In the early 2000s, avant-garde jazz saxophonist Sonny Simmons recorded his own performances at the Club La Ville in Paris. Backed by bass and drums, Simmons performed a mix of original numbers interspersed with a Broadway standard (“My Favorite Things”) and three 1940s jazz compositions (“Hot House,” “Salt Peanuts,” and “’Round Midnight”). “Ancient Egypt” features Simmons on English horn, and “New Bird Blues” is his homage to Charlie Parker. The close proximity of the audience to the musicians is evident on the live recordings.

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