Ted Curson, The New Thing and the Blue Thing (side A)

1965's The New Thing and the Blue Thing is a bit overtly pretty for my taste.  There's very little grit — the compositions and performances are full of consonance and beauty.  Because the execution is so impressive, it's a pretty amazing listen when I'm seeking out simple and pretty.  The engineering was the first thing that caught my ear, with the trumpet's lack of harshness and the piano's rich high-end standing out.  The arrangements are great too, with surprising unison sections reminiscent of Fire Music-era Shepp.  The head of "Ted's Tempo" is split between two instruments, and the excellent musicianship feels like one continuous line.  The perfect attention to detail on the glossy cover image reflects the care in making this record — the fonts and colors are great, and Curson's outfit is styled perfectly in the large portrait.