Woody Herman: Four Brothers

Long before Three Tenors meant an operatic trio of overweight males belching overblown arias in a stadium while the local ball team is away, this catchy saxophone round-robin popularized the signature 3-tenor lineup of Woody Herman's Second Herd. Although Herman's throwback clarinet is out of place, Jimmy Giuffre's unison writing is top-notch and Lamond's drumming is smashing. The sax section, though, is what makes "Four Brothers" unforgettable. Sims, Chaloff, Steward and Getz solo in that order, and on the coda it's Stan, Zoot, Herbie and Serge. Only in America could you find Four Brothers named Stan, Zoot, Herbie and Serge.