****Excellent ***Good **Fair *Poor : COMPACT DISCS

“Compact Jazz: Dizzy Gillespie.” Mercury. Culled from various 1954-64 dates, this superb package has a strong Latin (Brazilian/Cuban/Caribbean) flavor. Six pieces are by Gillespie, four by Latin composers. This version of “Manteca” was taped live at Newport. The legendary trumpeter is in top form, with strong support from, among others, pianists Lalo Schifrin, Kenny Barron and Ray Bryant and saxophonists James Moody, Sonny Stitt and Benny Golson. Such gems as “Con Alma,” “Night in Tunisia,” and “One-Note Samba” never resonated more brilliantly. ****