims, trombonist Bob Brookmeyer, pianist Dave McKenna, bassist Steve Swallow, and many others of note. Young originally recorded these performances on his Webcor tape machine, and the sonic characteristics are perhaps no less inferior than some of those dearly beloved Charlie Parker LPs that have subsequently been reissued on CD format. Essentially, these various small group ensembles swing into the late night hours, covering such material as Dizzy Gillespie's "Groovin High," Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," along with other standards and originals. And to augment these historic recordings, there is a very appealing 42-page booklet, complete with introductory liner notes by jazz journalist Howard Mandel, candid recollections from bassist Bill Crow, Brookmeyer, and others, along with a sampling of Young's illustrations and paintings. This compilation also includes a poster that is suitable for framing. Overall, the producers have assembled an appealing yet thoroughly contemporary synopsis of a very complex and altogether curiously interesting period in American jazz music. ~ Glenn Astarita, All Music Guide