Thanks. It sounds very close to the digital version I have (OJC issue, with excellent sound as well). Interestingly, according to the liner notes, this album was first issued in mono, and stereo tapes were later found:
"The original LP release of this material was available only in mono, since the two reels of tape, which were assumed to be all that existed from the date, were mono only. Further exploration of the Contemporary tape vaults uncovered unopened cartons which contained not only the original stereo tapes of this recording session but, delightfully, four more tunes."
I would be curious to listen to the original mono LP. Regardless, the sound is very nice.
In the liner notes, another interesting read:
"Ben Webster, in 1960, had been living in Los Angeles for a few years, making recordings, playing in clubs, but not really getting anywhere, or even making any money. A warmly sentimental man (you can hear that in the sound of his horn), Ben was really in the area because he was devoted to his old aunt and his grandmother. They were not in good health, he worried constantly about them, and when they died, he moved on to New York, and then to Europe where he now lives, in Copenhagen. Ben wasn't really happy in Los Angeles except for the times, and they were not nearly as often as he wished, when he was playing with some of the superb musicians who understood him. I remember one afternoon shortly before he left Hollywood, Ben listened to the tape of "Georgia" in this album, and when it finished there were tears in his eyes. "Why can't I get to play with guys like that anymore?" "
From this period, in fact a month later, in November 1960, there is an excellent session with Johnny Hodges ("at the Jazz Cellar in San Francisco", but actually a studio session). Here is a lovely track from that session ("I'd Be There", also issued as "One For Duke" on some releases):
Ben Webster admired Johnny Hodges, and is in fact quoted as saying he wanted to sound on tenor like Hodges (who plays alto, and solos first on this track - and what a solo! though too brief...).
These guys were really "smooth operators". Mainstream jazz at its best
![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
When we find music that really moves us, sound quality becomes secondary, but when we have both we can reach Nirvana!
Here's a documentary about Ben Webster that is worth watching: