Part of the trick, of course, was a heavy emphasis on up-tempo tunes which gave full rein to their swinging rhythm section and their powerhouse guest artists: Coleman Hawkins on tenor sax and Clark Terry on trumpet. Another element, as always, was their breezy showmanship, enhanced no end by Dave Lambert’s whaling master’s beard and bouncy personality; Jon Hendricks’ irrepressible cheeriness and bubbling exuberance; and Yolande Bavan’s exotic beauty and electric magnetism. Their buoyant joy reaches out to listeners, for L, H & B simply explode with good spirits and an obvious love for what they do.

What can you have but fun with three such delightful talents? Their tongue-twisting, musically fantastic vocal interpretations of instrumental jazz classics were a trademark which was responsible for their domination of popularity polls in publications all over the world, from Playboy to Down Beat. But they were not just a virtuoso group with a unique repertoire; they were also first-class entertainers whose comedy songs and occasional quiet moments enabled them to give a well-balanced programme every time out.

(From the liner notes from "Gypsy")……….."Annie Ross has the unusual distinction of having all her work to date highly rated by critics and laymen alike. A brilliant future seems assured". Born in Surrey in 1930 Annie led a wild early life due to her Scottish parents’ life as travelling vaudevillians. Becoming a member of the family act at age two she was off to America a year later and by five had been signed to a contract with MGM! Having completed only two films in the decade she was there, (one with Judy Garland), Annie returned to the UK and then on to Paris where she appeared in cabaret singing in both English and French. Tours of Spain and North Africa followed with Coleman Hawkins and also a spell acting for Orson Welles back in Paris. That would seem to be enough activity for one life, but Annie had not even seriously begun her solo career or hooked up with her famous partners in the legendary trio Lambert, Hendricks and Ross! Our four featured albums present Annie solo with such legendary musicians as Zoot Sims, Russ Freeman, Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker from the West Coast cool jazz school and from the UK, The Tony Crombie 4-tet as heard on "Annie By Candlelight" and with the likes of Pete and Conte Candoli, Stan Getz and Jim Hall on their jazz take on the Broadway show "Gypsy"

Personnel includes: King Pleasure, Jon Hendricks (vocals), Seldon Powell, Plas Johnson (tenor saxophones). (Blue Note Records)

Following in the wake of Jefferson and Pleasure was Annie Ross, later to team up with Hendricks and Dave Lambert. She does for Wardell Gray what Jefferson and Pleasure had done for James Moody and Lester Young. This includes the original recording of "Twisted" as well as Pleasure evergreens "Parker's Mood" and "Red Top."

With the addition of "I'm in the Mood for Love" (formerly titled "Moody's Mood for Love," Pleasure's biggest hit) and three other bonus tracks, this Compact Disc now contains virtually everything King Pleasure recorded for Prestige. (Fantasy, Inc.)