Gene Ammons: 'The Happy Blues,' 1956

The tenor saxophonist leads a magical septet of pretty players

Gene Ammons was a jazz blues master. The tenor saxophonist had a breathtaking ability to improvise lyrical blues melodies, and his playing style was confident, smokey and soulful. He also gave songbook standards a fresh groove. [Publicity still above of Gene Ammons]

Ammons also was a consummate take-charge leader of recording sessions in the late 1940s a…