This obscure artist who rarely if ever played his music in public (he made his living playing in Dixieland and show bands) was able through the graces of Blue Note Records' Alfred Lion to record a series of dates with hand-picked sidemen playing his own compositions. Lion released Herbies first two albums on two 10" LPs called "The Prophetic Herbie Nichols" Volumes 1 & 2. Tonight we hear his first 12 pieces that made up these records. Nichols is on piano with Al McKibbon on bass and Art Blakey on drums. The dates were done in May of 1955 and presents the evocative compositions of Mr. Nichols with his marvelous piano playing. The prophetic Herbie Nichols indeed!